February 28, 2008 No matter how big a backyard you have, the reality is that your dog will not walk itself. Inspired by a human fitness regimes, pooch can now work the treadmill in order to stay fit with this solution from Fit Fur Life Treadmills.
Fit Fur Life founder, Sammy French, came up with the idea while recovering from an operation. She was unable to walk her dogs but wanted them to stay fit. Her treadmills have been extensively researched and developed in consultation with a veterinary surgeon and combine the latest technology to deliver advanced product tailored to canine needs. The treadmill is used by vets, breeders, showdog and regular dog owners to provide their dogs with a complete muscle enhancing and toning fitness regime and rehabilitation support should a dog become injured and/or have surgery. The treadmills come in four models, all of which have an incline feature and finely variable speed control which enables users to tune the treadmill to suit any dog. The two top end models also have the additional benefit of a decline feature, which aids the rehabilitation of shoulder, elbow and pastern problems. The incline and decline features are motorized and by using the button on the console you can adjust the gradient by 1% increments to a maximum of 10% gradient and minus 5% gradient.
The doggy treadmill differs from regular human treadmills in that humans have a shorter stride than dogs, so having the proper length for dogs is important. The makers certainly don’t recommend this type of exercise as a replacement for a regular walking regime, but as an additional option to enhance and tone muscles and provide an intense cardiovascular workout. According to the website, dogs should only use the treadmill from 20-30 minutes, three times a week while puppies and dogs who are knew to the treadmill should start off at 1-3 minutes per day and gradually build up from there.
So how much will it costs to get your pooch training like a pro? The “Small” model retails for £599.00 (approx. US$1190)and is designed for small dog breeds such as American Cockers and Tibetan Terriers. The “Medium” is £900.00 (approx. US$1780) and is best suited for breeds such as Border Collies, Labradors, Retrievers, and Australian Shepherds. The “Superior” model is £1300.00 (approx. US$2580) and is targeted at professional breeders and kennel owners. It is suitable for all sizes. Lastly, the “Professional” model is designed with vets, physiotherapy and hydrotherapy centres and police dog training units in mind and retails for £1695 (approx. US$3360). All of the models, except the Professional, fold away for easy storage. All treadmills also come with a harness as a safety feature that stops the machine if the magnetic clip releases itself (if your dog has fallen behind).