BERNARDSTON — While you’re at work on sunny days, you’re probably thinking how nice it would be to spend some time outside. Meanwhile, at home, your dog is probably thinking the same thing.

Enter Hiking Paws, the 13-year-old dog hiking company based in Bernardston that happens to be looking for some new canines to join the pack for an hour each week.

As longtime clients (dogs, to be clear) are aging out, Hiking Paws founder Margot Van Natta is “looking for some more friends” to join the weekly hikes around the region, which she said provide a chance for dogs to get exercise, socialization and mental stimulation out in nature.

“We’re just really trying to build up our pack size,” Van Natta said. “They can play, they can run around, they can just choose to walk and sniff.”

Hiking Paws covers the communities of Bernardston, Greenfield, Deerfield and South Deerfield, as Van Natta or her staff will pick up the dogs, take them on a hike and bring them back to their owners. Up to eight canines are welcome at a time.

Hiking, Van Natta added, provides numerous physical and mental benefits for dogs, as they get exercise, can socialize with other dogs, and have a chance to explore and investigate all the smells that come with a hiking trail.

Dogs must be at least 1 year old, spayed/neutered, have previous socialization experience with other dogs and have some form of recall training, as they will be off-leash for the hike. Van Natta noted they do have GPS collars for dogs, but at the end of the day, it is most important that dogs can follow directions on a hike.

Additionally, Van Natta sets up meet-and-greets with new dogs to get to know them, which will help see if your pet is a good fit for the program. She typically doesn’t accept dogs that are runners or instinctual hunters, such as huskies or beagles.

“I like that my business is on the smaller side because it’s personal,” Van Natta said. “The longevity of it for me is really great. ... Getting a client who wants their dog to have a long, healthy and happy life.”

For more information, visit hiking-paws.com. It is $30 per hike and folks are asked to have their dogs available to hike at least once a week to maintain consistency both for their own dog and other canines on each hike.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.