DOG TROTTER ENJOYS RUNAWAY SUCCESS WITH MULTICAM ROUTERS

Canine exercise equipment manufacturer slashes production time, minimizes waste and boosts productivity

Dog Trotter USA was founded in 2008 by RH “Bobby” Lummus, a West Virginia businessman who wanted to ensure the dog treadmills he used to exercise his animals were as safe as possible and of the very best quality. He developed the “Dog Trotter” treadmill as an effective exercise alternative for dog owners faced with challenges like poor weather, hectic schedules, physical limitations, busy streets and crowded dog parks. Continually striving to build the safest and highest quality treadmill, Bobby proudly states that Dog Trotter USA does not copy other products, with every feature found on the exercise machines being designed and built in his own shop.

“We didn’t invent the dog treadmill, we just perfected it,” joked Bobby. “I built my first treadmill for dogs in 1987. In 1997, I built the first of the modern day Dog Trotters.”

After developing the design and starting production at scale in 2008, the Dog Trotter brand enjoyed initial early success, and the business grew.

Streamlining processes, improving quality

Bobby explained that as the business continued to expand, he began looking at ways that he could bring efficiency into the manufacturing process, while also maintaining or even improving the quality of the end product wherever possible.

In 2017, Dog Trotter USA invested in its first MultiCam, a 3000 series flatbed cutter. “Ever since then, we’ve been growing,” he said. “It really made life a lot easier.”

Some of the parts, like the slat beds on our treadmills, are very time consuming, and they used to take six to seven hours just to build one. But that first router got that down to about two hours.

Bigger. Better. Faster

Powered by this boost in productivity, Dog Trotter’s growth continued at a fast pace. It was this growth that led to a further demand for innovation.

The company was using the 3000 series to manufacture 12ft slat belts, which needed to be made in two parts and then attached together. “We knew it would be a lot better if we had a table long enough to make it in one section,” explained Bobby. “I called MultiCam and told them I was looking for something, and the Apex3R was the newest model. Having to make the belts in two pieces means you have a chance for human error, but with the Apex3R they come out perfect. It has a helical drive rail and it’s so much smoother – the first time I heard it I thought ‘oh my goodness, this is great’.”

Bobby said the belts need to be precisely cut and machined so that when covering over 12 or 14 feet they are accurate to within a 32nd of an inch. “We have no problem with that now!” he said.

That machine has already come close to paying for itself in terms of the labor it saved and the quality of the belts we’re putting out!

Driving innovation with quality

Bobby said that adding the Apex3R to the facility enabled him to totally redesign the treadmill, using its power, precision and automation to improve all areas of the build. “It’s now 100% different to last year, but 100% better,” he said. “The belts come off the table pretty much finished and it takes just about an hour, allowing us to save time, save on materials and make things better - and all while reducing the amount of waste.”

As well as being powerful performers, Bobby said the MultiCam machines had also been incredibly reliable. “I don’t think I’ve ever had to have a service call,” he said. “These things are just built to be stout. We couldn’t be in this business without them!”

Watch now

Watch the video above to discover how the MultiCam Apex3R has supercharged production for Dog Trotter USA, and how the CNC router has helped Bobby and his team meet growing customer demand for these amazing exercise machines.