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I want a more efficient way to exercise hounds in the off season so i have been thinking about building a dog walker kinda like folks use for horses but a small hound version. so if any one has one please share some pictures and or ideas i would appericate it.


-shawn

If you search the forum there is a post already. Hot walkers like your suggesting are dangerous, use a loose belt that slips easy. Dragging a dog to death is horrible. I personally liked the swimming setup one guy posted.

Johnny Young in Oregon has a nice dog walker. Maybe you could check his out.

I have heard of quite a few horror stories about dogs getting killed on hot walkers so be carefull.

Every houndsmen on here has heard of some body that knows somebody that has had a hound drug to death, best to take the time and find a place to free road them if you can, some things you just can't short cut.

My buddy has a pretty neat setup which uses a hot walker rig. He built 2 circular fences. One whose radius is 15ft from the center (motor) and one that is 20ft from the center. It makes a circle within a circle with a 5 ft circular hallway that is directly underneath the end of the walker arms. He then attached a rubber horse mat to the spot where you would have attached the dog and counter balanced it on the opposite side. The rubber mat is fixed so that it can't rotate. When he puts the dog in it and closes the gate, the rubber mat pushes the dog around in front of it. I've seen him put 8 dogs in it at once. If the dog stops for some reason the mat won't hurt the dog when it runs him over, but is is heavy enough to try to push the dog before it does. It is very safe and he's never had an issue except with older dogs that figure out that if they lean against the outside wire, the mat just brushes by them on its way around. I definitely wouldn't leave dogs alone with any type of mechanical exercise machines, though.

yes thanks for the advise guys but i would never leave a dog unsupervised for even a second.

I run mine on my mtn bike 2 to 4 times a week. I keep them leashed when riding with one of those 26ft flexi leashes. They each get a run individually, since they like to run at different speeds. They will each run 14 to 26kms non stop. This helps keep them content for the rest of the day, and keeps them in hunting condition.

IMO, there's nothing like REAL exercise for the mutts, for their physical conditioning AND their mental well-being.

A catmill uses no motor





or you can buy a treadmill
http://www.dogtrotter.net/treadmills.htm

Techno,

That is a darn smart rig up.