About Us

Meet The Team

Kerry….Chief Gourmet Officer

Kerry designed Gourmet Pawprints to bring her passion of food and wine to dog lovers. Kerry has a Diploma in Canine Communication and a keen eye for detail and planning, the creation of the business has been an amazing journey. It was an easy choice for Kerry to leave the mundane corporate world to go exploring in the wine regions of Victoria. Some might say, why hadn’t she thought of this sooner.

Bella…. the Dog Welcoming Bus

Dog Friendly Experiences is what we do and we couldn't do it without Bella. She is spacious and comfortable for all guests. Sit back and enjoy the view and we even don't mind if our 4 legged guests want to lick the windows! With 45 luxury coach style seats there is plenty of room for everyone.

Diesel….Chief Paw Officer

I am the face behind Gourmet Pawprints, pretty cool huh! I was raised in a loving Kelpie rescue until Mumma came along to bring me to my fur-ever home when I was 8 weeks old. I am an only fur-kid, so I pretty much rule the roost. I have a bed in the office Chesterfield for when I need to supervise.

Michaela

The heart and soul behind making everything pawfect for our guests, venues and team.

Jane

With so many years of customer service to offer, you will be in great hands with Jane, whether she is your Dog Carer or Bella Driver

Sharon

With over 5 years experience caring for dogs at the RSPCA, Sharon just knows how to relax a pooch.

Elouise

Bella is one lucky bus to have Elouise making her shine and smell great. You might even see her on tours as a Dog Carer or in parks handing out flyers.

Our Philosophy

Our promise to you….

To be warm, friendly and easy to deal with.

Care about every detail of your experience with us.

Make the simple joy of being with our dogs fun.

Our Values….

We strive to deliver Happy, Healthy and Safe dog and human experiences.

Happy

  • We understand that spending time with our beloved pooches provides a great source of joy and adding the chance to socialise with others makes for a happy day.
  • We carefully select all venues to ensure they are dog welcoming and can accommodate the majority of dietary requirements.
  • We pride ourselves on our extensive planning for each tour and event, to ensure every detail is carefully considered and yes it is fun visiting all these amazing wineries.
  • Our tours have a dedicated host and driver who are both skilled dog carers. We take time to seat everyone on Bella the dog welcoming bus, with enough space to spread out those paws and always give the window seat to the fu-kid. 

Healthy

  • We want everyone, regardless of how many legs you have to be in a healthy environment. We require all dogs be up to date with vaccinations, worming and flea medication and require the annual vaccination for Canine Cough to a C5 level.
  • We ask that all guests ensure their dogs are not exhibiting any signs of a contagious illness such as canine (kennel) cough  and for any behavioural or medical information in the booking process, which will assist us in making your time with us easy and special.
  • We always offer an alternative to the walks for those who may not wish to stretch their legs so far.
  • Cleaning Bella is a priority before every tour and of course that includes getting the pooch seats ready with blankets and seat belts.

Safe

  • Our team are skilled in understanding dog behaviour and know how important it is that all humans and dogs are able to interact safely and with the freedom they need to feel comfortable.
  • We have chosen to only allow de-sexed dogs on our public tours so as to follow industry standards of not mixing de-sexed and entire dogs in a confined space. De-sexed and entire dogs have different scents and this can cause issues when in a closed in area.
  • It is essential all dogs are able to meet and greet before getting on Bella the bus, allowing them to get to know each other. This is why we ask you to arrive at our departure point at least 30 minutes before the tour leaves.
  • We have selected an off-leash beach and provide a skilled dog carer to facilitate the socialisation.
  • We do not offer pickups along the route, as introducing new dogs without the socialisation is not wise.
  • We carry 2 types first aid kits (one main kit in Bella and portable kits in back packs that are used when away from Bella). 
  • We use 2-way radios for communication when the driver/host and dog carer are separated on walks to ensure the safety of our guests in an emergency situation and there is no mobile reception.
  • All our dog carers and hosts have a level 2 first aid certificate, have dog behaviour experience and qualifications and are trained in dog first aid
  • We carry emergency vet contact details on a lanyard for easy access. 
  • Bella is fitted with human and dog seat belts and we assist you getting on and off to ensure the eager ones do not pull too quickly.
  • We limit the number of dogs on each tour depending on the amount of time they spend in our care. On Doggy Winery Tours this is 10 dogs which is a safe dog to dog carer ratio when they are gettting a movie and massage on Bella.

Giving Back

Because Dogs Need Trees…..

Bella the dog welcoming bus is proud to donate one tree for every tour/event to help offset carbon emissions. We make this donation to Greenfleet, a not for profit organisation. Because we know dogs need trees!

Greenfleet is Australia’s most respected source of biodiverse carbon offsets. As a non-profit organisation, Greenfleet is dedicated to connecting people with real climate action. Since 1997, Greenfleet has planted more than 8.7 million native trees across 425 biodiverse forests in Australia and New Zealand to offset carbon emissions. As they grow, these native forests capture carbon pollution from the atmosphere, provide vital habitat to native wildlife, conserve biodiversity and generate resilience to climate change in the landscape. Visit www.greenfleet.org.au to learn more about Greenfleet.

Supporting Animal Welfare…..

We are proud to support a wide range of charities and events. We have supported the following charities:

Get in touch…..

Tell us about your event, charity or fund raiser.

woof@gourmetpawprints.com.au

Join Us

Dog Carer Role Purpose

The Dog Carer is responsible for managing safe and positive interactions between dogs and humans while delivering an exceptional guest experience.

Dog Carer Responsibilities

Dog Carers maybe required to work at any of our Pawfect Dog Friendly Experiences and the responsibilities may differ.

In summary, Dog Carers must;

  • Have proven knowledge of dog behaviour and breeds.
  • Have exceptional customer service skills.
  • Be able to proactively manage a group of dogs with safe play on and off lead.
  • Provide a dog massage on the bus when required
  • Walk dogs confidentially and professionally
  • Have exemplary personal presentation
  • Be confident interacting with a range of people and topics

Email your resume to woof@gourmetpawprints.com.au with a brief paragraph about why you want the role and we will send you a detailed role description.