Pet Jogging Strollers and My Top 3 List

With greater awareness to keep fit and stay healthy, it is common to see active parents with young children jogging or running with a baby jogger as part of there exercise routine, but take a closer look and you may be surprised that what many parents are actually pushing are not baby joggers, but pet jogging strollers with either a dog or cat peering out at you!

For active pet lovers, a jogging stroller designed for pets is a convenient and easy way to take a dog or cat out on a long brisk walk, and off road jogging or running, particularly if you have an ageing pet that will tire easily. Pets recovering from illness, or smaller dogs that will not be able to keep up with your pace or run for long distances without over heating will also benefit by exercising with you in a pet stroller.

There are also strict legal requirements and responsibility on owners to keep their pets under control, and a pet jogging stroller is a safe and comfortable way to take your dog for a walk in crowded places like the park, shopping malls, and beaches. Pet joggers have comfortable pads and roomy cabins with protections to contain your pet and keep it happy when you are out doors together.

Some of the features common in good pet strollers are large air filled tires suitable for all terrains, swivel front wheel that can be locked in jogging or running modes, retractable canopy and the ability to easily fold the stroller for storage and transportation. You will find also internal collar tethers in pet strollers to keep your dog or cat securely attached.  Access is designed so your pet can hop in and out without you lifting them.

Whether you are buying a pet jogging stroller for a dog, or a cat, you should check for some of these important safety and comfort features, especially if you will be using the stroller for a big dog, or a pet that may naturally be aggressive to strangers.

Top Tips for a Good Pet Jogging Stroller

Size Matters

When buy a pet jogging stroller, keep in mind the size of your furry friend that will be using it. Pets strollers have weight capacity, but some that may carry even the heaviest dog, often do not have the cabin space that will comfortably seat a big dog. Your dog should be able to seat or stand in the carriage space without feeling squashed. The size of the pet compartment is also important if you intend to carry multiple pets at a time when jogging, or strolling your neighborhood.

A quick tip in estimating how much space your pet will need in a stroller is to mark out the area your pet occupy when curled up on the floor, and use the measurement as a rough estimate when comparing the internal space in a pet stroller.

Do you Need an All Terrain Pet Stroller?

Jogging off road with your dog can be very beneficial to both you and the pet. When you reach a safe area in your jogging trail, let the dog out to exercise by running along with you. The dog will happily hop back inside the stroller when tired, while you keep jogging without breaking your stride.

If you will be jogging off road, an all terrain pet jogging stroller is what you need. They come with bigger air filled tires that make them easy to push on rough surfaces. They are also more ruggedly built with shock absorbers that will cushion the ride over bumps, providing a smooth and comfortable ride for your pet.

All terrain pet strollers with swivel front wheels are more versatile. The front will locks for jogging and running, and when you take your pet to crowded places like shopping malls and parks, they turn effortless at tight corners.

Safety Features to Expect in a Pet Stroller

Collar tether inside the stroller is certainly one safety feature that is a most have for me in a pet jogging stroller. If your dog is very active like mine, boisterous and darts around at every opportunity, you bet it will jump out of a stroller on the move without a tether to keep hold it secured to the stroller. You wouldn’t want your dog out of control and running loose in crowded places, which can easily get you into a lot of trouble, especially if somebody gets bitten by your dog.

Parking brake is a useful safety feature I like in strollers, and you will find one in any good pet jogging stroller to hold it stationary when you come to a stop.

My Top 3 Best Pet Jogging Strollers

To help you narrow your search for a good jogging stroller for your dog or cat, I would share with you my top 3 strollers for pets. My selection criteria are based on strollers that have satisfied features to check when buy a pet jogger, and the customer satisfactions ratings for a stroller. Strollers that fall below 4 Star rating are excluded from my selection.

Pet strollers with higher ratings, but short in jogging and safety features are rank lower in my selection for the top 3 pet strollers.

#1 – Pet Gear AT3  Zipperless Entry Pet Stroller

The Pet Gear AT3 all terrain pet stroller often refereed to as the Cadillac of pet jogging strollers is my #1 jogging stroller

for pets. Though it has a lower weight capacity of 60 pounds, compared to 70 pounds capacity of the Pet Gear jogger, the AT3 ticked all my boxes for a all terrain stroller pet stroller, with large pet compartment to match the weight capacity.

Common observation by large pet owners is that cabin space are too small even though their pets weigh far less than the capacity of a stroller.  Well, if your pet is one of those lovely large breeds, you may find the AT3 is the right pet stroller for you.  Other Features and benefits of the stroller are:

Pros:

• Easy one handed folding mechanism combined with sleek sporty design are great features in Pet Gear strollers, and the AT3 benefited from these. With one hand, and the other free, the strollers folds into a small compact size for easy transportation and storage.
• 12 inch E.V.A tires that are though foam filled, have same shock absorbing properties as air filled tires. You will not worry about flat tires with the Pet Gear AT3, as the E.V.A tires are forever inflated.
• The front wheel swivels, and turns effortless at tight corners which is great when cruising the shopping malls and crowded side walks with the pet stroller. The wheel can be locked in forward position for jogging and running.
• Front and rear entry allows easy access for large and small pets to hop in and out of the pet jogger.
• Parents’ tray, or should I say pet owners’ tray is conveniently located within reach. The tray holds cups for drinks you may need to refuel yourself as you jog or run with the stroller.
• There is plenty of space in the under carriage storage basket to hold items purchased when you take your pet to the shopping mall.
• The pet cabin is comfortably padded and has an internal safety tether to secure and keep any boisterous and jumpy dog under control.
• When you come to a stop, use the quick to engage rear foot brake to restrain the pet stroller and keep it firmly stationary.
• The stroller is suitable for cats and dogs, and is available in a choice of red and blue colors

Pet Gear AT3 Dimensions:

• Stroller capacity – up to 70 pounds

• Fully Assembled measures 21″ wide, 57″ long, 42″ in high to to the handlebar

• Interior measurement is 14″ Wide, 30.5″ Long, 24″ High. This the cabin space for your pet

Cons:

Some customers remarked they would like to see the clearer assembling instructions in the manual. The stroller has one large, and one small viewing window for pet, but one customer would like the size of the small window increased, perhaps so smaller pets can have a wider view. Otherwise, the Pet Gear AT3 is a great stroller for a dog or cat, and has the capacity to hold multiple smaller pets at a time.

4.4 Stars Customer Satisfaction Rating – Pet Gear AT3 

#2 – Pet Gear Jogger Stroller for Pets – 70 Pounds Capacity

Well, another Pet Gear made it to my #2 spot!. This may not surprise you if you are familiar with the top brands of pet

jogging stroller.  Pet Gear products are very popular for their stylish designs, robust built and are rich in pet friendly features.

The 70 pound Pet Gear jogger as my #2 is a close match with the AT3, but lost out to my #1 because of the smaller pet carriage, and the superior benefit of the forever inflated AT3 tires.

It is a rugged pet jogging stroller you can take anywhere and use in all terrains, and it is just as versatile as the AT3, with swivel front wheel that is easy to turn in tight corners and locked for jogging or running. Other benefits of the Pet Gear 70 pound capacity jogger stroller include:

Pros:

• Eye catching sporty design and retractable weather canopy to shield and protect your pet.
• The familiar one handed fold mechanism in Pet Gear joggers, that collapses a stroller into a small compact size for transportation and storage in small spaces.
• It has a handlebar tray to hold cups of drinks to re-hydrate yourself while you jog.
• A good handlebar height of 41.5 inches allows tall and short pet owners to push the stroller with a comfortable posture without bending over.
• The stroller benefits from quick locking rear parking breaks, and shock absorbers that deliver smooth and comfortable ride for your pet
• It has an under carriage storage with ample space to hold a fair amount of shopping when you take your pet to the mall.
• Your dog or cat will enjoy easy front and rear access to the strollers.
• The comfort of your pet is not overlooked, with comfortable fleece pad for pets and safety tether that will keep even the most restive dog under control.

Pet Gear Jogger Stroller Dimensions:

• Stroller capacity – 70 pounds

• Interior measurement is 12″ Wide, 30″ Long, 22″ High, and this is the carriage space for your pet.

Cons:

Some customers observed that the cabin space is not large enough to comfortably accommodate the size of their dog. If you use my pet stroller buying guide on how to estimate the space your pet will require on in a stroller, and compare it with the manufacturers dimension of a stroller, you are sure to pick a stroller with sufficient space to suite your dog, with capacity to accommodate multiple pets.

4.0 Stars Customer Satisfaction Rating – Pet Gear Jogger Stroller

#3 – Guardian Gear Sprinter EXT II Stroller for Dogs and Cats

Here is another surprise in my #3 choice, from a brand though seemingly less popular, the Guardian Gear Sprinter is by

far the best value for money quality pet stroller. The downside, and this is why it did not make a higher spot in the top 3 ranking, the pet weight capacity is only 25 pounds, and the seating space for a pet is also far smaller than the Pet Gear strollers.

The design in my opinion is more elegant than the #1 and #2, and with two collar clips to secure a pet, the Sprinter EXT II is equipped with better safety feature. I will also add that it has the highest customer satisfaction rating at 4.7 Stars, though the Pet Gears strollers are not far behind in this criteria. Other benefits of the Guardian Gear Sprinter pet jogging stroller are:

Pros:

• Folds easily for storage
• Features air filled tires for jogging in any terrain
• Has front wheel that is very easy to turn and can be looked for jogging or running
• The interior pad can be removed for easy care
• Adjustable canopy and mesh panels for good ventilation.
• Large undercarriage space for storage.
• With a handlebar height of 42 1/4″, tall over 6 feet pet owners will love pushing the stroller, as the handle is slightly higher than the Pet Gear strollers.
• It is more than $60 cheaper than the list price of the Gear strollers in #1 and #2 spots. All the strollers though can be purchased at great deals in online promotions, especially on Amazon.

Guardian Gear Sprinter EXT II Pet Stroller Dimensions:

• Stroller capacity – 25 pounds

• Fully Assembled measures 21 1/2″ wide, 35″ long, 42 1/4″ in high to to the handlebar.

• Interior measurement is 13″ Wide, 21″ Long, 12″ High. This the cabin space for your pet, and note that the height of the seating area at 12″, is about half the head space for a dog or cat in the Pet Gear AT3, and Jogger Stroller. The limited head space is a clear indication that the Guardian Gear Sprinter is best suited for smaller pets.

Cons:

One customer at the time of writing this review complained just about everything on this stroller, while almost all other customers gave it a 5 Star rating, and you can read rave comments here on Amazon. I believe the dissatisfied customer may not have assembled the stroller correctly, as others have responded online, or it could be just one of those once in a while defective item that Amazon will replace for you without quibble.

 4.7 Stars Customer Satisfaction Rating – Guardian Gear Sprinter

My Recommendation for a Pet Jogging Stroller

With the great features available on my top 3 best jogging strollers for pets, depending on your jogging terrain and the size of your furry friends, it is quite easy for me to decide which stroller to purchase. The Pet Gear joggers in #1 and #2 have much higher weight capacity for dogs and cats, and are clearly the two choices for big pet owners. I would however recommend the Pet Gear AT3 Generation 2 All-Terrain Pet Stroller over the Jogger Stroller only because of the convenience of the E.V.A forever inflated tires that will never let you down with a tire puncture.

But if you have a small dog, or a cat of any size, I would go for the Guardian Gear Sprinter EXT II Pet Stroller. You are sure to attract a lot of attention carrying a pet in this stroller as many will not be able to tell it apart from a baby stroller. More reason to buy the Guardian Gear Sprinter, is the cheaper price that can save you over $50.

Whichever pet jogging stroller you decide to buy, don’t forget to compare the dimension of the internal seating area with the rough estimate of the space your pet will occupy in a pet stroller.

#1 – Pet Gear AT3 Generation 2 All-Terrain Pet StrollerCheck Today’s Price

#2 – Pet Gear Jogger Stroller for Pets Up to 70-Pound SageCheck Today’s Price

#3 – Guardian Gear Sprinter  Stroller for Dogs & CatsCheck Today’s Price