Heart health in dogs is the focus for a local resident who combines her passion for running with her love for canines.

Rachel Crocker, proprietor for Canine Cardio in Okotoks, says although walking is a great way to get active, running with a dog can help keep their heart healthy.

"It's much the same as for people, you can have a walk around the block, or a little stroll in the sunshine. But, it's much better to exercise your heart if you're actually running, or making your heart beat a little faster, and it's actually the same thing for dogs," she said.

She says it's interesting to see how a dog adjusts their speed to fit who is exercising them.

"They'll look back at you and check who it is. They do kind of moderate to the person they're with. I think, really, any dog can outrun a human, so it's making that balance between getting the dog to have a good run and not dragging the person along behind them," said Crocker.

Crocker evaluates each dog individually, and crafts a running schedule to fit their needs, age and abilities while getting the physical activity in.