HapooBlog
Notes from building Hapoo.
2 October 2026 · 3 min read
How do I know if my dog is a healthy weight?
Harder to self-assess than it sounds, because a healthy look varies hugely by breed. General awareness, not a vet's assessment — the rib-and-waist check worth actually doing, and the London-specific habit that quietly adds up.
1 October 2026 · 3 min read
Dog-friendly day trips within a couple of hours of London
Sometimes the best thing for a London dog is leaving London for a day. General categories worth considering rather than specific venues (which change too often to list reliably), and how to actually plan around them.
30 September 2026 · 3 min read
What vaccinations matter if your dog uses busy London parks a lot
General awareness, not veterinary guidance — why dense shared-park use raises this specifically, the named risks worth asking your vet about, and why this is a conversation, not a checklist.
29 September 2026 · 2 min read
Mental stimulation vs. exercise: why a tired dog isn't always a well-walked one
A restless dog after a long walk usually isn't under-exercised — it's under-stimulated. The difference between physical and mental tiredness, and why the slow, sniffy walk sometimes works better than the fast one.
28 September 2026 · 3 min read
How to socialise a puppy in a city as loud and busy as London
Most puppy socialisation advice assumes a much quieter world than London actually offers. General awareness, not a training programme — the city-specific stimuli worth introducing gently, and why timing matters as much as exposure.
27 September 2026 · 2 min read
Dog fouling fines in London: what's actually enforced
A mundane but real anxiety for new owners — the general rule, why the fine amount varies by borough, and one common myth about bin types worth clearing up.
26 September 2026 · 3 min read
Dog daycare and boarding in London: what it actually costs
Daycare and boarding are different products solving different problems, priced differently — what actually drives the cost of each, and the questions worth asking before you book either.
25 September 2026 · 3 min read
Is it too hot or too cold to walk my dog today?
London's climate is mild most of the year, but the real exceptions in both directions matter — the pavement test for heat, what actually changes in winter, and why the answer is almost never a full skip.
24 September 2026 · 3 min read
How to stop your dog pulling on the lead in busy city streets
City pulling is a different problem than countryside pulling — narrower pavements, far more stimuli per minute, and a lot less room to do the standard training advice properly. What actually helps, and why the fix sometimes means choosing a different street first.
23 September 2026 · 3 min read
Best dog breeds for a London flat (it's not about size)
Space is the real constraint in London, but the thing that actually predicts whether a dog suits a flat isn't how big it is — it's energy level, noise habits, and how much exercise you're genuinely willing to commit to.
22 September 2026 · 3 min read
How much exercise does my dog actually need?
A genuinely honest answer depends on breed, age and health — the general shape by life stage, the signs of getting it wrong in either direction, and why quality matters as much as distance.
21 September 2026 · 3 min read
The XL Bully ban: what it actually means, and where to check if you're affected
General awareness, not legal advice — how the ban actually works as a legal category, why a self-assessment isn't reliable, and exactly where to go for a real answer.
20 September 2026 · 4 min read
Renting with a dog in London: what tenants actually need to know
Finding any flat in London is hard enough. Finding one that allows a dog narrows it further — what the rules actually are right now, what landlords are really worried about, and how to make the case well.
19 September 2026 · 4 min read
My dog ate something on a walk. Now what?
General awareness, not a substitute for calling a vet: the common London walk hazards worth knowing, the signs that mean call now rather than watch and wait, and why it's always worth the call either way.
18 September 2026 · 4 min read
How much does a dog walker actually cost in London?
What actually drives the price — group size, borough, one-off versus regular — a rough sense of the ranges involved, and the questions worth asking before you book anyone.
17 September 2026 · 4 min read
Dog-friendly pubs, cafes and restaurants in London: what to actually expect
"Dog-friendly" on a listing can mean anything from a water bowl already out to technically-allowed-don't-push-it. How dog-friendliness actually varies across London hospitality, and how to check before you turn up rather than after.
16 September 2026 · 4 min read
Can you actually take a dog on the Tube, buses, or Overground?
The honest answer for new London dog owners: mostly yes, with a few real rules worth knowing before your first ride — the escalator one catches almost everyone out once.
15 September 2026 · 4 min read
Which London parks actually let dogs off the lead?
The honest, borough-by-borough starting point for off-lead walking in London — where it's generally fine, where the rules shift by season, and why signage on the day still beats anything written here.
14 September 2026 · 5 min read
The rain problem: why the walk gets skipped, and what actually helps
London doesn't really do dramatic weather, just relentless grey drizzle — which turns out to be exactly the condition most walking habits fall apart under. What actually gets a reluctant dog out the door, and why a short, wet walk still counts.
13 September 2026 · 4 min read
The psychology of streaks: why a missed day shouldn't break the habit
Streak mechanics are supposed to build a habit, but most apps design them in a way that actually punishes real life. Here's what the research says, and why Hapoo's streaks decay instead of snapping.
13 September 2026 · 4 min read
Motion tracker or GPS collar? An honest comparison
GPS collars and phone-based motion tracking solve genuinely different problems. Here's an honest look at what each one is actually for, and where Hapoo fits.
1 September 2026 · 5 min read
The multiplier problem: why most level systems go flat
A rebuilt look at Hapoo's own points ladder — why a flat reward curve quietly kills long-term progression, and what a real fix looks like, worked through with actual numbers.
14 August 2026 · 6 min read
Why Hapoo has no account
Every walking app wants you to sign up before it'll count anything. Here's why Hapoo doesn't, what a device id actually is, and what happens if you lose your phone.
22 July 2026 · 5 min read
A walking app that doesn't run GPS all day
Most fitness apps drain a phone's battery by keeping GPS on for the whole walk. Hapoo counts walks a different way — here's how motion sensors actually work, and why it matters.