What to know<\/p>\n
Mutts & Butts offers pack walks, dog-friendly workouts, and community events across Toronto.<\/p>\n
Founder Kareen Awadalla was inspired by her own experience as a foster dog parent struggling to balance fitness and quality time with her pup.<\/p>\n
The movement advocates for more inclusive city infrastructure\u2014like winter-friendly spaces and dog-owner workout zones\u2014to make wellness accessible year-round.<\/p>\n
Leaving your dog behind to hit the gym or explore the city can bite at any pet lover\u2019s heart\u2014that\u2019s why Mutts & Butts is redefining dog-friendly wellness, offering workouts and activities designed for both you and your four-legged friend.<\/p>\n
Three years ago, the founder of Mutts & Butts,<\/a> Kareen Awadalla, was asked to foster a very energetic dog who needed lots of exercise.<\/p>\n During that period, she felt like she never had enough time with her foster dog.<\/p>\n This challenge continued after she became a foster fail and eventually adopted her dog, Bruno.<\/p>\n Last year, Awadalla had a physio appointment, a 15-minute walk from home. She thought, \u201cThat would be a great walk for me to take Bruno, but I don\u2019t know if they would let me bring him?\u201d<\/p>\n After a phone call, the clinic said they love dogs. That\u2019s when Awadalla realized that dog-friendly wellness spaces can exist in Toronto beyond just patios.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just inside that we\u2019re always so reluctant to ask,\u201d Awadalla told Now Toronto.<\/p>\n Creating dog-friendly spaces<\/p>\n Awadalla started hosting pack walks where the owners could \u201cget more steps in,\u201d and the dogs could, too. Dogs stop to sniff a lot when walking alone with their owner, but pack walks show people a dog-friendly wellness community.<\/p>\n Eventually, packs evolved into dog-friendly spaces, events and activations.<\/p>\n Some are placed at the STACKT Market, where fenced-off activities are held once or twice a month for dogs to play. Others are dog-friendly gyms \u2014 or trainers coming to STACKT to do full-body workouts off a bench.<\/p>\n \u201cIn that, I could see the demand was there. People wanted to find more opportunities to do more life with their dogs,\u201d Awadalla said.<\/p>\n How about the dogs\u2019 wellness?<\/p>\n Some of her friends, fellow foster fails, or dog parents have started treat companies or apps to figure out raw food versus kibble diet. Awadalla has fostered a community in her neighbourhood \u2014 even with a dog massage therapist.<\/p>\n With this dog-friendly network, Awadalla hopes to make it easier for others to make the best decisions for their dogs\u2019 health.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have them for very long. We\u2019re lucky if we get them for like 10 to 15 years. I\u2019m just trying to do everything I can to make sure his life is as long and healthy as possible,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n How would a dog-friendly city look?<\/p>\n Mutts & Butts is already encouraging an active life with your dog and integrating them into your routines, but Awadalla hopes the city will welcome all-seasons, dog-friendly infrastructure.<\/p>\n The Dome at the Lamport stadium is a great example, and she hopes it will be introduced at other hotspots, too.<\/p>\n \u201cSpaces for winter because I feel that\u2019s when people really struggle the most,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n But Awadalla added that another step is to add water bowls across the city during warmer weather, too.<\/p>\n Dog parks may exist, but they\u2019re missing the \u201chuman component,\u201d Awadalla explained.<\/p>\n Awadalla encourages the city to install callisthenics in dog parks so both owner and pet can move at the same time. Benches and simple infrastructure inside dog parks would allow for a wider range of exercises, beyond lunges or air squats, so small additions can go a long way.<\/p>\n Is there a demand for dog-friendly spaces?<\/p>\n \u201c[Toronto] is so ready for dog-friendly wellness spaces,\u201d Awadalla said.<\/p>\n With dog-friendly communities around Humber Bay, Fort York, The Beaches and Liberty Village, she\u2019s excited for what the future of the city can look like for dogs.<\/p>\n For dog owners who are afraid to join these activities because their dog is too loud, Awadalla encourages you to come to the events anyway.<\/p>\n \u201cMy dog is crazy and barks sometimes, but that\u2019s kind of the point. We\u2019re both outside together, we\u2019re both moving, we\u2019re both stretching, we\u2019re both benefiting from even the social aspect of being with other people and other dogs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She shared that nine times out of 10, people who were initially skeptical said their dog became more comfortable in a pack, so dog owners can relax from being \u201cMama Bear\u201d or \u201cPapa Bear\u201d and enjoy a workout with their best furry friend.<\/p>\n Vote Mutts & Butts for Entrepreneur of Impact<\/p>\n