The Natural Dog

The Natural Dog offers Off-Leash Trail Adventures and in-home boarding.

Off-Leash Trail Adventures are structured pack walks that take place Monday-Friday in various East Bay Regional Park District locations. Each pack has up to 6 dogs, and hikes are at least 60 minutes on the trail. Dogs are picked up from home and dropped off 1.5 to 4 hours later. The goal is to get dogs off-leash, prioritizing safety and teaching proper social behavior. A 2-day per week minimum is required.

Boarding is offered in their home in the Montclair District of Oakland. Dogs become family members, receiving one long walk daily, plenty of playtime, and socializing. They can accommodate special requests like medical needs. Dogs must be at least 18 months old, current on shots and flea/tick meds, and not have aggression issues or severe separation anxiety. Dogs less than 3 years old must be crate trained, with exceptions for calm and trustworthy dogs. Dogs with very high energy are generally not a good fit, as they aim to keep their home peaceful. Dogs must have good manners, be fully house trained, and be nondestructive.

Pricing Summary

For Off-Leash Trail Adventures, the rate is $35 per adventure hike for one dog, with a 2-day per week minimum.

For boarding, the rate is $80 per night for multiple-night stays and $85 for a single-night stay. If pickup on the final day is after their regular morning window, a $40 daycare fee applies. During holiday periods, an additional $10 per night is added, and the daycare fee increases by $5.

Policies

For Off-Leash Trail Adventures, there is a 2-day per week minimum, and short-term walking requests cannot be accommodated.

For boarding, all dogs must be at least 18 months old and current on all shots and flea/tick medications. They do not accept dogs with aggression issues or generally cannot accommodate dogs with separation anxiety. Dogs less than 3 years old must be crate trained, with some exceptions for calm and 100% trustworthy dogs when unsupervised. Dogs with very high energy or puppy energy are often not a good fit. Dogs must have reasonably good manners, be fully house trained, and be nondestructive.

The Natural Dog is a family business owned and operated by husband and wife team Paul and Nora Oliphant, established by Paul in 2013 with Nora joining in late 2014. They are experienced pack guides who combine attentive care, experienced dog handling skills, and unconditional love to make a dog’s experience extraordinary.

Paul’s passion for helping dogs achieve their natural balanced state was shaped by his experience with his rescue dog, Luna, who had issues with being high-strung, unfocused, and disobedient. He helped Luna become a calm and balanced canine citizen through daily trail time, boundaries, limitations, love, and patience. Nora, an animal lover with a passion for the outdoors, joined Paul after gaining experience with dog handling and pack leadership on their walks.

They offer Off-Leash Trail Adventures, which are structured pack walks designed to put dogs into a natural and focused state of mind, helping to melt away many issues. These adventures provide both physical and mental exercise, focusing on teaching proper social behavior and ensuring safety. They also provide in-home boarding in their Montclair District home in Oakland, where dogs become part of their family and receive a long walk daily, playtime, and socializing.

The Natural Dog is licensed by the city of Oakland, permitted by East Bay Regional Parks District, insured, and Pet CPR certified. They pride themselves on taking great pictures of the dogs on their adventures, which are frequently updated on their social media pages.

Accomplishments

The Natural Dog is licensed by the city of Oakland, permitted by the East Bay Regional Parks District, insured, and Pet CPR certified. Paul Oliphant established the business in 2013, and Nora Oliphant joined him in late 2014. Paul’s experience with his own rescue dog, Luna, helped him sharpen his “dog whispering” skills and successfully pass them on to many other dogs.

How to Get Started!

New clients for boarding requests should fill out an intake form. For new client walking requests, there is a separate intake form to be completed.