Welcome to Fit Dog Canine Fitness & Wellness!
We offer services to aid in the mental, physical & emotional wellbeing of dogs.
Meet Kate! She owns Fit Dog and pays the bills on time.
Kate started working with dogs when she was just a kid – acting as the neighborhood dog walker and caretaker! She grew up in a small town outside of Syracuse, NY and eventually went to college at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY. She got her first job out of school working as a promotion director for a country radio station WBEE. In 2006, while working for the radio station, she was recruited to go work at Invisible Fence Brand of Upstate NY. She started as a sales rep, eventually became a manager and then her and her husband Mike bought their own Franchise in 2009, which is what brought them to Michigan.
In 2012, Kate started a second company called Happy Tails Learning Center for Dogs. She loved having as many opportunities to help dogs be the best versions of themselves! Happy Tails was growing so fast that in 2015, Kate sold her Invisible Fence Brand franchise to focus on her passion for behavior training.
In 2022, Kate found a new passion with dogs that centered more about the mental and physical well-being of dogs. She was inspired to work with dogs in a different capacity helping them to get stronger – mentally, physically and emotionally – so she had the idea to open a canine fitness center!
Kate became a Certified Canine Strength and Conditioning Coach (CSCC) and is ready to help your dog be stronger, healthier and happier!
Kate is married to her husband Mike and together they own a trio of weirdos – Ginger, Wasabi & Pickles! Ginger-Muffin (a mutt) is the inspiration for Fit Dog (read her story below) and Pickles & Wasabi are both Shiba Inu’s.
Meet Lindsey! She’s our Head Fit Coach and the ruler of the land of Fit Dog! She basically runs the place.
Lindsey is originally from Port Huron, Michigan. She grew up loving animals and working with dogs since the age of 16.
She finds the ultimate satisfaction in helping pets live more comfortable and active lives by stimulating both the body & brain.
Lindsey understands that each dog is a unique individual and she has a passion for creating customized fitness plans to match these needs.
Nothing makes her happier than watching the bond between owner and dog grow, while teaching both new skills and techniques to maximize their well being. Lindsey became a Certified Canine Strength and Conditioning Coach (CSCC) and would be honored to take part in this journey with you!
Lindsey has 3 of her own dogs, Mr. Mosby & Miss Muppet and Miss Muggs, 1 cat, Miss Maisel, and 2 rats, Martha & Meep.
Meet Kelsey! Kelsey found Fit Dog and contacted us for our services before we even opened. Kelsey worked as a canine rehabilitation coach in Florida for 6 years and understood the importance of maintaining excellent canine health through diet, exercise and other holistic practices. She then moved back to Michigan to become a fulltime veterinary technician at a specialty veterinary hospital. When Fit Dog opened she became one of our part-time Fit Coaches and she has since been a huge part of our development!
Meet Sara and her inspiration behind becoming an Assistant Fit Coach, Harold. Sara was working at our sister-company, Happy Tails Activity & Learning Center for Dogs. She was utilizing Fit Dog services for her “plump” pup and before you know it, he lost 30 pounds and became a lean, mean machine! This guy is ripped! Sara was doing her own studying & learning about nutrition, holistic living and fitness. We didn’t know she was doing so much research in her off time but she kept teaching US more and more everyday. Sara is also the Social Media Coordinator at both companies, so she’s creative too!
Meet Danielle! Danielle started with our sister company Happy Tails in 2018! She has always been one of our weekend warriors! She is our weekend Kennel Manager so she has a lot on her plate.
Danielle has a huge passion for holistic health. She is a role model for holistic health & wellness with her senior dog Kayden (who works out twice a week at Fit Dog)! We were excited to get her involved at Fit Dog because she walks the walk when it comes to holistic well-being for pets. Danielle also owns an Instagram sensation kitty named Freya!
Where did the idea of Fit Dog come from?
Let me tell you a story about a sweet old dog named Ginger, who was the inspiration for Fit Dog. Let’s start by going back to January 3, 2021. I woke up on a Sunday morning and realized 
that something was wrong with my 11-year-old dog, Ginger-Muffin. She was bloated and panting heavy and was seemingly in some type of physical distress. I didn’t know what was happening but since it was a Sunday, we wound up in the ER, only to be told less than 12 hours later that euthanasia may be the best option for her. Her body was internally attacking itself and was failing. We attempted a risky surgery that we were told might save her life, but they weren’t sure that she was strong enough to survive it. We agreed to do the surgery and after she miraculously pulled through with some scares and complications, we were told she had 3-6 months to live. I was CRUSHED.
God was SO good and gave me another year and a half with my sweet Ginger-Muffin and then her body started to struggle again. She was being monitored weekly by our regular vet … and THEN … she tore her ACL and couldn’t stand up or walk! I was literally heartbroken and hysterical thinking it was the inevitable end. She was now a 12-year-old dog that was slowing down and physically incapable of walking from her injury.
When she tore her ACL, I started calling rehabilitation facilities to get her immediate help. I was desperate! The ones closest to me were on a 2 – 6 MONTH wait for a consultation so we wound up going to Michigan State who could get us in 4 weeks after her injury. I felt so sad and helpless that I had to wait so long to help her.
In May 2022, Ginger had TPLO surgery to repair her torn ACL. It was hard to watch her suffer, but it was SO WORTH IT in the end. Just before her surgery (and after) I was able to start therapy closer to home at Animal Rehab Center of Michigan in Waterford. Ginger continued her rehabilitation by doing strength building exercises, stabilizing activities, and she used a low impact canine aqua treadmill. They also utilized recovery tools on her such as a cold laser and tPEMF therapy.
***Side Note: Fit Dog WILL NOT perform rehabilitation services for injured or post-surgery dogs. But if you want an AMAZING PLACE for rehab, we TOTALLY endorse Animal Rehab Center of Michigan.***
I WAS and STILL AM MIND BLOWN at how my little old lady has turned into a higher energy, stronger, more playful, happier dog! She turned 13 in November of 2022 … I am tearing up writing this just thinking about all that she has overcome … the amazing team at Animal Rehab Center of Michigan was able to help her become a strong little athlete at her old age! You can tell she is SO HAPPY and feels SO GOOD!
I was so inspired by her progress and growth; I told my husband I was destined to do more for Ginger! So I researched buying my own equipment for Ginger and researched how to get certified in Canine Fitness so I could continue to help her, as well as my other two dogs Pickles and Wasabi.
As I continued to learn more, I discovered my next calling.. I wanted to help ALL dogs be better physical, mental and emotional versions of themselves!
Canine fitness can help to prevent your dog from going through what Ginger did. A healthier, more fit dog has stronger joints & muscles but also a stronger heart, immune system, and as a bonus, A LOT more confidence … all of this means your dog has WAY less risk of injury, illness and disease. And they’ll live a happier, more joyous and more enriched life!
Ginger won’t be here forever, but her legacy will live on at Fit Dog as we continue to help more dogs live longer, healthier, happier lives! Thank you for reading my story about my sweet Ginger-Muffin.
Sincerely,
Kate Lochner
Owner | Happy Tails Learning Center for Dogs | Fit Dog Canine Fitness & Wellness
What is
Fit Dog?
Well, exactly what it says! We offer services to aid in the mental, physical & emotional wellbeing of dogs. We customize programs based on your goals that focus on flexibility, balance, stamina, strength and mental endurance. The bonus to any program is your dog will participate in exercises that are fun, that build confidence and that enrich their life. These concepts can be applied to a dog of ANY age! Literally – from puppy to senior!
