With temperatures in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) breaking the 100-degree barrier each and every summer, a daily walk for dogs and their owners is simply out of the question.
The sweaty situation inspired Abu Dhabi’s Posh Pets — a boutique and spa for pampered pooches and other animals — to launch a gym just for dogs. Featuring specially designed treadmills, the gym allows the UAE’s multitude of mutts to exercise in a comfortable air-conditioned space.
“The idea was to provide a healthy gym for all kinds of dogs,” Posh Pets owner Mansour Al-Hammadi told Reuters, adding that he struggled in the summer to find a suitable place where he could exercise his own prized pooch.
Reuters dropped by the gym this week to grab some footage (below) of various four-legged visitors as they strutted their stuff on the treadmills.
Welcome to the UAE’s first indoor gym for dogs pic.twitter.com/XdDf76xl7F
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 26, 2022
The running machine is actually mechanical rather than automated and so it functions at the speed that the dog wants to move, whether slow or fast. The pets are placed in harnesses to ensure their safety and to prevent them from scampering off if their nose picks up an interesting scent.
To ensure the dog’s muscles adjust safely to this rather specific type of exercise, each pet starts off with sessions of up to 15 minutes, extending t0 as long as 30 minutes after multiple visits.
And traditional dog-walking activities aren’t out of the question, either, as another video shows one dog owners tossing a ball for his canine to catch as the pet uses the running machine.
According to some of the dog owners visiting Posh Pets, the gym is popular with their furry friends.
“My friends told me about this very nice place where my dog can have this nice activity without being hit by the sun or without having any distraction, just a place especially for dogs,” said one. “He can do his running, even jogging, even walking, on the treadmill.”
Another commented: “The dog gets so excited the minute he leaves the car. He recognizes the place and starts going toward it, he feels comfortable here.”
