Do’s and Don’ts of Exercising your Dog on Treadmill

After debating the advantages and disadvantages of owning a dog treadmill, I would like to expand a little more on the do’s and don’ts of exercising dogs on treadmill. One thing I like to stress is that I write these ‘rules’ as a guideline for using human motorized treadmill. Though there are basically two types of dog treadmill (animal powered treadmill and motorized), the general rules are almost similar, however it would be your best interest to follow the guideline from the dog treadmill manufacturer as oppose to mine.

Again I stress, do not let these misconceptions stop you from exercising your dog on treadmills.

• Treadmills are for the rich.
• Treadmills are for the lazy dog owners.
• Treadmills are for dogs with active lifestyle.
• Treadmills are for large and working dogs.
• Treadmills are for show dogs.
• Treadmills are for dogs competing in obedience trials.

These are not completely true. As a matter of fact, it is the regular average folks who employ treadmill exercising as an alternative. Only a small percentage of competitive dogs use treadmill to compliment their already rigorous exercise routine.

As with all physical exercises, your goal is to get your dog leading a healthy lifestyle so that he will not be too lazy for his own good. Exercising your dog on treadmill on a regular basic not only helps to strengthen the heart muscle and overall well being, it is also a powerful stress reliever. Ideal for dogs who are cooped up in the house most part of the day.

Bite note: While these rules maybe quite commonsense to many but occasionally they can be overlooked. Always consult your vet before attempting the advance level like jogging. For a slow pace walking, it should be fine with all dogs with a couple of exceptions.

Don’ts

• Place your treadmill with its back against a wall, door or balcony railings.
• Strap your dog to the treadmill. Especially using a leash tied to the front bar of the treadmill.
• Hold any treats in front of him while he is exercising on the mill. You don’t want your dog to leap towards you. Remember, dogs think with their stomachs.
• Place any tempting treats or toys around or above the treadmill. Animals are the worst judges of vertical distance and they may leap without knowing how high they are. Not very wise to land on a “moving floor”!
• Exercise after a hearty meal even if it is just a 20-minutes brisk walk on the treadmill. Unlike the outdoor walk, your dog gets to pause occasionally either to investigate other senses or release himself. You don’t want your dog to experience the uncomfortable feeling of holding his bowel during the course of his workout.
• Exercise right after he woke up from his nap. Cramp usually happens when there is no warm up prior to any exercise.
• Start with high speed. Of course, your dog can run but it doesn’t mean he knows how to on a moving belt. You want to start slow so you don’t terrify him on his first attempt.
• Exercise young puppies under 6 months for small breeds and larger breeds under 9 months. Don’t boost your dog growth rate as rapid growth can give rise to muscle and bone problems in later years.
• Exercise elderly dogs with existing health issues especially those suffering with arthritis or joints problems.
• Be too zealous over exercising your toy dogs, they are not “made” to do tremendous “labor work”. Especially dogs with short legs and flat muzzles like Pekingese, Shih Tzu, Dachshund and Pug.

Years ago, I saw a documentary film on television that there is Maltese in China who does 200 or 2000 steps stair-climbing after a tai chi exercise (I know it’s very questionable that dog is able to do tai-chi. The owner never showed how the technique was done as he spoke in Mandarin. Honestly, if this is possible my late dad would have taught our dogs tai chi instead of ‘tormenting’ me for years!) with his master every morning. If I’m not mistaken, I believe they are aiming to break the Guinness Book of World Records (for stairs climbing, of course).

Do’s

• Place a rug right behind the treadmill. This is for cushioning purpose should your dog pause during the exercise.
• Place the treadmill in a well ventilated room as dogs suffer heatstroke more easily than humans do.
• Allow your dog to release himself before the exercise.
• Start the session no more than 10 minutes and gradually increase by 2 minutes until it reaches 20 minutes. Once he is able to brisk walk for a whole 20 minutes, progress it to a higher speed with a gradual increment between 0.3 to 0.5 mph. And if you would to introduce elevation walking, do it by increasing only 0.5% at a time until 1.5.
• Stay watchful during his exercise even your dog has been walking on treadmill for ages. If you have been exercising religiously, I’m sure you have days where your regular 5-miles-run is too much to handle and you opt for a 2-miles-run instead. Likewise for dogs, they have days where they are not at their top form even they are physically able. Be flexible to his needs and mood. Gradually shorten the training time when he shows any sign of fatigue after 5 minutes – assuming he does 20 to 30 minutes jog daily.
• Always check the functionality before letting your dog to do his exercise. What I usually do is to be the first to use the treadmill before my dogs do. That way, I know if the treadmill needs any conditioning that day. Some dogs are hypersensitive to creaking sound made by rusty treadmills; they may refuse to exercise further and begin investigating the source. Some might bark at the machine while exercising! It is a funny sight to watch but your neighbors will not be very pleased with that. =)
• Give a warm rub down after a hard workout. This helps keep the blood moving and reduces the chance of cramps. A brisk 5 to10 minutes massage works wonders. Also it motivates him to look forward to the next workout session. A treat without calories!

Next issue: Step by step treadmill exercising guide for small dogs new to this game!