Dog Treadmill
Does Your Dog Need a Treadmill?
A dog treadmill is a great way for pets to get that much needed daily exercise. Most dog owners more than likely would agree that their dog could use more exercise. However, 81% of pet owners say their pet’s weight is “normal”. But according to recent statistics, 56% of dogs in the USA are overweight or obese (check out the video below). That is 50 million dogs!
Expert Studies
According to a published study in 2018 of twelve dog breeds, when a dog is overweight it's lifespan is shortened by 2 1/2 years. Just being 10% overweight decreases a dog's lifespan by 1/3. Did you know when smaller dogs, such as the "toy" category gains just 3 pounds that it is similar to an adult person gaining 30 pounds?
A dog's lifespan is already much shorter than humans to begin with. For example, a medium size dog at the age of 6 would be about the age of 44 in human years.
In addition, dogs who are overweight are very susceptible to heart, kidney, and liver disease. And, there are diabetes, arthritis, and cancer (#1 killer of dogs) concerns for overweight dogs, also.
Is a treadmill a good idea for a dog?
So, daily exercise is a must for dogs and not just a fun thing to do. Matter of fact, 20 minutes minimum 2 times a day is the recommended amount of exercise for dogs. Most dog owners really care for their dog and want them to be healthy. A treadmill gives opportunity for that amount of exercise especially for busy dog owners.
As a result, many dogs become overweight and are not as healthy or happy as they could be. Then, loving pet owners are not happy because of their companion's health situation. That's where having a dog treadmill in your home could greatly help the situation turn around for all involved (the owner and the beloved dog).
While a dog needs daily exercise, such as walking outdoors, there are many legitimate reasons this may not happen. For example, the weather could be bad such as raining or a heavy snowfall. No one needs to take a dog out for a walk when it is storming or icy. And, besides if your dog stays indoors most of the time, it could get sick from staying out in bad weather too long. So, a treadmill really would help your furry friend get that much needed daily walking.
Perhaps some help is in sight...
What does a treadmill do for a dog?
Weight loss is not just a longevity and disease prevention benefit. A pet's quality of life is hanging in the bounds.
As the same for people, it doesn't take a lot of weight loss to do it, either. According to a clinical trial that was published in 2010, dogs that had osteoarthritis had significant decrease in lameness by losing a minimum of 6.10% unneeded weight. These results are profound. When a dog walks on a treadmill not only should weight gain be curbed, it could significantly improve joint health, too.
Treadmills can provide a full-body workout without impact warmups for trick training, dog sports and long walks or hikes. This type of exercise benefits dogs with a mental workout and help for rehabilitation injuries.
Now, a doggie treadmill is not a replacement for walking outdoors but it can greatly aid in a dog's health and quality of life. Whenever possible, the dog can fare better outside from getting mental stimulation from sniffing and seeing the world. A treadmill is a great alternative. Using a treadmill helps your dog get a full-body workout minus the impact. A treadmill can be used to warm up your dog before events such as, trick training, dog sports, hikes or long walks. If your dog is an athlete dog and doing dog sports, dog treadmill (or human treadmill) can certainly help.
We know dogs come in different sizes and with different temperaments, so the "one size fits all" treadmill probably won't work. Check out the treadmills listed to find the right dog treadmill for your beloved pet.
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To having a healthier dog...