That Darn Weather!

 

That darn weather.. I cant go out and walk my dog.

  I wish I didn't use the weather as an excuse not to walk my dog but sadly I do.  I usually say its too cold or too hot to walk my FAT chihuahua.  Well, No more excuses.  I remember when he was a puppy, he would walk on the treadmill with no problems.  It took me a few weeks to teach him that it was fun to walk on the treadmill but in the end he did learn to do it. 

  As he got older he stop caring for the treadmill.. Why you may ask? Because I stop getting him on it.
When I tried to get him to use it again, he would not walk or move his paws (feet) while the treadmill was running. I was under the idea that if you get a dog on top of the treadmill it would be ok and he would walk as he did previews years ago. However, that was not the case.

 I tried to reteach him that walking on the treadmill was fun but he is "BIG BONE" and I get tired of holding him on the treadmill. YEP! I did have to carry him during the "walk" on the treadmill and its awkward! I gave up and stop retraining him to use the treadmill.
  While talking to a dog trainer, He said that I had to start from scratch to retrain him to love the treadmill again.  He said first have it turn off ... etc... I couldn't believe, what I was doing before was getting my Chihuhua more scrared of the treadmill.. (that's what the trainer said).
  Then the idea came, why not play on top of the treadmill while it was turned off.  I would place his favorite toy on top of the treadmill. At first he would bark at the treadmill facing the toy. Then he would put his paw on top of the treadmill and pick up his toy and run off as fast as possible.  I would do this a few times a day.  I remember when he was a puppy we would put a few treats on the treadmill and we wanted to do that now that he was older but when we would put the treats, he would just bark and my other dog the shih-tzu would just get up on the treadmill and eat the treats and wag her happy tail. She would even stand there like "hey more treats... come on" :)

  The Shih-tzu was never trained to get on the treadmill.  We never took the time to show her step by step how to get up. One would say, well she saw the other dog walking on the treadmill and she learn from him but that was not the case.  My sister just turn it on and started walking on it, when we saw the shih-tzu walking behind her on the treadmill.  My sister did her 30 minute walk and her shih-tzu walked with her.  When the machine was turned off, the shih-tzu just looked up and made a face like thats it? now what what? no more?? My sister hugged her and gave her lots of praise.  A few days later, I wanted to show my parents what happened a few days before with the shih-tzu and she didn't walk at all. She would just get off the machine.  My sister got up and turned it on and started walking and the shih-tzu got up with her.  We couldn't believe it. She only walks on the treadmill with my SISTER. So now they are walking buddies :) While my sister is walking on the treadmill and the shih-tzu wants to get on or off she does.

  Returning to the Chihuahua: About eight months ago, I found out that he was ok with walking on the treadmill but only if I would sit next to him and he can feel my hands touching his body.  He walks slowly on the treadmill and I am ok with that. I'm in no rush to get him to run on the treadmill.
  When he walks on the treadmill I hold his body so he doesn't wobble.  He gets a good workout by walking and I get a nice workout as I dont need weight lifting exercise after as he is my 10+ weight lol. 

  Here we go More Excuses,... I went out of town for six months and he stop walking.  
Now... I walk him 20 minutes a day. My goal is to get him to walk 30 minutes a day.

I started slow on the first few days...

his walking progress:
Week 1:speed 1.0 and walked 1/4 of a mile

Week 2: speed 1.5 and walked 2/4 of a mile 

Week 3:speed 1.5 and walked 3/4 of a mile

Week 4:speed 1.5 and walked 4/4 of a mile

How to get a dog to walk on the treadmill?

• Have the treadmill lowered and turned off. Ignore the treadmill, it can take a week until you see the dog smell it.   
• You can hug him or play fetch near to the treadmill.
• Every time your dog touches the treadmill give him/her a treat (turned off). He/she doesn't have to be on top of the treadmill to get a treat.
• Give treats to your dog when he/she stays on the treadmill for a few minutes (the treadmill must be turned off!!) Many give him/her a command "Race" so the dog associates the word to the treadmill and that is a good thing and that he/she gets treats.
• Associate positive feelings with the treadmill in order to remove the fear. Once the dog has overcome his/her fear, then you can turn it on.  

A week or so has passed and its time to turn on the treadmill

•  DONT FORCE THE DOG TO GET ON THE TREADMILL. AND BY NO MEANS, DO NOT TURN ON THE TREADMILL TO FULL BLAST...KEEP IT ON LOW (as low as your treadmill can go).
• The dog may show fear when the treadmill is turned on. You must wait until the dog is calmed around the treadmill being turned on, this make take a week or so. Try giving him/her hugs next to the treadmill. You can also play with him/her fetch.  Associate the treadmill being turned on and the noise with positive feelings for the dog.
• When you see that he/she is not fearful then we can go to the next step.
  Give a treat when the dog is close to the treadmill that is turned on. Lets use the command of Touch to touch the treadmill that is turn on and remember to treat the dog when he/she does it.  (dog doesn't need to get up.. that will be the next step after touching the turn on treadmill).
• A week has passed ... use the command of UP so he/she gets up to the treadmill.  He/she will do it and get off really fast, thats ok.. DONT SCREAM AT HIM/HER OR PICK HIM/HER UP AND PUT HIM/HER UP TO THE TREADMILL.. THAT WILL KILL ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND YOU WILL START ALL OVER.

I saw that my dog would get up when I commanded up and jumped off .  So I would say "UP" and Immediately say "down" so he would get a treat and I praise him to show that it was a positive experience as he did 'good'. 

• When he/she stops jumping off the treadmill, then give him a treat on the treadmill. Many Dogs will keep walking while he/she waits for the treat.
• When the dog walks on the treadmill give lots of praise. Say "GOOD JOB".  Just a word of advice this takes months.. but dont give up.. you will see a positive outcome to your hard work.
• THE FIRST TIME HE/SHE WALKS ON ITS OWN.. GIVE HIM/HER THE COMMAND THAT LETS HIM KNOW THAT ITS TIME TO GO TO THE TREADMILL.. "RUN" "TREADMILL" OR "RACE".. dont over do it.. the first time he/she can walk for 5 minutes and stop.. praise and give him/her a treat and give him a command to get off which is "off" or "Finished"

  1. word of advice, never leave your dog unattended.
  2. also never have your dog on a leash tied to the treadmill or loose leash on the treadmill. why? well, the treadmill can eat the leash and choke your dog. If you have the dog tied to the treadmill he/she fall and he/she can choke.

  Use a dog harness when walking your dog on a treadmill.
  

  

  
  REMEMBER, IF YOUR STRESSED YOUR DOG CAN SENSE IT AND THEY WILL BE STRESSED.. HAVE FUN!! JUST REMEMBER SAFETY FIRST!