🐾 Play Pals: Our Family Journey from One Man and a Lead to a Thriving Dog Walking Community

At Play Pals, we’re proud to be a small, family-run business based in Corby, Northamptonshire, built on a genuine love for dogs. Whether you’re searching for a dog walker in Corby, Kettering, or Rothwell, our team is here to give your dog the best day possible! Full of play, fun, and care...the Play Pals way!

Our story began long before Play Pals existed, with Pat: a dog-obsessed 18-year-old who spent his free time walking and training dogs for friends and family.

From Humble Beginnings in Essex 🦮

Pat’s journey started in Bradfield, Essex, where he poured every bit of energy (and every spare penny) into creating his own dog walking business. While juggling three jobs to make it happen, Pat dedicated his evenings and weekends to dog behaviour training helping owners build better bonds with their pets. He eventually named his services ‘Mill’s Mutts’.

As the dog walking side of the business grew, Pat was finally able to leave his other jobs and focus full-time on what he loved most: dogs! His dog walking evolved into a dog walking playgroup service, which is now run by a small team of local, dog-loving staff who share his passion for giving dogs the best possible day out.

A New Chapter: From Essex to Northamptonshire and Launching Play Pals ❤️

At the age of 27, Pat met Natasha, and together they started a new adventure. Pat moved to Northamptonshire in 2019, got married, settled down in Corby, and have recently welcomed two beautiful girls into their family (and more dogs along the way!)

With the move to Corby came a new vision: bringing Pat’s successful dog playgroup model from Essex to his new hometown. That’s how ‘Play Pals’ was born... a dog walking service reimagined for the people of Corby, Kettering, and Rothwell.

Just after Play Pals launched, the COVID-19 2020 lockdown hit, forcing the business to temporarily close its doors. Like many small family businesses, it was an incredibly challenging time. The sudden stop meant Pat and Natasha had to rebuild from scratch once restrictions lifted. But through resilience, hard work, and the loyalty of their amazing clients, Play Pals came back stronger than ever with a renewed commitment to giving dogs the socialisation and freedom they had missed during lockdown.

When their girls were born in 2022 and 2023, Natasha made the big decision to leave her job as a primary school teacher to join the family business part-time, balancing her work helping manage the dog walking play groups and Pat's training around raising their daughters.

So, if you’re looking for a dog walker in Kettering, Corby, or Rothwell who offers more than just a walk, Play Pals is here to help. Instead of traditional walks, dogs are collected from their homes for group play sessions, designed to burn energy, build confidence, and encourage natural social behaviours. Every dog leaves happy, tired, and fulfilled.

Growing Together 🌱

As our family at home has grown, so has our Play Pals family. We now have a dedicated team of local staff who share the same love for dogs and the same commitment to fun, safety, and care for the dogs we look after. Their dedication has helped expand Play Pals while keeping that personal, family-run feel at the heart of everything we do.

With a strong team behind him, Pat now spends more time travelling around the UK as a master dog behaviourist, helping dogs with complex behavioural issues and supporting rescue charities and families alike. He has even been featured on BBC Radio Northampton, where he spoke about the benefits of Play Pals’ group play sessions and the importance of positive, structured training for happy, well-balanced dogs.

You can learn more about his specialist work at www.masterbehaviouristpatmillington.com

Why Choose Play Pals? 🐕💛

If you’re looking for a dog walker in Kettering, Corby, or Rothwell, Play Pals offers something truly special. We’re not a franchise or a big corporate service, we’re a family business built from the ground up by people who truly love dogs.

We’ve seen firsthand how regular, positive socialisation can transform a dog’s happiness and behaviour. Whether your dog is confident or shy, playful or cautious, we make sure every pup has the best time in a safe, structured environment.

We’re proud to provide our group play sessions offering convenient collection and drop-off straight from your home. We can’t wait to welcome your pup into the Play Pals pack! 🐾

Please feel free to contact us to find out more or get signed up today.