Train Your Dog To Exercise Indoors

Exercise is as important for your pet as it is for you and every dog should get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day. Just like with humans, exercise has health benefits for your dog such as conditioning his muscles, helping his heart stay healthy and even helping him have a positive attitude.

But with the hectic schedules that most people have today, it can be difficult to fit in 30 minutes each day to devote to exercising your dog. While it would be nice to kill 2 birds with one stone and take your pooch out for a walk, thus providing exercise for both you and him, this may not be practical timewise or weatherwise.

Luckily there is an answer – pet treadmills. These are similar to human treadmills and have a
rotating floor that encourages your animal to keep with a pre-set pace. It is on a smaller scale from a “people” treadmill and has straps that keep your pet within the bounds of the treadmill.

To use the pet treadmill, you simply strap your pet in so he cannot stray from the platform then turn it on. As the floor moves, your pet will start walking to keep up with it. This may take a bit of getting used to for your dog, but with a little training and positive reinforcement your pet will soon learn to love it. I recommend, you start slow and gradually speed up the treadmill once your dog gets used to it.

These pet treadmills can give your dog the exercise he needs when you cannot. They can simulate the same feelings your dog has when he plays or runs outside. Their great for people who physically cannot exercise their dog or for those bitter cold winter days when it’s not fit for man nor beast outdoors. Even if your dog is older and doesn’t have a lot of energy, you can simply put the treadmill on a slow speed. Younger dogs with energy to burn can get theirs set to a fast speed and there’s even a timer so you can make sure your pet gets his a veterinarian-recommended amount of exercise.

Having a pet treadmill is a great addition to your pets exercise routine but it’s no excuse to never take your dog outside. Dogs love to get out and smell the different smells and see some different scenery. They are much happier when they get to walk and play outside regularly. Come to think of it, you’ll be much happier too if you schedule some regular outdoor time for you and your dog.

But an pet treadmill can be a boon to busy pet owners and many use the exercise machines on the weekdays when they can’t fit in time to walk the dog. On the weekends, there is more free time, so they can take their pet for a walk in the park and let him run free or play frisbee. You might even look for a doggy park or playground where there is a fenced off area where your pet can run and play with other like minded dogs.

Training your dog to use a treadmill to get his daily dose of exercise indoors isn’t hard. After a few times, you’ll probably notice that your pet even looks forward to it!

Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.train-the-dog.com where you can get more dog training articles.