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At Lugaru K9 Training, we are always encouraging our clients to exercise their dogs more for a whole host of reasons. One of the physical activities we often bring up is having your dog walk the treadmill, which can be especially helpful for dog owners who are tied to a work-at-home job or aren’t yet physically fit for exercising a high-energy dog to the full extent of their exercise needs.
The question that usually follows mention of treadmills is usually: can my dog use the human treadmill I have at home?
Most canine fitness and rehabilitation professionals agree that dogs should only use dog treadmills, and that if you do not have access to an appropriate dog treadmill, it is better to forego treadmill work altogether. However, there are considerations to take in before making a final decision for your dog.
Why is a dog treadmill better than a human treadmill?
The reason that dog treadmills are preferred over human treadmills, often exclusively, comes down to the size and shape of the treadmill deck.
The structure of a treadmill specifically made for dogs is made with movement patterns of dogs in mind. Being quadrupeds, dogs have a very different gait and normal walking and running pattern than humans.
Humans are unique in our bipedality, and our treadmills are designed to support our specific movement.
If you were to take off into a run on a dog treadmill, you’d certainly be able to continue moving, but you would certainly feel the difference in the running surface compared to a human treadmill.
The same would go for your dog; they can most likely walk and run on a treadmill meant for humans, but the running surface would not be designed with their movement patterns in mind.
You will also find that, while you may be able to find a treadmill that is appropriately-sized for your dog, the placement of the control panel on most human treadmills will get in the way of the dog as they move, which effectively reduces the usable space on the treadmill deck for the dog. If a dog is made to walk on a too-short treadmill, it can alter their posture and cause negative effects including muscular imbalances and pain.
Treadmills designed for humans also have control panels built in to the grab bars, at a great spot for humans but not so much for dogs. Usually, these control panels will also have the stop switch in this area as well, which is perfect for the height of a human but not at all helpful for a dog that needs the treadmill to stop now.
These control panels are also placed where they are under the assumption that a human person would be standing in front of it while the treadmill is in use, and where they can make adjustments when needed. When being used for a dog, however, this placement makes it clumsy for the supervising human to make adjustments in the speed on behalf of their dog when needed, or to intervene if the dog needs assistance.
At the end of the day, equipment specifically made for dogs is almost always going to be more ideal for dogs than the human equivalent. Therefore, our recommendation (and the recommendation of most canine physical therapists, sport trainers, and other body conditioning professionals) is going to be to either invest in a treadmill meant for dogs, or find access to a dog treadmill through a professional.
How to Choose a Dog Treadmill
Choosing a dog treadmill comes down to the specific dog you are planning on working with. If you’re primarily going to be walking or running your personal dog, use their size and shape as a guide for choosing your treadmill.
The deck, or walking portion of the treadmill will need to be 2-2.5x the length of your dog, measured from the tip of the nose to the base of their tail. This ensures that the dog can walk or run at their full, natural gait. It also removes the risk of injury should the dog slow down and slip off the treadmill before being able to self-correct or before you can make a speed adjustment for them.
You will also want to find a treadmill that is already level or can be adjusted so that the running surface is level. Dog treadmills will come in various styles, but should always have a flat, level option.
A dog treadmill should either have open sides, or removable sides. This is both for the dog’s safety and so that you can take accurate video of your dog’s movement to analyze and make sure their movement patterns are normal and healthy.
Types of Dog Treadmills
There are three main types of treadmills made specifically for dogs: mechanical treadmills like the slatmill and the carpetmill, and the electric treadmill. Each have pros and cons that make them more ideal for different dogs and situations.
The Slatmill
Slatmills are mechanical treadmills (dog-powered, non-electric) named specifically for the “slats” and rollers design, which make it very low-resistance and easy for dogs to get moving. This low-resistance makes the slatmill a great choice for improving the cardiorespiratory endurance needed for activities like racing and tracking.
That said, many slatmills come with adjustable legs, which can help add a little more resistance to the slatmill, but the resistance is still going to be lighter than other options.
Slatmills are generally a pricier option, with very small slatmills (small as in meant for dogs less than 20lbs) running $900 and up. Larger units can run into the multiple-thousands, but around $2500 is a pretty normal cost for a slatmill that will accomodate most dogs.
Slatmills tend to run a bit larger than other options, and are not as easy to fold away. For this reason, they’re not usually our recommendation unless you are a canine professional or enthusiast with a dedicated space for your treadmill.
The Carpetmill
The carpetmill, like the slatmill, is a mechanical treadmill for dogs, meaning that it is entirely dog-powered and does not use electricity to work. Where the carpetmill differs is in the walking surface, which is made up of a single “carpet” rather than a series of “slats” like the slatmill employs. This carpet is very similar to the walking surface on a regular treadmill.
Because of this design, the carpetmill provides a little more resistance to the belt, meaning that the dog will have to put in more work to move the deck surface. This added resistance is fantastic for dogs who need less emphasis on cardiorespiratory work and who benefit from a more muscled adaptation, like protection dogs and carting dogs.
Carpetmills are also generally more affordable that slatmills due to their simpler design. It’s normal for carpetmills to run closer to $1000. While not by much, carpetmills can also be smaller than slatmills in both dimension and weight. More importantly, many carpetmills are foldable, making them much more realistic for dog owners.
Electric Treadmills for Dogs
Electric treadmills are similar to their human counterparts, but as detailed earlier, are specifically made for the movement patterns of quadrupeds.
Electric treadmills are a wonderful option for dog owners because they have a number of settings and can perform multiple jobs. You can change the belt speed from the control panel, and some dog treadmills will come with options to add resistance with incline. This means that a high-end electric treadmill can be used for many dogs, even if their exercise goals are very different.
They’re also lovely for home use because they often are foldable like a carpetmill, and many come ready to use on delivery.
That said, electric treadmills aren’t without their downsides. They put the dog in a less autonomous situation, where they must keep up with the speed set by the supervising human unless they fall behind and the kill switch is activated. They also require more attentive supervision, because the treadmill will continue moving even if the dog stops or needs assistance.
The cost of electric treadmills for dogs varies, but there are some lovely options available at Pet Pro Supply Co. for home use that run between $560 up to $1500, making them easily the most affordable option for most dog owners.
