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 Chronic pain and other mobility disabilities commonly interfere with the handler’s ability to properly exercise their service dogs. Busy pet owners may come home from work late and don't want to walk their dog in the dark (understandable). And any dog owner has experienced the split obligations of wanting and needing to walk their dog, but it's raining or snowing. In these instances, a treadmill can be a key secret to fulfilling your dog's exercise needs with realistic life pressures. Learn about where to find a treadmill, when to turn to the treadmill, and how to teach your dog to safely run on one. A treadmill shouldn't be your dog's only source of exercise, but it can be a valuable tool. Should I Buy a Treadmill Designed for People or Dogs?Honestly, the main differences are price and size. They work the same way. Dog treadmills are a little smaller and shorter, and have more thought put into not leaving gaps for paws or tails to get caught in, whereas human ones are sized for people and people don't usually get their feet stuck in things. Usually. But the controls are very similar and both can have a tie leash attached safely. Human Treadmills - A great place to check is a used equipment store or online. New human treadmills usually go for several thousand dollars, but used models might be marked down to a few hundred dollars. We purchased a human treadmill for $150. It had been marked unsafe for humans because the belt could no longer support weights of 160lbs or more. The dog we planned on using it with only weighed 70 lbs, which was perfectly safe. Dog treadmills: Dog treadmills often cost between $500 - 3000, depending on the brand, size, and type. There are typically two sizes, large and small, so that every owner can find a treadmill that will be well matched for their dog. Unlike human treadmills, the dog ones have lightweight sides to help keep the dog on track, a keypad for picking speed or patterns that more realistically match a dog's exercise needs, and often are at an incline. Manual treadmills are becoming more available, but these are often hand-made and can be several thousand dollars. Instead of being electric, these are powered by the dog running, the dog sets the pace they want to go, and it stops when the dog stops. Places to Buy & SpecsIf you do decide to buy a human treadmill, the most important thing to look at is the length of the deck. Small dogs will need 29” x 14”, Medium will need 47” x 17”, and Large will need 75” x 17” . Dogs with longer bodies and long strides may need an extra long deck (running area). Dog Pacer is the second treadmill we purchased. It was a great treadmill for Robbie, who is 70 lbs. When we retired Robbie due to shoulder pain, however, this treadmill quickly became less useable because the steep incline, even at it's easiest setting, was too hard on his shoulder tendons. We tried propping it up to make it level, but that seemed to interfere with the stability of the deck. The design is clearly intended to remain at a slope. There is no way to easily flatten it. We use the Dog Pacer with our 2nd dog, Austin, but while the website claims the treadmill is safe for large dogs, I have my doubts that they intended anyone to use this on a daily basis with their hulk of a dog. Austin weighs in at 88lbs and the treadmill shakes when he runs on it, groans when he gets on/off, and more and more has starting shorting out. We use it 4-5 days a week. Austin needs 3-4 miles of exercise everyday. I can typically walk 2 - 3 miles of that, but often use the treadmill to fill in the last 1 mile. DogRunner is another option for getting a dog-specific treadmill, though they are over $1,000. They do have an ortho option which adds more shock absorption, which is nice if you can afford it, and may be something to consider if you do see this as an investment for your service dog's long-term health. When is a Treadmill a Helpful Tool?Always! That said, though, walks should be the go-to form of exercise for your dog if you're able to do it or have someone help you. Structured walks (asking the dog to consistently move forward beside you at your pace, with you deciding when to take breaks) are great for bonding, teaching handler focus, reinforcing good leash manners, allowing your dog to experience the world through scent, and for practicing a solid heel. *Treadmills are not recommended for dogs younger than 12 - 18 months (depends on breed) because they are still growing, and are more clumsy. Treadmills are more of an intensive exercise than puppies are ready for just yet. If you had a manual treadmill, you might could try them at a walk, but it's safer to wait until they are older and ready for more intense exercise. Besides - puppies need lots of practice walking on leash, learning to focus on you, following their nose, and moving with you as a team. Treadmills can be powerful training elements in their own way. They teach your dog to be okay with things moving underneath themselves, let you teach a dog who enjoys walking fast how to slow it down or vice versa, and of course, aid in your ability to adequately fulfill your dog's needs. Most dogs thoroughly enjoy it! Times when treadmill can help might include...
Safety
How Do I Train Them to Use It?Start slow! Introduce your dog to the treadmill at first by just having them stand on it. As always, praise for each challenge they meet. Next, with them off of it, but nearby, let them hear the sounds it makes and see it move. Once they will stand on it with no problems and seem comfortable or non-caring about the noises, get them on it, and turn it on to a slow speed. Depending on the dog, 1.5 - 2.0 mph can be a good starting speed. If your dog looks like they're struggling, increase or decrease the speed until they are walking easily. Hold the leash at first. Once they get more proficient at it, you can increase the speed and decide if you want to hold the leash, use a leash tied to the treadmill, or let them run without a leash. Your dog may panic for the first few steps. Do your best to hold onto the leash and keep them on the deck (this is not a good time to tie them). It looks bad, but it typically only lasts for less than a minute and then they realize they're fine and it's all good. If you let your dog jump off, they learn that's the way out, and never build the confidence to tackle this new challenge. Not all dogs will have an issue with the movement, but some might. What I Do with My Dogs: I started both on leash, and moved to them being confident enough to workout off leash on the treadmill. This is a better option for me, because feeling the leash bounce in my hand or on my leg is painful. Our treadmill doesn't have a great spot to tie the leash. Occasionally, I hold a leash for Austin, who can sometimes be lazy and let his feet kick off the end. I stay close by, either riding our exercise bike at the same time, as it is beside the treadmill and I can easily pull the emergency stop or change the speed, or I do an activity. If both dogs are in the room, one is working out and the other is in Place, so as to not bother the runner. Robbie panicked. Austin didn't care. Robbie worked through it. Austin loves it. Be Mindful of the Speed: Dogs can't switch up to faster speeds the way we can. Starting at 1.5 - 2.0 mph and pressing a button for 2 or 3 mph (as human treadmills are designed) will be challenging for your dog. They might try trotting faster and faster, rather than immediately breaking into a run. Instead, manually use the increase or decrease buttons to change the speed, rather than a preset. That being said, slow speeds are harder for your dog to do. What I Do with My Dogs: We used to start Robbie out at 1.5mph, and once he has been walking that speed for about 10-15 minutes, we increased it to 1.8 - 2.1 mph for the bulk of his workout. At the end, we took it back down to 1.5mph to let him cool down. Running at 3mph or faster seems to stress him out because he can't figure out how to break into a run, and ends up jogging & falling behind. But that may be entirely different for your dog. Now that he is retired/injured, he only does 5 - 8 minutes at 1.8 mph, and only if the weather is too uncooperative. Austin starts out at 2 mph for 10 minutes, and then I either set the treadmill to a preset, as it was designed for dogs, which changes the speed throughout the workout, or I manually changed the speed every few minutes. Austin ranges from 2.5 to 3.0 mph for a good workout. Unlike Robbie, he enjoys the faster speeds and finds them effortless to maintain a good trot. Slow is harder for Austin. He has to think harder about where to put his feet. He cools off at 1.8 mph. He has never galloped on the treadmill, but he does enjoy trotting. One of my clients' dogs, Max, starts out at 2.5 mph as the slowest he can tolerate moving, and then works out at 3.2 mph. Ultimately, use these numbers as guidelines, and watch what your dog tells you. Where do they struggle, and where to they settle into their stride? Keep in mind how walks go - how fast you typically walk, if your dog is often ahead or dragging behind, and how often you pause mid-walk to let them sniff and wander. You'll want to keep those breaks consistent for treadmill time, too, where you'll lower the speed to give them a bit of a pause before going back to normal intensity. Duration: In the beginning, let your dogs go for only 5 minutes, then 10, then 15, and so on until they get up to the desired length of time. This will help get them accustomed to this style of exercise. Ultimately it will depend on how much exercise your dog needs. Different breeds have different needs. Toy breeds are often okay with a short walk, or the total amount of steps spent following you around the house all day, whereas other dogs need longer walks or several short walks in a day. It is possible to over-do it. If your dog looks tired and is struggling, let them cool down with a slow speed for another minute or two and let them off to rest. 45 minutes is about the peak limit for any dog. Think about it. Even if you do hiking with your dog for hours, you usually give them breaks. Continuous movement is hard work! What I Do with My Dogs: In his prime, Robbie typically needed two, 30-minute walks a day, or one really long walk. To mirror that, Robbie usually did 20 - 40 minutes on the treadmill. In his elder years, he did 5 - 8 minutes at most, and only on slow speeds and bad weather days due to his shoulder tendons being shot. Austin, conversely, is a spry 2 years old, loves to move, and is made up of all high energy, working dog breeds. Morning walks are usually an hour long, evening walks are 30 - 45 minutes, depending on if Robbie is with us. We're also trying to build his muscle tone and stamina for working. He usually does 30 minutes on the treadmill, twice a day, or up to one hour, depending on the day. I've had a few days where I let him off and he climbs back on, demanding more. Update: Austin is almost 3 years old, and it's just him now. He ranges from 20 - 45 minutes on the treadmill depending on the day.
How Often: As often as you need. Treadmill walks exercise your dog, help condition their muscles, and give them a mental challenge of walking on something that is constantly moving. But - it doesn’t fulfill the handler-dog bond that comes with going for a walk, nor does it practice proper heeling or leash etiquette. Try to make time for extra playtime or heel exercises when using a treadmill more often. When you are able, go for a walk or ask a friend to help walk your dog. Both forms of exercise have their own set of benefits, so neither should be ignored. What I Do with My Dogs: I try to walk as much as I can. It's good for maintaining my strength and stamina, and lets me work on training on the go. For Austin, we typically use the treadmill once a day, every day, because his exercise requirements are so high, and while I can do 3-4 miles of walking a day, we've learned from trial and error that I can only maintain that level of performance for about four days before I can barely walk at all, and I'm not able to accomplish any other activity because it takes it out of me. Otherwise, I rely on the treadmill when...
Gear on the TreadmillTypically: Training collar is all, possibly a leash if Austin is lagging Training Options:
 A Final TipYour dog is absolutely capable of throwing up, peeing, or pooping while walking/trotting on the treadmill. Do not underestimate them! We keep puppy pads at the end of the treadmill in the event of this happening, as well as Nature's Miracle and paper towels easily within reach. Robbie has peed on the treadmill 2x, and pooped 1x. The pee went EVERYWHERE. And we have carpet. Delightful. He eventually learned to not do that, but we also got a lot better at being sure he had gone potty outside prior to being on the treadmill. Austin is a work in progress. He has vomited on it 1x and pooped on it about 8x now. No pee. He was hard to get on a potty schedule, but has since improved and these instances are less and less. Something to be aware of! Interested in teaching your dog how to use a treadmill? Book a free consult today to talk with me about how a treadmill might integrate in your life and if there is anything else you may need assistance in training your dog, then we can pick a course that's right for you to meet all of your needs. 
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AuthorHi, my name is Sally Fowler. I'm the owner & trainer for DADTC. I'll be writing posts with training tips, service dog basics, and more! Check out the categories below to find exactly what you're looking for! If you have any questions or there's a topic you'd like to see discussed here, please check out our contact page here. Archives
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