#slash just had a great session on the treadmill it is truly a lifesaver for when i need a moment in the morning

[darkwood-sleddog]

ngl when it comes to dog treadmills if the mill is not powered by the dog i am not a fan of when people attach their dog to the treadmill.

It's fairly easy to train a dog to a moving (dog) treadmill like a dog pacer through cooperative and consensual behaviors because although the treadmill can be weird at first, dogs find forward movement rewarding (as well as post treadmill session snacks). But additionally, some dogs can find the treadmill aversive and/or scary and tying them to this machine and forcing them to use it is unacceptable. A dog with a positive association with the treadmill and what it allows them to do should be able to run on the treadmill without attachment and assistance (although always have your dogs supervised). A dog should always have the ability to walk away from such an activity if they decide they are done. They should not be strapped to a moving machine that will force them to do something. With dog powered mills, this is not an issue because the mill is moved forward by the dog's motivation. so imo tying is okay because if the dog is unwilling to run the mill will stay still.

Treadmills can be great as additional stimulation and exercise, but they are NOT walks and in the same way we should give patience to walks outside, we should give them to mill work. In the same way it is unacceptable to drag a dog that is unwilling to move forward on a walk, it is imo unacceptable to force a dog to move on a treadmill that is moving underneath them.

I am saying this as an avid dog treadmill user who trained my dogs to the mill with consent and reward based training and has dogs that now jump on the mill with gusto and run unassisted and free needing no food reward. It's literally so easy.