A NEW and exciting pet fitness experience in Southend is growing in demand...and keeping the borough's dogs fit and healthy.

Anya Dee, of First Avenue, Westcliff, loves dogs and is one of the minority who has managed to turn something she loves into a career.

She has set up her own unique business- Wooffit- which specialises in dog running to give pets exercise and keep them healthy.

The experience has grown and grown since she first started it last November. Miss Dee helps dogs that are overweight, expressing bad behaviour or just love to run but the owners are pressed for time or have ill health.

The dog lover said: “I have started this business to help people who love their dogs and want to provide the essential exercise their dogs need even when they are at work or are unable to walk their dogs through ill health.”

Discussing her initial idea for Wooffit, the 45-year-old said: “I realised I wanted to set up a dog walking and running business when I took a friend’s dog out. The dog seemed to like running so that’s where I got the idea. I did a bit of research and realised there’s a lot of dog walkers in the area but hardly any runners.”

She then posted on social media and the interest grew from there.

Miss Dee continued “This was all last year in November. As soon as I posted it I got a response.

“This was from a lady who has cancer and was unable to walk her dog. Bella, a schnoodle (schnauzer/poodle) is my first client and to this day I still run with her. She absolutely loves it.

“I carried on posting my ad on Facebook and I started to get more clients. Some I run with and others just walk, all depending on their age and fitness level.”

Miss Dee has a very specific set assessment that she goes through when she takes on a new dog.

She continued: “In January I decided to set up a proper website. I do a thorough assessment to make sure the owner is insured and that the dog hasn’t got any injuries and what the requirements are of the client.

“I go to meet the clients and their dogs to assess their personality and take them out for an initial walk to see how they walk with me. If the requirement is to run I more than happily do this.”

The 45-year-old said the service she provides is essential to some dogs, due to the importance of exercise and the problems that can develop with the lack of it.

She said: “Certain dogs need more than a little stroll or play in the park – some of them simply need the physical and mental exertion which makes them calmer and potentially better behaved dogs. Running several miles helps to achieve all of these and has the added benefit of nurturing a dog’s natural instinct of living.

“The importance of walking / running with a dog is that it ?strengthens muscles, ligaments and bones. It delays the onset of hip dysplasia and arthritis in breeds susceptible to these conditions

“Exercise also encourages a healthier digestive system and maintains a healthy heart.”

Miss Dee has big plans for the business and hopes to continue to expand.

She told the Echo: “I have exciting things planned which will involve dogs and their owners and much more but for now I will have to keep it under wraps.

“Of course it will involve everything to keep our pooches happy.

“I am also in the process of starting a dog trainer course to become a dog trainer. It’s all part of the plan.”

“The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too.”

Information on Wooffit is available at www.wooffit.co.uk