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As some of us know from personal experience, too much food and too little exercise add up to unhealthy pounds.

This poses a problem for dogs just as much as for people. Pet owners can address the first problem relatively easily by reducing their dog's daily caloric intake via specially formulated foods, being mindful of serving sizes and resisting the urge to treat their dog just for looking cute.

Making sure their dog gets enough daily exercise, on the other hand, can be challenging for pet owners. Lack of time, unfavorable weather and poor physical condition all are factors that can affect how often and how long people walk their dogs.

So what can dog owners do to make sure their pet gets the exercise it needs to stay fit and trim? Exercise their pet at home using treadmills and other fitness equipment designed specifically for dogs.

Exercise products make it possible for pet owners to exercise their dog indoors anytime, regardless of the weather, the climate in which they live or their busy schedules. For elderly pet owners and individuals with physical impairments, they make it possible to supplement the dogs leisurely walks with more vigorous exercise.

Finally, because the dog must be supervised when it's on a treadmill or other conditioning products, they can help owners form a closer bond with their pet.

Veterinarians have been aware of the benefits of dog treadmills and conditioning equipment for years. A lot of veterinary clinics use those products when dogs have had surgery or for weight management.

Many sporting dog owners also rely on these types of products to help manage their canine's weight and build up endurance.

On the Run

PetZen Products L.L.C. (Ogden, Utah) was the first company to enter the consumer market for pet treadmills in 2008, This company was the first to introduce dog treadmills direct to the pet consumer. Prior to that, there were treadmills on the market that were marketed to vets for rehabilitation and for training. We looked at what was happening in the pet industry, the increase in obesity and overweight pets, and the fact that we don't have the time to exercise our dogs properly. With that knowledge, we came up with a treadmill that would be conducive to the home environment.

PetZen's DogTread treadmills come in small, medium and large. A small one is ideal for people who live in apartments, condos and elderly retirement communities. The units have a natural running platform, which means the sides are lower. They're not meant to hold the dog in, but to keep it focused on the tread in the initial stages.Typically, when a dog has learned how to use the treadmill, the side rails are really not needed at all. Other features include a remote control, programmable speed, distance and time, a whisper quiet motor and a treat holder.

GoPet offers both treadmills and tread wheels. The treadmill is a little more mainstream. Obviously, it's been around for humans for a long time. Because animals are designed differently, a lot of times pet owners are afraid to use human treadmills for their dogs because of their size.

GoPet's motorized Petrun TreadMills come in six sizes for breeds ranging from toy to giant. Features include a remote control, adjustable speed, adjustable incline on select models and dolly wheels for easy mobility. The larger models also have side rails.

GoPet's Tread Wheel, on the other hand, runs on dog power rather than electricity. Looking a bit like an oversized hamster wheel, it has a cushioned running surface to protect dogs' pads and a removable door to help make novices feel secure. The device can be used indoors as a freestanding unit or mounted to the exterior of a house or kennel. It comes in three breed sizes (toy, toy/small and large).

Besides their obvious benefits like helping family dogs stay fit and active these exercise products also may help address common dog behavior issues, such as separation anxiety and aggression.

Balancing Act

At first look, it doesn't seem likely that exercise balls would make suitable conditioning equipment for dogs but they do. They've been used for many, years in the human world, both in fitness and rehab. That's why physical therapists that work with dogs started using them.

FitPaws product designs follow along those used for human products. We just had to modify these products for use with dogs. How we did that was in two ways. One, we changed the material of the inflatable products, so that it's a heavier gauge vinyl than our human products, making it more resistant to dog's nails. The second thing we did was elongate the shapes, so that they would be more natural for dog's elongated bodies.

Launched in January 2010, FitPaws products make dogs use their muscles as they try to keep their balance on top of objects that move with their shifting body weight.

The line features Balance Discs (two sizes) and Balance Pads, both of which can be used for balance training the Peanut (five sizes), designed for core conditioning and rehabilitation the Egg (two sizes), which shifts in multiple directions due to its shape and the Donut, for smaller dogs that might be overwhelmed by the Peanut or the Egg.

The company also offers Paw Pods, which are just like human balance pods but feature sensory bumps for grip capability, the Giant Rocker Board, which features an extra wide balance training surface, the Hurdle Set for exercise and agility and the Safety Harness, which the owner can hold onto while the dog is exercising on any of the products in the FitPaws line.

Overcoming Usage Hurdles

Of course, dogs and their owners can't reap the benefits of canine exercise products if dogs refuse to use them, or if their owners think they won't. One of the big hurdles that we're finding is that people say, my dog will never do that. I've been to demonstrations, and I would say we get 95 percent of the dogs up on the first try. Most dogs just want to please their owners and that's what it's all about.

Treats, praise and clickers are effective incentives to get dogs up on a FitPaws product. To show how it's done, the company provides a demonstrational DVD with its products.