Introducing Your Dog to the Electric Treadmill | DOG RUNNER USA

Lifestyle Tips by Maximum Canine:
Behavior | Sport | Health | Fitness
Ruger & The Dog Runner Revolution Pro: Ruger’s first interaction with the Dog Runner! By the end of the session Ruger climbed up and laid down on the treadmill and made himself comfortable! We love this behavior. We made sure to take it slow and only allowed him to take a couple steps during this introduction!
When introducing your dog to the electric treadmill, start SLOW! Let your dog explore the treadmill while it is off, reward them for any interaction towards the treadmill to create a positive association.
This process may take more or less time depending on the dog
STEP ONE: Lure your onto the treadmill and allow them to stand on it, reward the dog with treats or praise for standing on the treadmills. Give their “release” command, allow them to step off to a huge reward! Make this exciting for your dog! You can repeat this process a couple of times until your dog willingly steps onto the treadmill themselves.
STEP TWO: Once your dog is comfortable standing on the treadmill, you can turn the treadmill on so they become familiar with the sound. Some dogs become startled by the sounds so you may repeat this a few times. Don’t forget to pay your dog for small progress!
STEP THREE: After you have created a positive association with the treadmill, the dog is comfortably standing, and is desensitized to the sound, you can start the treadmill on a very low speed and walk your dog with leash in hand on the treadmill. Reward the dog for taking any steps.
You can begin slowly increasing the speed as your dog becomes more comfortable. Always end the session on a positive note. You may not complete all steps in the same day. Pay attention to your dog’s body language.