Every post that we put on social media showing dogs running on treadmills will have at least a few comments from people saying that the owners are lazy and should “just walk your dog.” It is unfortunate that people on the internet are critical of others without having any knowledge, and even more unfortunate that many times the ones making the accusations are actually the ones who are in the wrong. For example, did you realize that for a young and healthy dog, walking them every day is simply not enough exercise to keep them healthy? Veterinarians suggest a minimum of 2 walks daily of at least a mile each, and 30 minutes of high intensity running every few days. Because most people will choose the path that is easiest for them to accomplish, they will fall back on the fact that they have always heard that just walking around the block with your dog is enough for them, and rarely will someone research that assumption. If they did, they might be surprised that they were r=wrong all along, and that they were not doing nearly enough.
Treadmill exercise for dogs is intended to be in addition to daily walks. Let me repeat, treadmill exercise is not intended to replace the daily walks you give your dog. It is intended to be in addition to those walks in order to give the dog the cardiovascular workout that is necessary to keep their heart and lungs strong. It will also help to build up the rear leg muscles that many dogs never get to use properly if they are only walked. This is why you see dogs that have large chests and front legs, and skinny back legs. Their rear end muscles have atrophied from years of inadequate use. Dogs put 85% of their weight on their front paws when walking at a human pace, and only when running or walking uphill does that weight shift to their rear legs. So walking your dog around the block on a flat surface every day of their life actually does nothing for their rear legs, along with doing almost nothing to actually work them out. If your dog is not panting after the walk, then they did not really exercise in a way that was beneficial to them physically. Walking with the owner is fine for socialization and bonding, but unfortunately sniffing and strolling is hardly exercise for a dog.
Treadmill exercise is designed to allow the dog to run at full speed, which is rare for most dogs. Even at the dog park, they are rarely if ever running at full speeds and instead are running in very short sprints then resting. When was the last time you came home from the dog park and your dog was lying down from exhaustion? Probably never because they did not really exercise to their full potential. Dogs in the wild are continually running to chase food, as well as walking at fast paces in order to find it. Our dogs lay around the house all day waiting for the short times that we allow them to slowly walk next to us. This is far from what the dog’s body is designed to do, and as a result health problems and mental stress follow. Exercise is how the dog releases energy and frustration, and inadequate exercise leads to bad behavior as ell as un-necessary stress that harms your dog.
Most customers of RUN DAWG are obsessive about the health and well being of their dogs. They are not “lazy owners who use the treadmill exercise in place of walking.” Instead, they use the treadmill exercise in order to strengthen the dog physically and mentally, so they can then spend even more time walking, hiking, swimming and running. These are not “lazy dog owners” but instead are far better dog owners than the people on the internet throwing stones. They are concerned about giving the dog everything they need, as opposed to doing the bare minimum. RUN DAWG parents are actually far more interactive with their dogs than others, so think of that before you accuse others of being lazy. Maybe, just maybe, it is YOU that is the lazy one.
