My dog runs in the backyard, how is a treadmill any different?

A treadmill workout provides versatility in your dogs exercise routine. Running on a treadmill requires control and mental stimulation which is why you’ll notice an enhanced type of workout with your dog.

Is running on a treadmill safe?

Truth is that running your dog outside comes with many more environmental risks. The weather, surface and location have so much to do with injury risk. We run dogs in a controlled setting. We run by appointments only to ensure quality time and attention to your dog. We take the most caution to safely mount and dismount your dogs onto our treadmills. All dogs are clipped in with our harness’ to ensure safety. Our home gym and mobile gym are both climate controlled to make sure that dogs never reach a point of heat exhaustion and our dual ceiling fans on the van are constantly filtering out old air and bringing fresh air into the gym.

What does a running session entail?

All of our sessions our 30 minutes long. We suggest your arrive to your appointments 10 minutes early to potty your pup and to warm them up. Once it’s time we will get your dog and safely mount them onto one of our treadmills. We have harness’ available but you’re more than welcome to bring your own. We take our time introducing dogs to the treadmill, we know this can be a nerving experience, even for our most confident dogs. We are equipped with yummy treats and squeaky toys. After your session we recommend a cool down routine before heading back home.

How can I prepare for our first session?

There are a few layers of events that go into getting your dog successfully running on the treadmill. The first layer is getting your dog to associate the activity of putting their harness on with being the best thing ever (example: you put their harness on and then they immediately get a bowl of food or handful of the tastiest treats). The next layer is getting them comfortable and excited to jump onto elevated surfaces, with or without the harness on, (example: going up and down picnic tables, going up ramps, set of stairs, playground equipment, box jumps, in and out of a car). “Charging up” both of those layers will help get your dog’s motivation high when getting a harness strapped in and getting them mounted onto our slat mill to combat any nervousness or fear. It is recommended they’re nails have been recently trimmed so it doesn’t affect their stepping. Having a fasted dog will also help motivation for food treats when introducing the new environment, people and equipment, not to mention reducing the risk of having an accident while on the slatmill. Lastly, if your dog has a favorite treat or toy, we want to know!

How fast can fido run?

Both of our treadmills are “puppy powered” and feature an electrical component (cue the stubborn dogs). We default to using your dogs physical effort to run our treadmills. The answer to how fast, the limit does not exist. But to give you an idea, we have a high energy dog named Hefe and on his good days, he can top out at 18 MPH!

Will there be another dog next to mine while running?

Our sessions will run in 15 minute intervals. Once our first dog starts running, we will be switching runners every 15 minutes. That means that your dog will most likely come in contact with another dog during their run. This does not mean we let dogs meet and greet during their sessions. We are confident in our handling skills in keeping dogs separate during their runs.

My dog is reactive to other dogs, can I sign them up for a run?

Yes. Please advise us of who or what your dog is reactive to, the severity and history. Do not be embarrassed or try to hide any information as this is for the safety of everyone. The slatmill is ideal for reactive dogs because they tend to have extra energy built up which leads to their reactivity blow ups or destructive behavior. We have two slat mills that run side by side, set up to run two dogs at a time. Depending on your situation we can either keep the space clear of another dog or be intentional about who their running buddy is.

My dog is super nervous, can I sign them up for a run?

Yes! We have a special approach to getting dogs acclimated to elevated and moving surfaces. Some dogs may be more comfortable as sessions progress but we take our time handling them and introducing them to our treadmills. We advise consulting with your vet before trying a new physical experiences with your dog.

What is a safe age to start running my dog?

We recommend waiting until your pup is 6 months and older. We are confident that at this age they can regulate their bowel movements and be prone to having no accidents while running. This is very breed and size dependent but please advise that we will ensure the safety of your young pup while exercising on our treadmills. Exposing them do different environmental and physical activities is a great way to socialize them at any age, but more importantly as puppies. We advise consulting with your vet before trying a new physical experiences with your dog.

Are vaccinations required?

To minimize the spread of disease we ask that dogs be current on vaccinations unless medically excused.

My dog is overweight, how can this help?

We always recommend that you check in with your veterinarian first. We have worked with all weight classes and can ensure that there is no one plan fits all. We recognize the individual needs of every dog and create a workout that is tailored specifically to them. We would never push your dogs beyond their physical limits. In combination with a good diet, regular exercise will help eliminate some of that weight to have a healthier dog that is less prone to diseases and injuries. Let us aid in your dogs weight loss journey.

My dog just had surgery, how can this help?

We always recommend that you check in with your veterinarian first. We have worked with several rehab clients and can ensure that there is no one plan fits all. We recognize the individual needs of every dog and create a workout that is tailored specifically to them. We would never push your dogs beyond their physical limits. Walking/Running on our treadmills can aid in their recovery by strengthening muscles and helping fido regain strength after surgery.

What are the weight and height restrictions?

We have two treadmills, one is for dogs up to 95 pounds and the other is for dogs 100 pounds and over. The treadmills restrict our height limit to 27 inches and width to 16 inches.

What type of payment do you accept?

We accept all major credit cards, Venmo, Zelle and cash as methods of payment. All payments due at the time of service.

What is your cancellation policy?

A 12 hour prior notice of cancellation is requested so that my time slot can be utilized by another customer. If cancelled after the 12 hour period a charge of 25% is applied. No shows: all no shows without cancellation will be charged 50% of the reservation and/ or appointment.

What is your poo policy?

Sh*t happens, we get it! However, if your dog defecates, urinates, vomits or expresses their anal glands in the mobile gym, the exercise session is immediately terminated in order for staff to begin a clean up protocol. Depending on the severity of the damage, the mobile gym may have to be closed. Regardless of how long the dog was on the treadmill, the payment is non-refundable. You may be assessed an additional fee of $50 to partially help cover the cost of cleanup.