Because of my work, however, I spent many years travelling frequently. Lots of trips, long working days and, time and again, days when a dog would have been left home alone for too long. That is why I could never bring myself to get a dog of my own.
But I still could not imagine life without dogs altogether.
Through friends and acquaintances, I regularly had dogs around me, looked after them, took them for walks and brought them along on outings. That way, I could at least live a small part of my dream.
And during those hours together, I kept noticing the same thing:
It is surprisingly difficult to find a safe place nearby where you can simply let your dog run free without other dogs being there at the same time. A place you can book at short notice and without fuss for a few hours.
Sometimes you simply want to let your dog run and play freely without constantly having to watch the surroundings. Is another dog coming? Is there a road nearby? Will joggers, cyclists or wild animals appear? Will recall still work if something more exciting suddenly happens?
For some dogs, that is not much of an issue. For others, it is. Perhaps prey drive plays a role, perhaps encounters with other dogs are difficult, or perhaps you simply want a place where you can be completely on your own for once.
At some point, I found myself asking:
Why can't you simply book a fenced field just for yourself and your dog?
At short notice, for one hour, two hours, or simply whenever you have the time and feel like it.
You arrive, close the gate, take off the lead and enjoy your time together without constantly wondering what might happen next.
The dog can run, play, sniff and explore the space, while I can simply relax and enjoy being there.
When I started looking for places like this, I realised that they do exist. But they are often hard to find, organised in different ways or not easy to book online spontaneously.
That exact thought became the idea for DogOasis.
That is how DogOasis came about: the Swiss platform where dog owners book fenced dog fields, dog training grounds and halls exclusively by the hour, and providers rent out their spaces with ease.
DogOasis therefore grew out of something very personal: my own wish for a dog, the many hours spent with the dogs of friends and acquaintances, and the question of why it could not be easier to give them a safe place where they can simply be free for a while.