Hapoo
Blog
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 · 6 min read
Walking your dog in Richmond Park during the deer rut
For a few weeks every autumn the deer you have walked past all summer are not the same animals. What the rut actually changes, the distances the Royal Parks ask for, and why a dog off the lead is the part that turns a sighting into an incident.
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 · 5 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.