Build A Dog Powered Treadmill - Page Two

As we mentioned on Page One, building a dog powered treadmill can be a great way to provide your dog with exercise. It is not all that expensive, as long you have some woodworking and mechanical skills.

THE FRAME

The frame can be 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), or another form of height adjustment can be devised (as Stan did with our Dogge Runner Plans. 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 an upper 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 PVC pipe.

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 powered 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

For good advice about getting a dog used to a treadmill, see The Use of a Human Treadmill in Conditioning Dogs.

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