New Paway app for fun and safe dog walks

HOUSTON - A new app is now available in Houston to help keep dogs and their owners safe on dog walks, and connect them with other pet parents in the neighborhood.

Paway was created by the co-founder of the Wag app, which helps dog owners find dog walkers and care.  

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But Paway is considered to be more like the Waze of dog walking.

"Let’s go walk! Are you excited? Let’s go walk," said dog owner Denyce Sanders, who we asked to try the app with her dog Ellie.

You start Paway by creating a profile for your dog.

"It’s the dog," said Sanders. "She’s way more interesting." 

So you're not entering personal information.

"You look on my account, Wubba is on a walk. Wubba is doing these things," said founder Jason Meltzer with Wubba, his pug-a-poo.

You can enter your dog's personality.

"Is your dog friendly, is your dog aggressive, leash reactive, are they timid, are they a service dog," listed Meltzer.

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The app tracks your walk in real time on a map and you can pin, and see other people's pins, marking any possible hazards.

"There are a lot of people that have dogs that aren’t friendly to other dogs, or loose dogs running around. They can turn around and go the other direction if they see it," said Sanders.

Plus you can pin pet friendly places and good watering holes, and connect with other pet parents along the route who use the app, like Matthew Kinzle and his dog Albus Dumbledog.

"It tracks your progress through your walk. And if you are actively using it during the walk, you can see other users that are close to you," said Kinzle.  

"This shows where we are right now. This shows where I took a photo. This is the little smiley face with the pee," Sanders showed us of the route we walked with Ellie.

You can also share with your dog walker, friends or family whether your dog has already been fed, veterinary information, and good walking routes.

"It’s a good way for me to be able to track his excercise across multiple people. If I’m unable to walk him, my girlfriend or my parents are around, and they walk him I ask them to use the app," said Kinzle.

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You and your pooch can take part in challenges and games. Of course, my cat Finneas Binny tried.

"We’re doing a costume contest and if people tag Paway when their dog is dressed up, then we’ll repost them... hi kitty... on our social media accounts," said Meltzer as Finneas Binny interrupted our Zoom call.

But this app is for the dogs.

"Who's a good girl? That’s a nice walk," said Sanders, petting Ellie after our walk.

Paway is free to use.  There are other apps, as well, that help find dog walkers and pet care, such as Wag, Rover, and Barkly Pets.