Kimo Frederickson is the owner of True Body Fitness, a fitness studio located in  Corktown that promotes the idea “Fitness without the attitude.” They offer one-to-one personal training, nutrition training and all kinds of group fitness classes to promote good health and wellness.  He wrote us recently to remind us how important it is for dogs to stay active in the winter

The bitter cold is ahead and it is time to hibernate!  Let’s get our fireplaces roaring, hot cocoa boiling and a furry friend or two to cuddle up with.  The only issue with this scenario: winter sometimes lasts all the way to April and laying low that long can easily wreak havoc on our bodies.  The same holds true for our little canine friends.

Are you conscious of how much less active you are in the winter? The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity every day to maintain a healthy heart.  Daily exercise is a great stress reducer and a powerful tool to lose or maintain your weight. In the cold months when you’re trapped indoors, make it a habit to pop on a workout video, take a group fitness class, or simply walk up and down your stairs.  Maybe even sign up with a fitness professional to keep you engaged.  The point is to just keep moving!

Your dog is in equal need of movement to live a healthy life. What do you do to keep your animal fit?  Surrounding them with the friendly dogs at Canine To Five is the equivalent of putting them in their own fitness class, supervised by their own personal trainer.  Drop your dog off at doggie daycare while you go work out so you both get some activity!

Spring is a time we should be strutting our stuff in the sunlight that we missed so much!  Let’s do that with a strong body and mind that we maintained all winter, and let your dog walk that cat-walk with you!

One of the most critical things for the health of your pet is staying current on vaccinations, and that goes double for dogs that spend a lot of time around other dogs.

At Canine To Five we require all dogs to be current on their vaccinations for Rabies, DHLPP and Bordetella.  We ask for proof of vaccination from your vet before a dog can be admitted to daycare, and when your vaccinations expire we will give you a reminder to make sure they are renewed.

Vaccinations prevent some pretty nasty stuff.  Rabies needs no explanation, and that vaccination is done annually or every three years, depending on the vaccine.  DHLPP stands for Distemper, Infectious Canine Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parvovirus and Canine Parainfluenza (you can read more information about those diseases here) and that vaccine is administered annually.  And the Bordetella vaccine, which helps protect against Canine Cough, is administered at least annually, although we require it every six months at Canine To Five (and we can even administer that vaccination here).

Not all dog daycares stay on top of vaccinations like we do, but it’s really important not just for your dog but for all the dogs in daycare.  If we pester you a little bit about this don’t feel bad – it’s just because we care!