Anyone else with a smart phone get a bit obsessed with the health tracker? It’s a free app but I am always fascinated to see how many steps I have taken in a day. Although I’d love it, I refuse to get a fitbit or similar device, as I think it would just make me feel more guilty for the evenings I don’t move in front of Netflix.
I am always interested in new bits of tech, with uses for us pet owners of course. So for the last few weeks I’ve been using the Walkies App from Direct Line. It’s free to download and even gives you a voucher for a free photography session at Venture Studios when you sign in, worth over £150! Maybe we can get some professional pics instead of #dogselfies…
The app has been created as part of Direct line’s campaign to help reduce pet obesity. The app aims to help keep dogs fit by allowing you to record the distance covered and the calories burned by you and your pet while walking. Whilst doing that, i guess it will also help owners to get out and about too, so if you need a bit of motivation, apps like this are a great way to monitor your progress.
So let me walk you through it!
After signing in, the first thing I did was add Lupo’s vital stats. I like that he has his own profile and all the data from the walks will get added in one place.
If you’re brave enough, you can add in your own weight and it will help calculate how many calories you’ve burned.
Next up I had a nosey at the other features. You can search for ideas on walks, according to your location, or wherever you are planning to travel to. This gave me a map in which I could zoom in and see suggestions. There were only a few near me, so I hope to add to those in the near future. 
So now you know where you are going, it’s time to set the app to work. I’ll be honest, the first time I did this, I completely forgot to press the big red button. But once I got in the habit, it’s a 5 second job to open the app on your way out the door. Just don’t forget to turn off the location services when you’re not using it, as that good ol iPhone battery will decrease rapidly!
Lastly, the app lets you share walks with your friends, which is useful if like me you are constantly googling nearby reservoirs or walks to go on for a change of scenery. As extra motivation for your pet on their weightless journey, you can follow the Fit Fred Blog to see a real Golden Retriever on his quest to get trim using the Walkies App.
If you like to ride a bike or run with your dog, the app will still record all the details – just leave out the steps for cycling.
So to celebrate you and your pets getting fit and healthy, with Direct Line’s help, we are giving you the chance to bag a £50 voucher for PetsPyjamas. The site is full of awesome items for your dog or cat and you’re sure to find something to treat your favourite furry friend. Just click the link below and GOOD LUCK!
VelcroDog £50 PetsPyjamas Giveaway
Full T&C’s can be found on the Gleam page above, but as a recap. Entries are open until the 30th September. One winner will be chosen at random by Gleam. You can enter as many of the methods as you like, but remember, the more entries, the more chance it will be of you going shopping with those vouchers! Thanks for entering.
Velcro Dog 
This app is amazing I had never heard of it before but it’s great x
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Great app! Thanks for the review! My favourite walk to take our dog is along our local prom, where we can look out to sea and see the yachts, boats, ships and odd brave surfers! We are a two minute walk away from the prom and beach so we go down there everyday.
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My favourite place to walk the dog is Tehidy Country park in Cornwall
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I love pre-work dog walks. All the dog walkers always say hello, it’s very friendly at 6am out there!
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Me too Liam! Best time of the day.
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I love taking my friends dog around the local area, I’m on my mobility scooter & he is trotting along next to me:)
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My dog loves his walks in the woods behind our house
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we love the canal
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OUR LOCAL CASTLE GROUNDS
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Wittenham Clumps or wendover woods
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Lincolnshire Wolds – its stunning.
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We’ve got an active living trail along our local river which is really nice x
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A love wood near us is a great place for dog walks, everyone is so friendly. Footpaths for walking ease, but also woodland to feel close to nature and so pooch can run free!
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one of the various walks within Dalby Forest, North Yorks. safe and full of adventure for both of us…..
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It’s beautiful there, great choice.
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We like to walk round our local water park. My dog never makes it all the way round without going for swim! x
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I love going to the local nature reserve, there are 4 different trails to follow so there are plenty of adventures to be had!
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My favourite place to walk the dog is around where we live in our village – in Gwaenysgor 😀
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My favourite walk with Max was through the park and along the River Clwyd. Max LOVED the river. Had to look to see if there was any livestock about first. My partner missed that there were some bullocks in the field once. I just wish she’d taken a recording of it. One bullock came to see what was making all the noise splashing in the river. Walked right up to Max, nose to nose, and MOOed at him. Max squeaked and ran back to Lisa with his tail between his legs.
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Aww! Great story, Judith.
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We love to walk down Brighton seafront near our house
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Our fave walk is through the woods behind the Park xx
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We walk along the river Clyde in Glasgow…because of the commonwealth games last year a lot of money was spent developing cycle routes in Glasgow…fortunately they r also super for dogs! It’s brilliantxxxxxx
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What a brilliant app! Aylestone Meadows Nature Reserve in Leicester is a great place to go walking with my dogs, Super dog friendly!
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I can’t walk our dog anymore as she is very old and her legs aren’t the best these days, I used to love taking her in to the fields across from our old house, she would run back and forth for hours, it was precious.
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We like going to the local country park x
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We are very lucky to have some beautiful country walks on our doorstep but our Jack Russell cross loves the beach when we are on our holidays.
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Wow great app. Would come in handy for my springer spaniel. I have no idea how many miles he covers! He loves sniffin gin the woods
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We have some fabulous local heath land which goes on for miles, great for walking
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i love taking mine to weelsby woods
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Along the Wirral Way.
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The App sounds great and is a much better measure of exercise than time spent walking. I’ve no idea how far me and Spud walk, it would be interesting to find out. Spud is a lively boxer so needs two to three walks a day so I would probably take note of our normal day to day route and aim to equal or beat it most days so that I know hes getting enough exercise.
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our local woodland; dogs love it out there
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Around our local park – high elms, where can stop at a dog friendly cafe
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I live in the heart of the pembrokeshire countryside, so me and my three dogs enjoy walking for miles every day through the fields and woods!
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What an awesome app! I love taking my dog a walk round my local woods.
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What a lovely story
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My favourite dog walk is our local racecourse – I am lucky enough to live less than 10 minutes walk from it, and it has a public footpath running across it. It’s the most wonderful large, flat open space that the dogs adore racing around on, and it’s useable year round!
I love apps like this, I’ve tried using a similar one before but I always forget to start it when I go out…
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My doggies love walking around the local seasides
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I walk on our local plantation which belongs to the Forestry Commission and is lovely for dogs and humans!
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I love walking the dog in the local park. Lots of nice doggy friends there. We also like going to the woods.
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Pretty much any beach that isn’t crowded and allows dogs! We don’t get to go very often unfortunately.
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Green Castle Woods – Llangain, Carmarthen. It is a Woodland Trust Walk and very popular with lots of dog walkers.
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We love our local park as it has a trail which runs around it so you can look over the rest of the park while you walk
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My dog loves going to the local rowing lake to see the swans and ducks
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Great app and review!
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My favourite dog walk is through the woods near our house. Love to let the dogs off the lead to go and explore. They love it!
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Queenswood near where I live,it’s so beautiful and has really good pathways through.
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