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My biggest concern with Sheila and moving back to the city was getting her enough exercise. We don’t do dog parks and obviously, she has to be leashed everywhere else. On top of that, I live in Scottsdale and most of the year it is HOT. Way too hot to safely run a dog outside.
Sheila is definitely a cool weather girl so even temps in the 80s can be too much for her. I made it work over the winter by renting out Sniffspots (use our link for a $5 credit when you sign up!) but once the summer heat showed up it was no longer safe to run her outside.
So I found myself in a pickle. A high-energy dog, sensitive to high temperatures, and living in literally the devil’s asshole. My plan basically relied on early morning and late night walks, lots of indoor enrichment, and as much indoor fetch and exercise we could do in an apartment.
Lucky for us both, my TikTok addiction paid off. (Hey come follow us on TikTok!) While mindlessly scrolling I came across a company that runs dogs on mobile slatmills! It was such a cool idea but assumed this was in LA or something. But as I was looking at the comments I noticed someone say they are in Phoenix!
Run Buddy Mobile
So immediately I checked them out and I was so excited! This is exactly what I needed!
Run Buddy operates in the greater Phoenix area with multiple vans so they can cover everyone. They have adorable Sprinter style vans (not sure if actual Sprinters) with 3-4 custom-made slatmills inside.
Why You Should Run Your Dogs
Obviously, running is great physical exercise but it is so much more than that!
Mental Challenge – Running, and even walking, on the slatmill requires balance and coordination. It also forces our dogs to be more aware of their hind legs, which oddly enough, most dogs are pretty unaware of. This creates a mental challenge for them. Paying attention to where their legs are, focusing on balance, and taking in the new surroundings are all very mentally stimulating for them.
Meeting New People – Sheila is usually pretty aloof with strangers. She’d prefer they just ignore her and she’ll ignore them. Run Buddy gives her a chance to meet someone new and get comfortable in a controlled environment.
Confidence Booster – A lot of dogs lack confidence, especially in new situations. Trying new things in a safe environment is an excellent tool for building confidence in your dog. They become more comfortable and brave as they succeed at new tasks.
My Experience with Run Buddy Mobile
To be honest, I was nervous about our first appointment. Like I said, Sheila is nervous around strangers. I was concerned that she would feel trapped in a van with me and someone we don’t know. But our first coach, Jennie, was amazing! Most people reach out to strange dogs thinking they are letting them sniff and they want that. But really, most dogs do NOT want a stranger reaching for their face. Jennie introduced herself and ignored Sheila, which I loved! She let Sheila sniff her leg and didn’t try to touch her.
Once we got in the van she guided Sheila on to the slatmill. She quickly realized that it moved and she was clearly nervous. I was afraid she’d panic but instead she sort of laid down. With encouragement from me and Jennie she started to army crawl slowly.
After a few minutes she was moving faster but still pretty crouched down. But every so often she’d stand up tall and try to go faster. But when she went faster she lowered back down.
I was afraid she’d never get comfortable on the mill. I watched so many of their videos with dogs running full out and loving it. I wanted that for Sheila because running is literally her favorite activity, but I didn’t know if we’d ever get there.
Well, by our third visit she was standing tall and doing a solid jog! She isn’t going top speed yet but I feel like we’ll be there very soon.
We’ve had 3 different coaches so far and they all have been amazing! On Sheila’s second run we had Jennie again and Sheila even gave her kisses when she was done! And she RARELY licks people! By her third run, she got so excited when she saw the van! She pulled me to it, jumped right in, and climbed on the mill.
After her weekly 30 minute run Sheila is a much happier dog. She is able to relax more, burn some energy, and socialize. In fact, they had to cancel our run last week (one van was in an accident and needed repairs. Don’t worry, everyone is fine!) and there was a HUGE change in her behavior. She was bored, hyper, and very demanding of my time while working.
So needless to day, we will be keeping our standing appointment with Run Buddy. 🙂
A Note About the Slatmills
I do want to add this one thing. If you look at Run Buddy’s TikTok or Instagram you see a lot of comments about abuse, making the dogs run when they’re tired, etc. This is completely ridiculous.
The slatmills have NO MOTOR. They are 100% dog powered and if you watch their videos you’ll see many dogs stop to rest and even lay down. They aren’t forced to run. They are given water breaks. The vans are climate controlled at 68 degrees.
On top of all that, every single coach I’ve met has a clear love for dogs. I don’t think any of them would do anything to harm them.
Honestly, I tell anyone who will listen about Run Buddy.