This app finds private off-leash areas for dogs in Kamloops, Okanagan | iNFOnews

March 24, 2024 – 4:30 PM

Property owners in Kamloops and the Okanagan are offering fenced-in areas for off-leash dogs to explore for a cheap rate.

Dog owners can find private properties to rent for their dogs to explore for $5 to $10 per hour using an app called Sniffspot.

Some properties have creeks and pools on them, some have hiking trails, others have beaches and fields, while some are specifically designed for smaller-sized dogs.

Winfield resident Jan Miller just discovered the app and has taken her two dogs to one property in Kelowna, with a scheduled time at another in Coldstream this week.

“I have used private parks at pet resorts before, but Sniffspot is better and more affordable,” Miller said. “My rescue dog doesn’t have good recall, but I like for him to be off-leash to explore without other dogs around.”

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The service is a great option for dog owners who don’t like using public dog parks. There can be aggressive dogs along with transmittable diseases and cleanliness issues. Some owners struggle with nervous dogs at public parks or dogs that don’t have good recall. 

Tracey Lodge is a property owner living in Black Pines — a community on the outskirts of Kamloops — who runs a dog bakery.

She just put her property up for rent on Sniffspot. 

“We have a beautifully fenced area and thought it would be a good tie-in to the bakery,” she said. “It’s completely fenced in, even for the little dogs.”

Lodge is a dog owner herself. One of her dogs has anxiety and the other is leash reactive.

“This option is nice for someone who has a dog that can’t be around other dogs,” she said. “It’s quiet out here. Parks are not good for all dogs socialization-wise, dealing with dogs they don’t know.”

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Park hosts are responsible for keeping the property clean, but the renters have to pick up after their pets. Pets have to be vaccinated and non-aggressive.

“I’m hoping more property owners will sign up,” Miller said. “I have a backyard, but more access to acreages and orchards would be nice.”

The Sniffspot app was created in the U.S. and can be downloaded onto a mobile device for free allowing dog owners to search for locations, and availability dates and times. 

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