Community & Business
11 February, 2026
Woofer Wagon gets tails waggin’
AUSTRALIA’s very first mobile dog gym has just relocated to the Tablelands, bringing a rather unique service to the area.
Mirjam Kunnberg, or “Miki”, relocated to Atherton to get away from the hustle and bustle of the Sunshine Coast and be near her sister. But coming along for the ride was the Woofer Wagon – the country’s very first mobile dog gym.
The service operates from an airconditioned van featuring self-propelled slat mills (similar to treadmills), which helps dogs burn off pent up energy and improve their health, strength, and confidence.
Originally from Estonia, Miki has lived in Australia for around 15 years now and said her passion for working with dogs was only found a number of years after moving to the country. She started her unique business just a few years ago after seeing a similar American business on TikTok.
“It all kind of started with me getting a puppy. It all escalated from there and I started working with dogs and ended up working in kennels,” the now nationally accredited dog trainer said.
“One day when I got home, quite late at night, I saw on TikTok a business in America who does the same thing, and I immediately thought, ‘Wow, this would be so good for all the kennel dogs and behaviour cases, and all these dogs who need to move, but can’t.
“I was obsessed straight away. I went to work the next day, and I just couldn’t stop talking about it. Then it all went from there and it didn’t take long to get from the idea to the actual business, and here we are.”
She said just one slat mill session a week is generally very beneficial for all kinds of dogs.
“There’s a pretty big problem with reactive and overweight dogs these days. So this is a really good way to get those dogs moving to improve their mental and physical state, and it allows owners to be able to go out with their dogs again,” the 39-year-old said.
“But we need to start somewhere, and movement is medicine.”
Miki said slat mills were a form of resistance training for dogs, similar to going to the gym as a person.
“It’s very different to running on the ground because the dog has to pull the whole slat themselves – there is no motor in them, they are fully self-propelled,” she said.
“Another thing is confidence building, because it can be quite intimidating for a lot of dogs. But if I can show the dog that it’s okay and they can trust me, the dog learns how to overcome its own fear. Which is huge for boosting their confidence. You can see the change, it’s so cool to see.
“I think the biggest thing for people to understand is that it is self-propelled. So the dogs can go as fast as they want and they can stop at any time. They are in full control. I just have to teach them how to be in control.
“The van is fully airconditioned as well. It’s insulated, so it’s nice and quiet. If you’ve got a barking dog, no problem. It’s a safe place to bark it all out and you can have a nice, calm dog for the rest of the week.
“However, the slat mills and doggy gym are never meant to replace walks with your dog. Every dog should still be going out into nature and getting their environmental fulfillment.”
Seeing how much the Woofer Wagon positively impacted shelter dogs was one of the most rewarding things Miki had experienced with her business.
“It was a big learning curve for me to deal with dogs who have got no prior learning history, they have no relationship with me or anyone else, and most likely they’re in a stressful state of mind because their world has been turned upside down and they’re stuck in a kennel,” she said.
“But it was fantastic to see how it benefited the shelter dogs. That was one of the coolest things for me with the business I would have to say.”
Miki said her business had been quite successful on the Sunshine Coast, even a little too successful, but she also needed a break from the city life.
“In a way it’s been very successful and influential, because there are lots of businesses like this now, and it’s just opened up the idea of using slat mills for dogs and for dog training specifically as well,” she said.
“A lot of dog trainers have their own mills now, which is absolutely fantastic, and even a lot of my clients have bought their own mills because they’ve seen how it can benefit the dogs.
“I got really, really busy down on the Sunshine Coast – a little bit too busy. I was feeling that I needed a bit of a break and I had a holiday with my sister – I’ve visited here so many times and I absolutely love the place – and she said, ‘Well why don’t you bloody come up here’, and I said, ‘You know what. Why not? Why not’.”
The Woofer Wagon is now based in Atherton, for more information, visit www.wooferwagon.com.au
