TREDMILL?

Has anyone had any experience with dogs on a tredmill? I have seen it on tv but I don't know if it is good for dogs or not. We have one in our exercise room and I was thinking of putting Perry and Daisy on for exercise but I don't know if it is safe to do that.
We really can't walk them around the neighborhood too many strays, people let their dogs out with no shots or tags, and I couldn't walk them anyway, we do let them downstairs in the bigger yard to run around and go in the bushes, but I was just wondering?
Jackie

Hmmm, I think it would be safe on a really slow speed. I haven't heard any bad things about dogs on treadmills. In fact, I just remembered the pug from the Eukenuba Tournament of Champions did the treadmill twice a day and he was buff :)

Well if you figure out how to do it, let me know. I tried to get Hannah up on mine with it barely moving and she did NOT want to cooperate. I think she had observed from watching me that this wasn't something that made any sense. What she occasionally did like to do (while I was using it) was take one of her toys and drop it on the moving belt and watch it go zipping off the back.

[ October 30, 2001: Message edited by: RachelJ ]

When I was in the hotel in the Chicago area, before and after our meeting with Rachel, we put Graham on the treadmill in the hotel workout room :) It was actually not to get him excersised, it was more of a means to make us laugh, but he seemed to get the hang of it. What my mom did (she was the one traveling with me) was go to the front of the treadmill and call Graham, and I just held his leash steady and made sure he ran streight and not off the edges.

They have special made treadmills for dogs with rails that prevent an escape, and a spot to attach the leash so the pup can't stop and run off the back...it has to keep going. I am sure your treadmill would work but you would have to get them trained on it first. Might take them a little while to get the hang of it....and I would for sure get Don's help until they were used to it to prevent accident.

Drake runs on the treadmill, too! We don't let t go too fast and it took a couple of tries before he got the hang of it. Drake does the treadmill 3 times a week. But when it is raining outside, he does it instead of his normal walk and 6 mile run every morning. Andrew and Drake like to exercise together. It is a hoot watching them. Andrew will do push ups and Drake puts his paws on Andrew's back. Then they go up and down together. And when Andrew does crunches or sit ups. Drake grabs a hold of Andrew's legs. It is hilarious. In the mornings, all three of us go running for 6 miles, he "stretches" with us. But the treadmill is the funniest. He watches the animal planet!

Wow! I'm impressed with all of Drakes exercise techniques!! :D

And I think if I tried to get Honey or Lilly to come in my room and get on my treadmill, it would put them right over the edge! :eek: Heck, they are afraid to walk in my bedroom at all since I moved the treadmill in there! And that's when it isn't turned on!! :)

HAHA Aly...a buff pug!!! :D :D Rachel...The image I have in my head of Hannah dropping the toy on the moving belt is priceless! I am sure she just is not able to see why a human would use it for its intended purpose. She has found a more sensible and fun application! :D

Rachel, that is too funny, Hannah is quite a gal, Souraya, I'm impressed, six miles wow, you sound like my youngest daughter, she runs, has a full gym in her house. She is the only one in the family that is really in good shape.
I haven't decided if I will try them on the tredmill, but if I do of course Don will help me and we will put it on barely walking. I'll let you all know how it works.
Thanks for your input.
Jackie

The vet suggested putting Hannah on a tradmill twice a day when she had her weight problem. I told him she goes for two runs a day so he then said thats enough excersize. But in the winter if you don't get out as much a tredmill is a good idea.

Ilovehounds, that picture of Hannah in the rear view mirrow is priceless. Love it!

Good Luck, Jackie! I am sure it will be funny trying to get Daisy and Perry to walk on the treadmill. Update us on how it goes. Drake was very skidish at first and Andrew and I laughed everytime we tried to get him on it. Now we say, treadmill, and Drake runs to it!
As for the 6 miles run everyday, it is a good excuse to spend time with Drake and Andrew. We are both so busy all the time. Plus being married to a very buff and atheltic Army officer, kinda motivates me to stay in shape so we can "match"! :D :D

A friend of mine has a dog tread mill. It's specially made for dogs, I think the only thing that is different is that there are sides so the dog can't jump off and a clip bolted down which you can clip to the dog's collar, so the dog can't run off.

When you start a dog do it really slow and only for a about 20 seconds. You gradually work up the speed and length of time. Good luck!

Well we tried them both on the tredmill, Perry went crazy didn't want any part of it.
We put it on as slow as it would go, but even holding him he would jump off, on the other hand Miss Daisy didn't mind it as long as we held her up a little she would walk on it. So she may do it, I don't think it's an option for Perry. Here is a photo of Daisy walking on the tredmill with Don holding her a little. We got a good laugh out of this. :D Jackie

http://wsphotofews.excite.com/021/xM/UU/n3/py97486.jpg

Oh, Jackie that is sooo cute, Daisy girl giving it a try. But what is really funny is the look on Perry's face as he observes the process.

Souraya, I am imressed...6 miles a day!

Awww Jackie, love the pic!

Daisy - you go girl! You already got a great figure but you'll have a lot of fun on the treadmill!

That picture is too cute! You go Daisy girl! On your way to being a more buff pup. AMaybe Perry will come around when he sees Daisy having doing it.

Go Daisy! What a cute picture! I love Perry's face, watching in horror as his sister is "tortured" ;)