In the news recently, dog treadmill sales are on the rise as shelters and dog trainers are becoming aware of the benefits of dog treadmills.
With half of all dogs having some kind of weight problem, Jason Michal, Petco’s vice president of pet services and hospitality, says dog treadmills are a “no-brainer.”
Dog Treadmills in Shelters
Dog treadmills are becoming especially popular in shelters to help dogs that struggle with problems like anxiety, stress, barking, and not eating. Exercise has the same effect on dogs as it does on humans; it releases endorphins that can raise a poor mood, get the metabolism going, and make you feel better all around.
“It’s easy for a dog in a shelter to go cage crazy. They pace. They don’t focus. They bark. They won’t eat. They won’t make eye contact.”
Dogs that don’t get enough exercise can be seen pacing or uneasy. Dog treadmills solve these problems and can result in better-behaved dogs.
Dog treadmills in shelters make more sense than at home because there are so many dogs that it would be a very large chore to walk each and every dog. Whereas dogs that have a home can get regular walks because it’s not hard to just walk one dog.
Dog Treadmills at Home
With that said, more and more dog owners are turning to dog treadmills as a way of getting their dog exercise. Dog treadmills are much safer now than they have ever been with injury prevention being the top priority for many dog treadmill manufacturers.
A few of the more popular dog treadmill brands are Dog Pacer and Jog-a-Dog. Dog Pacers are the not as expensive, costing around 500 dollars where the Jog-a-Dogs are closer to 3000 dollars. Another dog treadmill brand worth mentioning is Pet Zen.