From Couch to 5K with Your Dog: DogFit Launches First Dedicated Canicross App

Combining dog welfare, mental wellbeing and community sport, the new App helps owners run safely alongside their dogs.

Award-winning UK brand DogFit International Ltd is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the launch of the first dedicated Canicross training App, designed to help dog owners start running safely and confidently with their dogs.

Founded and run by two women passionate about health, wellbeing and responsible dog ownership, DogFit’s latest innovation arrives during International Women’s Month, marking a decade of female-led leadership in a fast-growing outdoor sport.

What is Canicross?

Canicross is hands-free trail running with your dog. The dog wears a specially designed harness and the owner wears a running belt, with the two connected by a bungee line that allows them to run together comfortably and safely.

Canicross provides:

· A social, community-led sport

· A powerful way to improve fitness for both dog and owner

· A unique bonding experience

Over the past decade, DogFit has helped introduce thousands of people across the UK and internationally to the sport, always with dog welfare at its core.

The First Dedicated Canicross Training App

The new DogFit App has been created to make structured, responsible Canicross training accessible to more people nationwide, particularly those who cannot attend in-person classes.

The new DogFit App centres around a structured Beginners Canicross Course, which includes a progressive Couch to 5K training programme designed to help owners and their dogs build fitness safely and gradually. Alongside the running plan, the course provides practical guidance on running technique, warm-up exercises and the verbal commands commonly used when running with dogs. It also includes clear advice on correct equipment, dog welfare and best practice, ensuring owners understand how to introduce Canicross responsibly.

While DogFit has a network of certified Canicross Trainers across the UK and overseas, the App has been created to support people who cannot attend a class in person. It removes barriers such as location, time or confidence, helping more dog owners get started safely.

Importantly, this is not simply a running app adapted for dog owners. It is an education-led programme designed around the needs of both human and canine athletes, reflecting the responsible approach that has defined DogFit over the past decade.

Core principles include:

· Dog welfare always comes first

· Correct, properly fitted equipment is essential

· Training must be progressive and suitable for the individual dog

· Rest, hydration and surface awareness are critical

By embedding these principles into the App, DogFit continues to set the standard for safe and ethical Canicross participation.

Supporting Physical and Mental Wellbeing

Canicross offers benefits that extend beyond physical fitness. Participants regularly report improved mental wellbeing, increased confidence and stronger bonds with their dogs. As a social sport, it also creates community connections, something DogFit has nurtured for 10 years through classes, events and education.

The App now enables even more dog owners to experience those benefits in a structured and supported way.

A Decade of Women-Led Growth

Launching during International Women’s Month adds further significance. As a female-led business operating in the outdoor and sporting space, DogFit has grown from a grassroots concept into a respected international training provider.

Gail Walker, Director of DogFit International Ltd, said:

“When we started DogFit ten years ago, many people had never even heard of Canicross. Our mission was simple, to help people get fitter alongside their dogs, safely and responsibly.

Launching the first dedicated Canicross training App is a natural next step. It allows us to support people who can’t access a class while still ensuring dog welfare remains the priority.

As a women-led business, we’re incredibly proud to be marking this milestone during International Women’s Month. It shows what can be achieved when passion, purpose and community come together.”

DogFit’s 10-year milestone reflects sustained growth in a sport that is now firmly established within the UK’s outdoor fitness scene.

With certified trainers delivering classes across the UK and overseas, and now a fully structured digital training pathway, DogFit continues to lead, educate and grow the Canicross community both nationally and internationally.

For more information about the DogFit App or to start the Beginners Canicross Course, visit the website.

To find a certified DogFit trainer near you, visit their website.