Run Dogz Run

By R.J. Cohn

Photos by Monique Vargas

If your wonder dog no longer has that lean, sleek look or the same vim-and-vigor he came into the world with, it might be time to get his canine juices flowing by letting him run wild on a dog-powered treadmill.

Like the three mobile canine treadmills Stephen Zetich operates in a 12-foot-by-6-foot retrofitted trailer he drives to your house to get Fido into tip-top shape in half-hour sessions that will not only shed some weight but make him feel like a healthier pet.

Three years after he rolled out his novel Run Dogz Run, Zurich’s mobile treadmill business is not only running in high demand among dog owners whose work or health prevents them from exercising their beloved pets on a daily basis.

His doggie workout program has provided the answer they were searching for, and with 25-plus clients per week – 90 percent which are longtime repeat customers –  it seems to be barking up the right tree.

If dogs could write testimonials, Run Dogz Run’s website would be overflowing with dogs penning superlative reviews, gushing with praise from those who have lost weight and got their mojo back.

Like the 110-pound Pit Bull Terrier that started on the treadmill two years ago. Since then, he’s shed 30 pounds and now weighs 80 pounds. 

While the response from his human clients has been overwhelmingly positive, it’s the dogs who Zetrich says can’t wait until he pulls his colorfully-designed trailer into their driveway. 

“They absolutely love the treadmill once they get adjusted to it,” he said. “Some are so excited that they meet me at the door when I pull up, barking because they can’t wait to get on it. A few are looking out the window when they hear the truck coming, and a couple run right into the trailer before I get them onto the treadmill. They can’t wait for their workout and are happy to see me. It's like they’re saying, ‘My friend is here, it’s workout time!’”

Inspired when he and his wife, Codi, saw celebrity dog trainer Ceaser Millan exercising dogs on a human treadmill on his Dog Whisperer TV show, the couple saw what an important – yet neglected – training tool a dog treadmill was for pets not getting enough or any exercise. 

When they saw no one in Cochise County was offering a canine treadmill business, they went all in. Their fees are half the price of those operating the same service in cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas.

“Dogs want to have a task, and they want to work,” said Codi Zetrich. “It increases their stimulation; they behave better and become better pets.”

Zetrich’s treadmill workouts consist of a half-hour session that eventually allows many dogs to run close to 2 ½ miles with water breaks along with chew toys while they run. It’s rare for most dogs to jump onto the treadmill and just take off.

“At first, most can’t go a half hour straight,” said Zetrich, who owns three dogs. “Maybe 5 to 10 minutes initially trying to figure out what this strange thing is that’s moving beneath them. They’re scared at first, mentally stressed, and many claw at the treadmill.”

But thanks to Zetrich’s patience and coaxing, most get the idea, and when it kicks in, not only do they run; they build up speed and start having the workout of their lives.

“You begin to watch them exude more confidence and agility, regardless of breed,” said Zetrich. “Sometimes it takes them three sessions to lose their fear and get into running on a treadmill, building up speed. Australian Shepherds like ours take to it immediately, and she runs at an 18 miles-per-hour clip. I had a dog that went from 1.1 to 2.7 miles-per-hour in seven weeks.”

For some dogs, all the coaxing and patience sometimes doesn’t always pan out. But that’s what makes Zetrich special when it comes to working with frightened dogs. He wants them to succeed regardless of how long it takes.

“It took one dog four months to even get onto the treadmill,” he said. “He had to build trust in me. Now he goes for a 2-mile session from a tenth of a mile when he first started. Anyone can put a dog on a treadmill. It’s winning their trust and seeing how much they enjoy this that fuels me.”

It’s not just the Zetrichs who embrace the benefits of a treadmill for dogs. Professional dog trainers are also on board with them.

Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed Pamela Johnson can’t say enough about dogs exercising on them.

“Treadmills can be a great way to get your dog a full-body workout, without the impact,” said Johnson, a dog trainer for more than 20 years.

“Though it’s important to walk our dogs, treadmills provide a safer, cleaner and a more rigorous, complete workout,” he said. “It gets their minds and bodies working in such a positive way. Plus, once they get into the rhythm of this, they’re having a blast.”