Blind Dog Who's Too Nervous To Run Is Sparking Joy By Conquering Its Fear

Dogs are very resilient creatures when presented with a physical disadvantage, but that doesn't necessarily make them fearless. A blind dog named Batou serves as the prime example. This precious pup ended up at a shelter with little background information and was later placed for adoption. To make matters worse, he found himself on the euthanasia list...until someone literally saved his life and decided to adopt the dog. But there was one problem: Batou struggled to walk and wouldn't dare try to run.

After frequently bumping into things and harming himself, he developed a fear of moving around on all fours, and his lack of exercise led to weight gain. His blindness, limited mobility, and weight gain left him with a defeated demeanor. That all changed when his owner arranged for him to use a non-motorized treadmill at a mobile dog gym called Run Dawg Gym. After six weeks of consistency at the gym, Batou conquered his fear of walking. The gym owner and founder, Ray Santopietro, shared a before-and-after video of his success on TikTok in September 2025.

@rundawggym

That time we met a blind dog named Batou who had never run before, because he was afraid of hurting himself. Over the course of 6 weeks, he gained confidence with every run in the gym. Then, his owners sent us the video of him in the backyard. Any time you think you aren't making a difference, just step back and look at the whole picture. #rundawg #mobiledoggym #dogexercise #dogconfidencebuilding #blinddog

♬ original sound – RUN DAWG

At the start of the clip, Batou lies on the treadmill with no desire to stand, but after some encouragement from Santopietro, he gains enough confidence to rise. This eventually progresses to walking in later sessions. The video concludes with Batou joyfully and fearlessly running around in his backyard. Talk about a happy ending!

Run Dawg Gym is a mobile dog gym in Las Vegas, founded in April 2021. Housed in a climate-controlled van, the gym features two manual treadmills, also known as slatmills. Unlike a traditional electronic treadmill that moves with the press of a button, slatmills are completely self-powered, allowing dogs full control of their speed. The van drives to homes as well as public places to offer its services.

If you don't live near Vegas, but you're seeking a mobile dog gym in your neck of the woods, you might be in luck; Run Dawg Gym is just one of many in the United States. While this van services various areas in Nevada, Run Buddy Mobile has vans across the Phoenix metropolitan area in Arizona, as well as Austin, Texas. Californian dog owners in and around Orange County can use FITPUP, Chicagoans can use Run Dog Mobile, and Hoosiers near Lebanon have K9 Cardio Fitness.

You can find mobile gyms in many other states as well, including Florida, Alabama, New Jersey, Kansas, New York, and Oklahoma. These gyms, along with Run Dawg Gym, have helped hundreds of dogs like Batou get their much-needed exercise when outdoor walks aren't an option. Want to read more stories about blind dogs or dog treadmills? Check out this blind rescue dog with a genius trick to get treats and the best dog treadmills to keep your dog exercised and enriched.