DogPACER Treadmill Review: Read Before Buying
Are you looking for a way to exercise your dog indoors?
Dog treadmills are a popular way to keep dogs in shape while in a controlled environment. Some benefits for your dog include a safer place to exercise compared to busy streets, saving time, less exposure to allergens, and avoiding harsh weather.
DogPACER is one popular maker of motorized dog treadmills, which are a common type of dog treadmill.
In this blog post, you’ll read my dogPACER Treadmill review discussing their two main products: dogPACER LF 3.1 and the miniPACER.
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Table of Contents
Who Is DogPACER?
The folks at dogPACER enlisted the help of a mechanic engineering firm to design their unique dog treadmills.
Led by a team of engineers with prior experience designing space rockets for space travel, plus a group of top veterinarians and dog trainers, they fine-tuned their design until they perfected their treadmill.
What Are the Benefits of Their Treadmills?
DogPACER has two products: dogPACER LF 3.1 treadmill and the dogPACER miniPACER treadmill. Here are some of their benefits:
- Design: dogPACER LF 3.1 treadmills are longer than human treadmills so your dog can walk normally with the correct regular stride. The mini pacer also has a long enough running space for smaller dogs.
- Safety: On both treadmills, the controls are positioned off to the side, in order for you to adjust the treadmill quickly when your dog is on the treadmill.
- Portability: Both treadmills are portable and fairly lightweight. They both fold up so you can take your treadmill along when you travel with your dog.
- Low cost: Both treadmills are low in cost compared to other pet treadmills of the same size.
DogPACER Treadmills: What Models Are Available?
Now let’s get into the specifics of the two models available: dogPACER LF 3.1 and the MiniPacer:
1. LF 3.1 and two special editions
The DogPACER LF 3.1 treadmill is designed for dogs weighing 1 pound to 179 pounds. It has a portable design, so it’s easy to exercise your dog anywhere in your home. Here are some specific details you should know about the dogPACER LF 3.1.
- Foldable: When the treadmill is folded it measures 42.26” in length, 22” in width, and 8.5” in height. It has wheels, which makes it easy to move in and out of rooms.
- Opened dimensions: 76.77 “length, 27.16” width and 46.18” height
- Running area: 71 x 16. 5 inches long
- Weight: 84.4 pounds
- Speed of the treadmill ranges from 0.5 to 7.5mph.
- Electric: 110v
It can be tilted at different angles starting at 5 degrees up to a 9-degree angle. It’s sold only within the 48 contiguous U.S. states (with the exception of some resellers who ship elsewhere).
The treadmill comes with a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty on parts and craftsmanship, plus a lifetime warranty on the frame.
Special edition: LF 3.1 Elite
The dogPACER LF 3.1 ELITE treadmills is a special edition of the regular treadmill. This treadmill includes specially designed green and gray camouflage side panels.
For every purchase, they will donate $100 to the Wounded Warrior Project to aid wounded veterans.
This special treadmill is similar to the LF 3.1 in weight, dimensions, and design. Plus, it has the same size running area for your dog.
Special edition: LF 3.1 Hope
The dogPACER LF 3.1 HOPE offers the same portable design, dimensions, and running surface size as the original LF 3.1 treadmill.
The main difference between this treadmill and the original LF 3.1 are the solid pink side panels. With every purchase, they will donate $100 to fight canine cancer.
2. MiniPACER
The dogPACER MiniPACER treadmill is designed for small dogs weighing up to 55 pounds. Like the original LF 3.1, it’s portable and foldable. Specific details on this treadmill include:
- Dimensions: 42” long, 21.5” height and 28.5”
- Running area: 16” wide and 38” length
- Speed from 0.5 to 7.5 mph
- Weights: 48.4 pounds
- Angle of running area: It can be angled up to 4.5 degrees
- Electric: 110V
It has a lifetime warranty on the frame, plus a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty on parts and craftsmanship.
Like the original LF 3.1, it has two special editions: the miniPACER HOPE treadmill and the minPACER ELITE treadmill. These two treadmills are designed in weight, design and size like the original, but with different panels.
When you buy the ELITE model, they’ll donate $100 from your purchase to the Wounded Warrior Foundation.
When you purchase the HOPE treadmill, they’ll donate $100 of your purchase to fight canine cancer.
What Accessories Do They Offer?
While this DogPACER treadmill review so far discusses the treadmills themselves, now I would like to discuss accessories to make them even better. Here are the main accessories you can buy:
1. Replacement Computer Display Interface
If the computer display interface gets cracked or damaged, they’ll offer a replacement that fits both the MiniPACER treadmills and the dogPACER LF 3.1 treadmills. The computer display interface costs $37.99.
2. Red Side Panels
The side panels give your dog safety and prevent distractibility while exercising. If the panels get damaged, you can purchase new side panels in red color.
These panels have a steel break-away type design to keep your dog from falling off the treadmill while exercising. It’s important to replace damaged side panels for the safety of your dog. Replacing the side panels will cost $29.99.
3. Mat
This treadmill mat is designed to protect your floor from getting scratched by the treadmill. It comes with a mat for the front and one for the back of the treadmill. Each mat is 28” by 16” The cost for the two mat package is $19.99.
What Do Customers Say?
Their treadmills get great reviews. Here is a breakdown of the positives and negative reviews by customers who’ve purchased them.
Pros
Planned exercises: Customers like the three pre-planned programmed exercises. There is a beginner, intermediate, and advanced level. Each program runs for 30 minutes.
- Foldable: Most customers said they liked how the treadmill folds up easily. They liked the fact that it has wheels because it made it convenient to move around your home.
- A long-running space: Customers felt the running space was long enough for their dog.
- Whisper quiet: Buyers loved this feature most of all because they didn’t want a noisy treadmill.
- Easy speed control: You can control the speed of this treadmill depending on your dog’s needs. Customers said they liked being able to stop and start it while their dog was on the treadmill.
- Fairly affordable and budget-friendly: Compared to other treadmills, the dogPACER is considered more affordable for what it off
Cons
- Side panels: Some customers felt that the side panels could have been made of better and sturdier material to ensure the safety of their dogs.
- Custom programming: No custom programming option, you must use the three offered. You can adjust the speed of the treadmill.
- Poor response from the manufacturer: Some customers said that the DogPACER manufacturer was unresponsive to their complaints about receiving a faulty treadmill.
- No mileage tracker: Customers wished the computer display showed how many miles their dog had walked during the exercise program.
- No remote control for the treadmill: Customers thought a remote control would be a better way to control the treadmill.
Comparison With DogTread
In this DogPACER Treadmill Review, I’d like to also compare some of its features with other makers. One of dogPACER’s competitors is
- DogTread offers both a small and large dog treadmill. The biggest differences between these makers are the following:
- DogTread has a remote control to start, stop and control the speed of the treadmills, dogPACER does not.
- DogTread has a recessed treat holder to motivate your dog during the training period, dogPACER doesn’t include this feature.
- The DogTread small dog treadmill has a less wide running surface than the miniPACER LF 3.1. This was a drawback for some customers.
- DogTread offers LCD displays that show the speed, time, and distance your dog runs for each workout, but dogPACER control panel doesn’t have this feature.
- dogPACER has three pre-programmed 30-minute workouts for your dog. DogTread treadmills don’t offer this feature.
- dogPACER appears less expensive compared to DogTread.
Benefits
Your dog needs to be walked every day, but it can be a challenge because of cold weather or your busy schedule. You’re not alone.
Pet treadmills are a growing trend for pet parents who want to give their pets daily exercise, but just can’t make it outside.
One study found there are specific benefits for a dog walking once or twice a day. The biggest benefit was that dogs that are walked every day are less prone to obesity.
DogPACER helps your dog get their daily exercise even if not going outdoors.
Additionally, if your dog is prone to allergies or there are any outdoor hazards like busy streets or inclement weather, dog treadmills provide many benefits.
Final Thoughts
Well, I hope you enjoyed my dogPACER treadmill review. The dogPACER LF 3.1 and MiniPACER treadmills are popular dog treadmills with a compact design and size that works well for large and small dogs.
Both offer three pre-programmed workouts for your dog and a longer running space than many dog treadmills on the market. Additionally, they’re cost-efficient compared to other brands similar in size.
Because both of these treadmills are low-cost and high quality, it’s understandable why they’re two of the top-selling dog treadmills today. If you’re looking for a way to get your dog more exercise, I would recommend dogPACER to keep your dog safe and healthy.
By the way, I also wrote an article on the best dog treadmills.