South Surrey’s Paws2Fitness brings fitness to dogs

South Surrey’s Paws2Fitness brings fitness to dogs

Published 10:30 am Thursday, August 20, 2026

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Claire Sojka (middle) is the founder of a local dog and owner fitness place called Paws2Fitness.
(Paws2Fitness/Contributed to Peace Arch News)
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Paws2Fitness offers dogs hydroptherapy.
(Paws2Fitness/Contributed to Peace Arch News)
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Paws2Fitness has a three acre agility training play area for dogs.
(Paws2Fitness/Contributed to Peace Arch News)
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Sojka also offers training on how owners can safely bike with their furry friends.
(Paws2Fitness/Contributed to Peace Arch News)
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Sojka can also train owners how to safely paddleboard with their dogs.
(Paws2Fitness/Contributed to Peace Arch News)

For Claire Sojka, keeping dogs healthy is about more than simply taking them for a walk

The White Rock resident and founder of Paws2Fitness wants to help dogs and their humans get active together, whether that means swimming, agility, paddleboarding, cycling or just exploring the community on foot

“Paws2Fitness is all about helping animals connect and have fun. It’s also about people connecting with their dogs, having fun and doing fitness with them,” Sojka said

A hairstylist by trade, Sojka has spent 23 years walking White Rock with her dogs. She shared she currently has five rescue dogs of her own

Paws2Fitness was originally planned to begin shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the business was put on hold as the pandemic changed daily life. Sojka instead spent that time at home with her rescue dogs

Now, she has found a three-acre property in South Surrey that she rents, giving her the space to bring her vision for Paws2Fitness back to life

Sojka explained that the property includes a fenced area where dogs can run and play but emphasized that Paws2Fitness isn’t intended to be a traditional doggy daycare

Instead, she wants owners to be involved with their pets and learn how to safely incorporate activity into their lives

“The goal basically is to get people interacting with their dogs safely,” she said

Sojka shared with Peace Arch News that she has taken a hydrotherapy course in Kingston, Ont., and has used this practice to help dogs recover from injuries. She said many dogs can develop injuries and ailments through seemingly simple activities, such as repeatedly chasing a ball

She also shared she has experience with agility training and will incorporate them into a variety of activities at Paws2Fitness. “They’re not doing different types of activities. It’s like us, if we do one and then we do something else, you’ve got to have a variety like running, walking and swimming for an active life.”

Sojka said she also works with Barks and Recreation and Big and Small Rescue Society while also offering first-aid training for dogs with Paws2Fitness

The goal, she said, is to create activities that can work for different dogs and their individual needs. “With any dog training you do, it’s different. One dog’s need is not another’s,” said Sojka

Alongside the activities at the property, Sojka is also working to get people and their dogs moving throughout the community

With the help of her friend Laurel, owner of Rose Dog Care, Paws2Fitness has started community dog walks that take participants to different locations around White Rock and South Surrey

The next walk is scheduled for Aug. 29, and walks will continue every other Saturday at 9 a.m., with locations changing throughout the community

Sojka said her passion for dog training and behaviour has also taken her beyond the Lower Mainland

“I suppose my experience and my passion has also come from going down to see Ceasar Millan, the dog whisperer,” she said

Sojka explained that she spent a week working alongside Millan and people from around the world, an experience she described as an eye opener

Ultimately, Sojka said she hopes Paws2Fitness can bring people and their pets together while promoting responsible ownership and animal welfare

She also wants to encourage people considering adding a dog to their family to consider rescue and the importance of spaying and neutering

For Sojka, it all comes back to the relationship between people and their dogs as well as finding ways for both to live healthier, happier lives together

Learn more about Paws2Fitness and the courses they offer at paws2fitness.com