Build A Dog Treadmill:
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Modern dog-powered treadmills are used to give dogs a workout, usually in a short period of time, often as a substitute for other vigorous forms of exercise when the weather is nasty or the owner doesn't have time to take their dog to a safe, off-leash area. These treadmills can have either a wooden slat design or be covered with a wide belt of rubberized material or carpeting.
People who already own a human treadmill often simply teach their dog to use that. Some let their dogs run freely; others attach the dog to a harness that then clips onto the side rails. Supervision is always required.
Used manual human treadmills can be found at yard sales and thrift stores for well under $100. Remember to check www.craigslist.org for your area as well. Type in "manual treadmill" under Search in the For Sale section to quickly find a selection.
Be sure the treadmill will be long enough and wide enough for your dog. If not, you may need to build a dog treadmill that is the right size.
Below are some ideas we've gleaned from research regarding the frame, rollers and belt. We estimate you’ll spend at least $150 in materials and shipping costs for a workable system.
BUILDING THE FRAME
For helpful dimensions for your size dog, see Grand Carpet MillThe frame is usually built out of wood and can involve a base with side rails. Notches may be added to set the apparatus at different inclines (similar to an Adirondack chair). The frame can have rollers attached through an axle and bearings or consist of a separate shell set independently over the roller system.
The frame can also be built out of metal, either using parts from an old human-powered treadmill or welding or bolting together pieces of aluminum or steel pipe. If weight is a consideration, aluminum is the obvious choice.
It may be possible to go without a frame if you can get your dog to stay on the treadmill.
THE ROLLERS
One design we read about calls for attaching a roller at each end of the frame made out of a steel axle and bearings, covered with insulating foam, that is then placed inside a 2-inch PVC pipe. Polyurethane plastic is then placed over the rollers for the base. See this post in the Pitbull forum for more information.A simpler process may be to purchase a gravity roller conveyor section off eBay or ask about used sections from a conveyor company. Be sure to check on shipping costs before you make a purchase though. One $75 section had a $225 shipping cost!
You’ll want a width of between 15 and 18 inches. The frame can take up to 3 inches of the total width so make sure you get a section wide enough for your dog. The sections often come in 5 or 10-foot lengths and usually cost at least $75 without shipping. You may wish to check your local scrap metal yard or craigslist first.
THE BELT
When you build a dog treadmill, you'll need to set up or modify your roller system so at least one side or a couple of the rollers can be removed to slip on the belt. You can purchase belts from Grand Carpet Mill for around $60 with free shipping (April 2008 price). They have great tips for how to extend belt life in their FAQs section. Of course, sizing is important since you don’t want a belt that is too slack or too tight.FURTHER INFORMATION
Another company that sells a belt-powered dog treadmill but uses top pile carpeting is Colby's Noiseless Treadmills.You can possibly build a dog treadmill using wooden slats attached to a flexible material to create the belt. This belt then wraps around a spool on either end. Texas Tough Treadmills has good photos of the ones they sell.
For good advice about getting a dog used to a treadmill, see The Use of a Human Treadmill in Conditioning Dogs.
We hope to uncover further information on various ways to build a dog treadmill of the manual variety. In the meantime, we trust some of the above information was helpful to you.
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