DogTread™ Customer Reviews

Here are just a couple of the many emails we've received from people who already own the DogTread:

As a certified canine rehabilitation practioner, I use the DogTread with all our rehab patients and love its ease of use. The ability to adjust the speed at such small increments makes it easy for all size of dogs to adjust to it. The stop function is helpful as it allows the treadmill to come to a slow gentle stop and does not startle the dogs. The remote control is handy as it lets one be close to the animal and not have to reach for the control panel. I particularly like the adjustable platform to change from a level surface to a 7 degree incline for therapeutic exercises. I think the DogTread is a great way to exercise your canine pal in the safety of your own home all year long.

Anthony Woerner PTA, CCRP
Animal Health Options, Park City Utah

As a Whole Dog Trainer and Practitioner of Acupressure and Massage Wellness, I instill the
importance of exercise and diet in each of my clients. I teach clients how to balance their dogs mentally, physically, and emotionally. My goal is to empower each individual to become proactive in their dog’s health care; to support the physically aspect in a state which the weather conditions can restrict activity, I encourage teaching a dog to use a treadmill. Up until this point, I have taught them by using human treads. However, recently I have had the opportunity to experience a Pet Zen Dog Tread. To sum up my opinion, I find it to be much safer for both the dog and person.
 
First: When teaching and treading a dog, you must be able to move around and gain easy access to support and guide the dog. This proved to be difficult on a human tread when maneuvering around the hand rails and control panel. The Pet Zen Dog Tread allowed for easy access allowing me to stretch over the top with out the treadmill restricting access to the dog, thus reducing safety issues.

Second, the control panel on the Pet Zen faces the opposite direction, which allows for easy access to start, stop and control the speed, while guiding dog from the front. I really like this feature.

Third unlike some human treads there is NO panel across the bottom of the belt, which causes a possible safety issue of a dogs foot bumping or getting caught. I like the fact that is functional, and safe, I find the cost to be reasonable and worth its value for the life and well-being of each pet.

Christine Johnson
Dogs 4 Life Training and Wellness Center
www.dogs4life.com
630 901-4597 

 For years I have used a dog treadmill for the showdogs, however it was alway too heavy or bulky to be able to move it anywhere in the house until I got a PetZen Treadmill.   It is so lightweight and compact that I can even take it on the road with me if need be, and keeping showdogs in top condition is the first priority for a handler.  Thank you for making a great product!

Stacy Snyder-Work
Handler/Trainer
Selkirk, NY
www.theluckiestdog.com    

 I wanted to take the time to share my wonderful experience using the petzen dog treadmill.  I am a dog lover, I've always owned dogs and a few years ago was able to get involved with a local rescue shelter as a volunteer.  In that role I met Paige.  Paige was a tiny mixed breed dog that came to our shelter after being seized from her owners and then placed in a urban high kill shelter.  The organization I work for removes dogs from high kill shelters and finds forever homes for them.  Paige was scared and wouldn't come out of her crate.  We quickly learned that she was blind, and she was struggling to acclimate to the shelter with so many different people caring for her.  I took an instant interest and she seemed to respond to me so I volunteered to foster her in my home until a forever home was found.  Very quickly, she became comfortable with my pack and began to show behaviors of a young and very untrained and very insecure puppy.  She became HIGHLY anxious when left alone, and she began to be really destructive.  She ate a hole in the couch and pulled the rugs up at the tacking strips.  I tried to crate her and she screamed and eventually escaped.  She was going to be very difficult to place.  I did some research on training techniques and came across the petzen treads.  I needed a particular size and their staff assisted me, and within a few weeks my treadmill arrived.  I began to work with Paige and she caught on quickly.  The dog treadmill was able to drain her energy in a way that walking and running on leash or off had not been able.  First I noticed that she was less hyper.  Next I realized she wasn't attempting to escape her crate.  I was eventually able to leave her for short periods of time without crating her and she simply slept!!!  After some training, we were able to place her in a forever home.  I do not believe that we would have been able to place her without the help of the petzen tread!"

James O’Bryan
Professional Dog Trainer – Salt Lake City, UT
Who’s Training Who?

As a professional dog trainer, I believe in giving our animals the exercise they need. One of the easiest ways to change your dogs’ behavior is to meet their exercise needs, and one of the easiest ways to meet this need is on a good old fashioned treadmill. In my profession, I find that many of us do not give our pets enough exercise. This leads to frustration, anxiety and ultimately behavior problems you never saw coming. We are busy, and consumed by our lives and often cannot find the time to get our dogs out for a good run.

I have used traditional treadmills for exercising the dogs I train, and they work but they were not designed for this use. Dog hair, urine, drool, and claws can be very hard on a treadmill, and may even cause them to malfunction or wear out prematurely.

I have recently been using the DogTread by Pet Zen, and I must say I am impressed. The design is thoughtful and simple. The materials are dog-proof, the function is simple and easy to operate, and the addition of side-walls for small dogs is brilliant.

I would recommend this product to anyone who has dogs, and can’t find the time to get out and run.

 “I volunteer at Humane Society of Sarasota County and we purchased your large treadmill about 6 months ago or so. One of the first dogs we introduced the treadmill to was Heidi, a Shepherd/ Rotti mix that came in with a lot of fear-based issues and pulled like a freight train on the leash when she was being walked. It took me about a week to get her on the treadmill and moving - it was really hard for her to trust, but lots of patience and treats did the trick. She started to look forward to her treadmill sessions - you could tell by her body posture and the way she lowered her head and relaxed as she walked along. I always stand to the side and keep the leash in my hand with no pressure on the collar unless the dog tries to bale out. Heidi doesn't even try any more, but she likes the reassurance of my being at her side. So, one day after couple of weeks of TM work - about 20 minutes every other day - we were on the way back to her kennel, and I noticed she wasn't pulling me at all - nothing! It was like a light clicked on in her mind that she could walk along and not pull and it was fun. What started out as a way to excercise the dogs has turned out to be a builder of trust and a reinforcer of the loose leash training we encourage with all our dogs, thanks to Heidi and your treadmill. ”

 --Christine Christian, FL
Human Society of Sarasota Florida 

Name: Ollie and Lucy
Breed: Dachshunds
Age: 4

Its Jacquie Carroll, Ollie and Lucy are doing wonderful on the treadmill. We had no problem with introducing it to them and followed the tips. I love the fact that it is so quiet and does not scare them. It's wonderful how its made to fit them, its not big and scary like an ordinary treadmill, and they don't hesitate to use it. When we would use our treadmill it was a nightmare because they were just so frightened of it and they wanted no part of it, but with the PetZen treadmill they walk on it like it's second nature to them. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!!!!

I was at my vet this morning and mentioned it and my vet asked for me to leave the website address so he can check it out.. He loved the concept.

Thank you again for everything......... This treadmill is a blessing and worth every cent.

--Jacquie C, PA

An absolute must for every dog owner. Excellent documentation and simplicity of assembly. Perfect for inclement weather days. Or for those cold winter days when it's too cold or summer days when it's too hot to exercise your pooch.

--V. Hall
Venice, FL

Name: Joggi
Breed: West Highland Terrier
Age: 2 years

My wife and I purchased the small PetZen DogTread about six months ago for Joggi, our two year old West Highland Terrier. We love it and to our surprise our little tail wagger loves it to. Since my wife and I both work full-time we don't always have the time to help drain off all of Joggi's excess energy which manifests itself in alot of barking. On the odd days that we cannot go for the long walk or play in the park we simply point to the DogTread, Joggi jumps on, we set the timer for 15-20minutes and place a treat in the convenient holder. Some days she jumps on without us even asking, if only she could start it herself :). Training took no more than a couple weeks before she was completely use to the machine. Customer service from PetZen was also top notch. Questions were answered immediately and we could feel how much they care about their customers and their dogs. If all companies were ran like theirs we would all be much happier consumers.

Thanks PetZen!
Michael C., Washington D.C.

Name: Jazz
Breed: Yorkie
Age: 6 years
Training: No Training (at all)

The doggie treadmill is a great exercise product. My Yorkie, Jazz started using it about 2 months ago. She was overweight and has lost 1 1/2 pounds since starting her exercise program. She has now worked up to 1 or 2, 20 minute sessions each day. This product is great if you don't have room to give your dog the exercise they need to maintain good health. I've also seen that Jazz enjoys the attention I give just to her in our sessions. They give us their unconditional love! We owe it to our pets to give them the best possible care we can.

--Joyce Sly (74) and Jazz (6)

 

Name: Bogey
Breed: Yorkie
Age: 8 years
Training: Some

We were looking for a way to exercise Bogie in the winter when we decided to try the DogTread. We used food as the motivator and within 10 days he was running on the DogTread about 15 minutes. We quit using it this summer as we have been outside, but I put him on the other day and he climbed right on and ran without his leash! I was amazed he remembered. Here is his picture to prove it.

--Valerie L. and Bogey (8)

I only started Kobi on the treadmill about 5 days ago.  He got the hang of it almost immediately.  Today he even jumped up by himself when I asked and waited for me to start the dogtread up.  I've got him up to 5 min. twice a day at 1.6 - 1.8 mph.

Joe Simonyi and Kobi                              
Toronto, Ontario