By Heidi Clayton
If you have a treadmill in your house just taking up space, consider training your dog to walk on it. There are a few factors to consider when putting a dog onto a treadmill made for humans. However, for most dogs, it is perfectly fine to train your dog to walk on your treadmill.
The first consideration is the size of your dog versus the length of the ramp of the treadmill. Larger dogs may not be able to actually jog on a small treadmill because there is not enough ramp space for them to fully extend their legs, resulting in them having to adjust their gait. However, they should be able to at least walk. If you have a larger dog like a German Shepherd or Retriever, you may want to consider purchasing a treadmill specifically made for dogs so that they can extend their legs into a full jog or trot. However, regardless of dog size, you can train your dog to walk on a human treadmill. Small to medium-sized dogs can absolutely jog or run on a human treadmill.
To train your dog to jog on the treadmill, you will need to make it fun and rewarding. With the treadmill off, I lure my dogs to climb onto it with a highly rewarding treat. Then, I give them lots of praise and a few small treats for doing so. I use the word “climb” to tell my dogs that I want them to climb up onto something. After they can consistently climb up onto the treadmill, I stop luring them and just ask them to go to it. When I think the dog is ready, I turn the treadmill on so the dog can hear the motor. If your dog jumps off, let them. Use the treat to get them back onto the treadmill and make a huge fuss if they do. Pairing a high-value treat with hearing the sound of the motor normally makes it worthwhile for the dog to get back onto the treadmill. Remember, if you’re using treats to get your dog onto the treadmill, you will need to feed them less dinner.
If your dog is out of shape or heavy, you will want to ease them into actually jogging or running on the treadmill. Keep the walking sessions short by starting with maybe five minutes at a low-speed walk. As your dog starts to lose weight and gain confidence on the treadmill, you can increase the speed and time. At no time should your dog run in an out-of-control fashion on the treadmill. Much like doing roadwork, trotting is the speed that will be the most beneficial to your dog in terms of burning calories and toning up their muscles. Running fast where the dog’s legs are flailing around is not helpful and could lead to injury. Instead of making the treadmill faster, try increasing the incline to make the session more challenging.
I have a treadmill that is built for dogs made by Dog Pacer. I took the high side panels of the treadmill off to make it easier for dogs to hop on and off. I also don’t tie dogs to the treadmill and allow them to hop off if they need to. Ideally, I train a dog to stay on the treadmill and enjoy jogging on it. You can find used dog treadmills, if interested, to save money on the purchase. Teaching your dog to walk or jog on a treadmill can be a mental workout but also an effective way to help them on their weight loss journey.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
