Last reviewed: September 21, 2026

Paw Rewards is available for iPhone and Android, giving Canadian dog owners one place to build a dog profile, track Adventures, practise training, explore dog-friendly places and participate in eligible rewards activities.

This getting-started guide covers the first steps after downloading the app: creating your account, adding your dog, choosing permissions, recording your first walk and finding the live activities available to you.

If you want the broader tour before you begin, read How Paw Rewards Works: Walk, Train, Explore and Earn. If you are ready to install it, start below.

Download Paw Rewards on iPhone or Android

Use the official store listing for your device:

• Download Paw Rewards from Apple’s App Store
• Download Paw Rewards from Google Play

The app is listed as Paw Rewards | Paw Privileges. Paw Privileges is the Canadian dog-owner ecosystem; Paw Rewards is the app experience and rewards program within it.

Compatibility details can change as Apple, Google and the app update. Check the current store page before installing. Apple currently lists the app for iPhone and iPad, and Google Play provides the Android version.

Paw Rewards setup in seven steps

1. Install the official Paw Rewards app.
2. Create your free owner account or sign in.
3. Complete your owner profile.
4. Add your dog and choose the active dog.
5. Review location, notification and photo permissions.
6. Complete one useful first action, such as a walk or training activity.
7. Open Rewards to see the Treat opportunities currently available to your account.

You do not need to finish everything in one sitting. A complete, accurate profile is more useful than a rushed one.

1. Create your free owner account

Open the app and follow the account-creation prompts. You can also begin through the Paw Rewards signup page and then sign in through the app.

Use an email address you can access and complete any verification step shown. If a participating breeder, sponsor or partner invited you, use the invitation or code they provided. That connection can affect which member features, private offers and Treat activities are available to your account.

People who join independently can still create an owner profile and use the features shown to them. Treat eligibility is not identical for every account, so the signed-in app remains the source of truth.

2. Complete your Canadian owner profile

Add the practical details requested during onboarding, including your name, city and province. Your location helps Paw Rewards provide a Canadian experience that is relevant to where you actually live.

A dog owner in Victoria may need different seasonal ideas, businesses and Adventures than an owner in Saskatoon, Montréal or St. John’s. City and province help reduce irrelevant cross-country results while still allowing you to explore other parts of Canada when you travel.

Only add information you are comfortable including in your account. You can review device permissions separately and adjust them later through your phone settings.

3. Build your dog’s profile

Your dog profile is the centre of the Paw Rewards experience. Add your dog’s name, breed or mix, date of birth and a clear photo. Complete the optional details that are useful for the experience, such as size, energy level, personality, favourite activities and social preferences.

Be honest about the dog in front of you. A young puppy, a senior companion and a high-drive working dog should not receive the same plan simply because they live in the same household. Accurate details make training, activity and discovery tools more meaningful.

If you have more than one dog, create a separate profile for each one. Before recording an activity, confirm that the correct dog is active so the Adventure, training progress or memory is saved in the right place.

The profile can change with your dog. Update it as a puppy matures, a dog develops new skills, preferences shift or age changes what a good day looks like.

4. Choose phone permissions deliberately

Paw Rewards uses phone permissions for specific features. Your device may describe them differently, but these are the practical reasons you may see each request:

Permission	What it supports	What to consider
Location	Tracking an active walk, measuring the route and showing nearby dog-friendly places	Enable the access needed for the feature you are using. You can review it later in device settings.
Notifications	Current Challenges, Paw Quests, bonus opportunities and useful account updates	Optional, but helpful if you want time-sensitive reminders.
Camera or photos	Dog profile images, Adventure memories and sharing features	Choose the photo access level your phone offers and that fits your comfort.

Location is especially important when you want the app to record a walk. Start with a strong GPS signal, keep your phone with you and follow the prompt shown by your operating system. Paw Rewards is a phone-based activity tracker, not a replacement for a collar-mounted live GPS device used to locate a missing dog.

5. Learn the owner dashboard

The dashboard is the starting point for daily use. It connects your active dog with Adventures, training, current Challenges, Paw Quests, memories, education, nearby places and the reward opportunities available to you.

You do not need to use every feature every day. Choose the next action that fits your dog, the weather, your available time and your current goal.

• Start an Adventure when you are heading out.
• Choose a short training activity when you are staying in.
• Explore the Canadian dog-friendly directory when you want somewhere new to go.
• Open Puppy Academy when a puppy, training or relationship question appears.
• Check Rewards before assuming an activity earns Treats.

For a complete view of how these tools connect, explore the Paw Rewards owner experience.

6. Record your first walk or Adventure

For many owners, the easiest first activity is a regular walk.

1. Select the correct dog.
2. Open the Adventure or walk-tracking feature.
3. Allow the location access requested for tracking.
4. Choose the activity shown in the current app.
5. Start the activity before you begin moving.
6. Finish and save it when the outing is complete.
7. Confirm that the time, distance and activity appear in the correct dog’s history.

A worthwhile outing is not defined by distance alone. A short sniff walk, a structured Walk & Train session, an age-appropriate puppy outing or a quiet senior stroll can all be valuable.

Read How to Track Dog Walks With Paw Rewards for the full workflow, privacy settings and troubleshooting.

7. Try your first training activity

The Paw Rewards Training module is designed to work from your dog’s current level, from eight-week puppy foundations through advanced working-dog skills. Choose an exercise that fits the dog and complete the instructions shown.

Training inside Paw Rewards supports consistency between formal sessions. It does not prescribe one method or pretend that one approach fits every dog. Education, timing, correct tool use, handler skill, temperament, genetics and purpose all matter.

Use the app for quick drills, progress and rainy-day practice. For behavioural concerns, advanced goals or work that requires hands-on coaching, find an appropriate professional through the Canadian dog trainer directory.

8. Find your first eligible Treat activity

Inside Paw Rewards, the reward currency is called Treats. Open the live Rewards area to see the tasks, Challenges, offers or campaigns currently available to your account.

Do not assume every walk, training session, check-in or share automatically earns Treats. An activity must be available to your account, completed within its current rules and verified when required.

Before you begin, check:

• whether your account is eligible;
• the dates and completion rules;
• whether a minimum activity or verification step applies;
• repeat limits or waiting periods; and
• when the Treat credit should appear.

Use Earn Rewards to understand the current program, and read How to Earn Treats in the Paw Rewards App for detailed examples.

9. Explore Challenges and Paw Quests

Once your profile is ready, you may see three different ways to participate with other owners:

• The monthly walking Challenge brings the community together around collective distance and the current monthly rules.
• Private Challenges can be created or joined by owners, breeders, creators and their communities.
• Paw Quests are official campaigns with defined dates, eligible activities, resources and rewards.

Open the live details before participating. A Challenge or Quest may use different activities, verification rules and bonuses from the one before it.

Common setup problems

The app did not record my walk correctly

Confirm that location access is enabled, the correct dog is selected and the activity was started before you moved. On Android, also review whether battery-saving settings are limiting the app during an active walk. If the issue continues, record the phone model, operating-system version and what happened before contacting support.

I completed an activity but did not receive Treats

Open the activity rules and confirm account eligibility, dates, minimum requirements, repeat limits and verification. Then review recent activity in Rewards. An ordinary activity may save successfully without being part of a current Treat opportunity.

I cannot see the feature described here

Update the app through the official store, sign out and back in, then check again. Some features depend on account type, current campaigns or rollout timing. Use the Paw Rewards contact page if the issue remains.

I chose the wrong permission

Open the Paw Rewards settings in your iPhone or Android device settings and change the permission. The exact menu wording depends on your phone and operating-system version.

Frequently asked questions

Is Paw Rewards free to download?

Yes. Paw Rewards is free to download and owners can create a free account. Specific Treat opportunities, offers or member benefits may have eligibility requirements shown in the app.

Can I use one account for more than one dog?

Yes. Add each dog separately and switch to the correct active dog before recording an Adventure, training activity or memory.

Does Paw Rewards work outside Canada?

Paw Rewards is built for Canada’s dog community. Its businesses, breeder network, campaigns, resources and local discovery are designed around Canadian owners.

Does the app replace a trainer or veterinarian?

No. Paw Rewards supports daily routines, education, discovery and progress. It does not replace veterinary diagnosis, emergency care, official medical records or professional training suited to the individual dog.

Begin with one useful action

The best first day with Paw Rewards is simple: install the official app, create an accurate profile, add your dog and complete one activity that belongs in your real life.

Take a walk. Practise a short training drill. Find a Canadian dog-friendly place. Open Puppy Academy. Read the live Rewards rules. The app becomes valuable when it reflects the relationship you are already building.

Create your free Paw Rewards account, then download the app for iPhone or Android.