lol i beg to differ. Some dogs love it, others dont. Buster wont even go into the back garden when its miserable out...he sticks his head out the dogflap, turns and looks at me as if to say "yeah ok....how about YOU go wee in that!"


I have to literally drag him out the front door for walk times unless he has his doggy coat on

I think its a good idea as long as,as you said you're not forcing them or tying them to it and not doing it for too long as it is reasonaly high impact for the joints I would assume, I am sure they'll be fine... If humans can get on it and not break their legs I am sure dogs, who are way more agile than us, will manage just fine as long as the speed of the machine is adapted to them!
I suppose you will have to get it get used to it yourself and see if your dogs can get tempted

xx

__________________
My holiday pics.http://zafirasphotosofwales.webs.com/






http://www.save-me.org.uk/
.......... I HATE TWO FACED PEOPLE...ITS SO HARD TO KNOW WHICH FACE TO SLAP FIRST!

I think I am doing rather similar with Candy. I cant walk too far so when we are out driving ponies we are leading her along behind and have built up to her doing about half a mile of roadwork, some of it with the ponies trotting slowly which gets her in either a fast stretched out walk or sometimes running. She is on the lead, not tied on, and is watched all the time I cant see why a treadmill would be a lot different and so long as supervised should be safe.

Thanks for that link.

I know greyhound racers sometimes use the treadmill. I have seen a few dog treadmills for sale that were used for a greyhound.

And I beg to differ about dogs not caring about the wind and the rain too!! You see how miserable Dixie and Dave are in the wind and the rain you would agree with me.
They put there tail right between there legs, Dixie puts her head down really low and holds her ears right up like little umbarellas. She spends the whole walk as close to me as possible (for a dog that loves to pull that's something). Once let off the lead she goes and wees as quickly as possible then if I don't catch her soon enough she starts off back home again, doing her ''collie crouch'' making herself as small as possible. She won't even fetch in the wind and rain and that's her fave game.
If we happen to get caught in a downpour while in the field she goes and lies under a bush.

Dave is freaked out by the wind, he hates it flapping his ears, and constantly shakes his head. He won't go out in the dark if its windy unless Dixie goes too, because one night the gate was open and it banged, he ran full pelt back to his bed.


She gets plenty of mental exercise in and around the house, but if I had some way of getting her physically exercised that she enjoyed without making her miserable, then I would.

__________________

if you are a science geek like me, here's a good paper:
ScienceDirect - Research in Veterinary Science : Habituation of healthy dogs to treadmill trotting: Repeatability assessment of vertical ground reaction force

sorry for the long URL

i think you can access the full paper only if you have a university account, however the abstract seems pretty clear

i have to big dogs, one adores the treadmill and can go on it for up to 40 minutes without failing one step, and the other likes it only when it's off and can lye on the rubber... as soon as i go near she gently moves away...
hehehe
to each it's own...
best
d

Some dogs hate the wind and the rain, mine refuses to go outside for a pee or walk he'l put his head down and come back in i hate to make him go outside for a wee.

am sure the treadmill will be fine like u said u wont be tying them to it and ull be watching them all the time,

I have a treadmill. I only use it occassionally. Some of the whippets have got the hang of it some haven't. I think if I used it regulary they would be happier using it. Zoe my setter is quite happy to trot along on it for quite a while although I don't leave her I always stay by their side. I never fasten them on and always hold the lead.

A lot of greyhound trainers use dog walkers but the ones they use are specially designed for big dogs My greyhounds wouldn't entertain the idea of going on a treadmill. They are both to big to go on a human one and I would never try them . William hides if he even sees me getting mine out and he's neverr been on it he's just seen the whippets on it.

You have to introduce them to it slowly using treats and with the treadmill on the slowest speed it will go on then when they are happy walking lke that you can slowly speed it up.

__________________



Sammy you may be gone but your sprit will always live on in the sunbeams R I P Sammy

William- 6/11/03 - 24/3/10
Midge - 8/2/11 - 10-2-11

The owner of my gym often brings his little terrier to work. It loves going on the treadmill, and often gets on behind him. It has the choice and is never forced. He's always careful about what speed he goes.

If a horse can use one, i see no reason a dog cant. As long as its done safely and a dog isnt stressed or tied to it, i see no reason not to try one out.

I also have a dog who hates the rain and foul weather. I have to carry him out for a wee with an umbrella, otherwise he wont go. My other dog doesnt care.

__________________

I am just a worthless liar.
I am just an imbecile.
I will only complicate you.
Trust in me and fall as well.
I will find a center in you.
I will chew it up and leave,
I will work to elevate you
just enough to bring you down

i know a few people who use treadmills for their dogs, and i dont mean the dog ones they just use the normal human ones

and the dogs love it, a couple of them even go and stand on it waiting for their owner to turn it on

__________________
,


A dog wags its tail with its heart

Precious Poundies
http://www.preciouspoundies.co.uk