Your first week with PawPrint
Set up your dog's profile, check a walk call, save a poster and build a simple routine that works before anyone nearby joins.
By Derek Ang, founder of PawPrint · Updated
Quick answer
Start with your dog's profile and the correct area, read the walk call, and save an emergency poster from the dog's card on Profile. Explore a familiar place before relying on the directory for a new outing. You can use the planning tools on your own; there is no need to wait for neighbours to join.
What should I set up first?
Add your dog's details and check the heat-sensitivity setting. Use information you know, and revisit it when your dog's needs change. The setting helps shape the planning estimate; it does not diagnose a condition or replace the exercise advice your vet has given you. Make sure the chosen area is where you intend to walk, especially if you are checking the app while away from home.
Open the walk call before a familiar outing. Read the explanation as well as the headline, then compare it with the sky, surface and your dog's behaviour. This gives you a useful starting routine: check, look outside, choose a route and stay ready to change it. Read PawPrint's safety guidance for the limits of weather and planning information.
How do I prepare a poster before an emergency?
On Profile, find your dog's card and choose Poster. Check the picture and details before saving the result to your phone. Open the saved image to make sure you know where it is and that it is readable. Preparing it while things are calm means fewer details to collect during a stressful search.
A saved poster is preparation, not a report that your dog is missing. If that happens, use current information in an alert and contact the relevant organisations directly. AVS's missing-pet guide is a useful link to keep beside the poster. PawPrint cannot confirm that a particular person has seen an alert or that a dog will be recovered.
How should I use Places?
Begin with a place you already know. Check its details and the route before travelling, and use the venue's own current information to confirm opening and pet access. A listing is a starting point for planning; it is not a promise that an entrance, dog run or business is open when you arrive.
If a place suits your routine, look for Watch weather. Your watched spots appear in the weather watchlist on Profile, where you can remove a watch when it is no longer useful. Review notification settings and device permissions if you choose to use alerts. You remain responsible for checking conditions before leaving, whether or not a notification arrives.
What makes the routine easier to keep?
Choose a simple default outing and an alternative for changed weather. The alternative can be a shorter nearby route or a quiet activity at home. Keep water, the lead and cleaning supplies together so the useful weather window is not spent looking for equipment. After an outing, note anything you want to remember about the route rather than assuming tomorrow will be identical.
Share a guide when it answers a real question for someone you know. The public guide link can be read without that person joining the app. There is no need to manufacture activity or organise an event to make your own setup worthwhile. Before sharing a poster or other personal details, review what it contains and consult PawPrint's privacy policy for how the service handles information.
Sources
How this page was made
Prepared for PawPrint with AI assistance. Updated . Editorial review by Derek Ang has not yet been recorded. Sources are linked so you can check the guidance and its limits. This guide is general information; it does not replace advice from your vet or the relevant authority.