OMG, Connie . . .
YES, I would like material to read for =after= her recovery.
thanks mucho
This is not my work, but it is very much how I train dogs to run on a treadmill.
I will give you instructions for a stable, fairly unflappable dog. If yours is even slightly nervy, you will need to go MUCH slower. Even to the point of marking the dog for even touching the treadmill. Once they are VERY comfortable standing on it, then you can proceed, but again, VERY slowly for nervy dogs.
Have a harness on the dog and position the dog to be standing between your legs, with each of your legs on each side of the treadmill's solid edges (see below for alternatives). Stand far enough forward that the dog is centered well front to back and side to side. Let the dog lick a little bit of peanut butter or liver paste (anything that they like but does not require stopping or chewing) from a squeeze tube or a spoon. We want a happy and eager to be with you pup.
I have found that for starting new dogs you do not want to start out too slowly. Around 1.8-2.3 mph (an easy walk) is best since they just get to pick it up and GO! If things are moving too slow, then there is a good chance they will be stumbly since they do not actually walk or really move at the super low speed.
Hold the dog securely by the harness (or collar...) so they can not NOT move around and as they are moving and PRAISE PRAISE PRAISE! Stop and give them a little lick of the treat. Try to go at least a four or five steps before stopping. DO NOT let them try to jump off, but hold them there and reward them.
I have had a few that try to escape off to the side, and it can be a struggle to keep them centered, but use your legs as a brace/guide and help them to feel the rhythm. Some may sit/stand and not try to take steps. Again, I hold them in place and eventually they have to take a step or two, then three and soon they have it!
If the dog is in good spirits, I will try it again, same session. I may keep doing it until the dog is walking fine, or if it is too much stress, I will end it after one or two starts (at least four or five steps) but keep the dog in position between my legs at a stop until they are happily taking licks of the treat. Use your happy voice to convey that this is a good thing.
To get off the treadmill, ALWAYS take the dog off by turning them around and walking them off of the back. Do not let them, even in the beginning, jump off the front or sides. This could lead to injury if they should try it at speed, even a walk.
I may treat the beginner dog while moving, or use it to get the stressed dog to relax and take their mind off of the activity. I try not to lure, but some dogs learn faster this way. However they need to be weaned off of luring fairly quickly as it can cause them to look around for the treat and loose focus on walking forward and miss a step or move off of the center line. I want them to move forward because the mill is moving not because there is a treat there.
For a while you want to continue standing over them, until they totally get that they need to keep moving. Keep them at a walk until they have learned to focus, keep speed, and don't shift around too much but do up the speed to the point where it is an all business walk (as opposed to a slow walk). At some point they will start to fall back. Make sure this happens at a walk... Keep a hold of the harness/collar and help them to find there way back to the correct position. No corrections. They need to figure this one out for themselves. But DO praise them for finding the sweet spot (even with help) and perhaps a lick of yumm. While at this speed, get them used to being pet and praised verbally while still keeping things moving with focus. This will be important for later...
Some dogs pick this up very easily! My current pup (19 months) "got" it in two sessions on the same day and was trotting like a pro on day number two. My old competition dog took 2 weeks to feel totally comfortable, and my brother's pit was just way too nervy and stressed, so we chose not to continue.
The next step is to increase speed. Do it slowly enough to not freak the dog out, but fast enough that they don't try to take LONG walking steps and get worried. I have found about 4-4.2 mph to be an easy trot for many and not too fast that they are working too hard and get nervous. We also want it just fast enough that they are trotting and not pacing...
At this speed we do not want to be treating the dog while moving. It is way too distracting and can cause them to miss a step. Don't do it! Reward the with your voice, but not so much that they get distracted. A nice, quiet "Goooood." is preferable to a high, squeaky "Yeah!!! You doing soooo GREAT!!!" as the second will likely cause the dog to turn and look at you. Turning their heads to look will cause their bodies to move slightly to the side opposite and could cause them to trip. Keep things calm and business like, but still conveying that they are doing good.
When the dog is doing well at an easy, but effective trot, then it is time to step back. Not from the machine, but from standing over the dog... After the dog has done a little trotting, move back to a quick walk speed and reward the dog verbally. While the dog is still moving, swing one leg over and set it next to the other. This WILL distract the dog, but use your hands and voice to focus the dog back again. Keep the dog moving. If the dog is too stressed out, put your leg back over and wait a bit before trying again. Your dog wasn't as comfortable as you thought. Try again the next day, but for today be sure to keep moving for a bit before stopping, rewarding and being done for the day.
Some dogs do best when you try to move your leg over while they are running. They are focused on the task at hand and more likely to keep going, but you need to know your dog. And some love this stuff so much that one day you can just get on and stand to one side only, start the mill, and the dog won't know the difference! What you should not do is try to back off of the back. You will very likely cause the dog to want to stay between your legs and back up with you. You are the security and the dog bases it's possition on you.
I try to stand off to one side (still on the mill's edge) for a while, depending on the dog. After the dog is comfortable with you standing on only one side, try starting them from that position next time. Then from you standing off of the treadmill. NEVER NEVER NEVER Leave the side of the treadmill at any time. You NEED to stay very close any time your dog is on a mill. VERY important. I stand beside it the entire time with the pup now and when other dogs were VERY comfortable would sit on a bar stool beside them. Always hold the leash and be ready and able to grab the harness/collar at all times especially at the beginning. A dog that is VERY comfortable on the mill I will run w/o a collar, but am always VERY close.
Distances... Don't be in a rush. You should know approximately how far your dog likes to walk/run when on leash, so cut that in half at first. You want the dog to get off the mill and not be dead tired, but happy and able to play a fun game of tug or fetch to relieve any stress and to reward the dog. Panting on the mill is fine, and even some drips of slobber, but that is about where you stop at first. There will be time later to add distance and to really work your dog.
Before adding speed and distance, I add grade. I can walk a beginner/nervous dog up hill with less stress than getting a beginner dog to go faster for a longer distance. It is healthier and more relaxing for the stressed dog. It will be a great work out for any dog as well, including an older dog or a younger dog. Less concussion on the joints and helps to build muscle.
For a dog that is easily capable of going for a good run, this is a great way to get them moving. Increase either speed or distance each time, not both. Most dogs run well at 4.5-5.2 mph. Work them up to that slowly and be prepared to back down if the dog is having a hard time keeping the speed. Let the dog tell you what he is comfortable with. As for distance, increase that as you would on the ground, slowly but while still pushing a little. Keep in mind though that the mill makes it easier to accidentally push too far, too fast.
I usually run a dog at a slight incline... I like them to move at a fairly good clip, 5 mph, and at a 5-10 incline depending on the model. This builds muscle, pushes the dog, and gets a more intense work out in in a shorter period of time. That is important because as we all know, running on a tread mill can be boring. We keep ours in the garage and open the door. That way the dog can have stuff to look at instead of just a wall...
I always take the dog for a walk to urinate/defecate BEFORE and AFTER the mill work. Not fair to the dog to be working so hard and have to pee super bad!! Besides a nice, easy walk afterward, gives them a little reward for working so hard for you and lets them stretch their legs and cool down a bit and a walk before can help warm them up for the run. I even recommend stretching a dog before a good run as a precaution against injury.
Please don't ever think that a treadmill should be used as a substitute for regular exercise through walking or fetch or swimming. It is a great way to get MORE in, but a regular walk does so much for the dogs sense of well being, bond and exposure. Mill work helps concentration and endurance as well as muscle tone and is easy on the joints, but all of these things can be achieved outside and be more fun for both of you.
Every dog I have ever gotten comfortable on a mill has absolutely LOVED it in a short period of time. All of them. They run to it and jump on it all on their own, waiting for me to turn it on. It can be a great way to meet the dogs exercise requirements.
* As an alternative to standing over the dog you can have two people that the dog trusts explicitly stand on either side. You will loose a little control at first, and this is most important with nervy dogs, but if you physically can't do it, OR your dog WON'T let you (in which case I recommend you work on your trust and leadership with your dog) it may be your best option. It is easier to straddle, but do what you need to do in your situation.
Re: motivate, motivate . . . how
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