Treadmill For Puppies?

[12onny]

I bought a treadmill for my rotties.. they are about 2 months old..is it too early for them to jog on it? btw, they loooove the tradmill ~

[moondog]

WAY too early! Let them explore and crawl all over the thing, but don't turn it on. You should be waiting 18 months before asking them to sustain any kind of structured forced exercise (jogging, biking, etc.)

Forced exercise at the same pace is not natural to a puppy. Their movement is always changing from zoomie, to trot, to walk,flop down, roll around, get up and cavort some more - it's very irregular, and for a reason. The mechanical movement of a puppy being forced to maintain a steady pace before it is fully developed can cause damage to loose ligaments and immature joints, especially in heavier breeds of dog. Free exercise, where the puppy can change from walk, to romp to trot, are fine, as well as shorter periods on lead and for training. Let your puppies be puppies.

[AngelBunny]

12onny:

Didn't you post about getting your two puppies at 5 weeks old?

If so, it's almost certain you got your puppies from a BYB.

BYBs, by definition, do not breed for temperament and they don't breed for health or soundness. You have a huge unknown with your puppies. Your breeder likely didn't provide you with verifiable info on the soundness of dam or sire in terms of hips and elbows. You have no idea how good your puppies' hips and elbows will be.

All the more to let them grow up before you use that treadmill.

[rottcrazed]

Why would you want to work out essentially a 6 month old baby?

They may love it, but they don't need, nor should they have, that kind of strenuous exercise at that age. Not until their growth plates are closed, somewhere around 18 months of age.

Kristi

[12onny]

its not like i tied them up or let them run non stop lol.. everytime they see that thing running.. they just boxed me out and jump on that thing.. so i let them jog untill they get tired and i continue my workout

[toby01]

Originally Posted by 12onny

its not like i tied them up or let them run non stop lol.. everytime they see that thing running.. they just boxed me out and jump on that thing.. so i let them jog untill they get tired and i continue my workout

I'd love to see that. Get out a video camera. I bet it's hysterical.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by 12onny

its not like i tied them up or let them run non stop lol.. everytime they see that thing running.. they just boxed me out and jump on that thing.. so i let them jog untill they get tired and i continue my workout

Every post so far has told you it's a bad idea. Why you "LOL" at some really good advice just amazes me. Why do you ask, then laugh at the constructive, educational, correct replies?

[Shelby427]

if you don't want to damage your pups, please listen to the above advice. These people know what they are talking about. Your pups' growth plates have not developed fully, why would you risk that?

[Gunsey'sMom]

Along with all the advice so far given I would also be worried that this could be a potentially dangerous place in general for a puppy to be. IF you are on the machine at he same time- what if you step on him? What if he snags a nail on it? Or stands to the side of it and puts his nose too close to the belt?

I work on a conveyer belt at my job and they can be very dangerous, and are stronger than you think- even a belt like a tread mill...

I know you would feel aweful if something happened to your pup! Just something to think about.....

[observer]

Put them in their crates while they are on the treadmill. Just because it seems cute that they want to be on there doesn't mean it's a good thing. These are BYB puppies of unknown background, making it even more risky for injury. It's not safe or healthy for them...period.

You said you got it FOR them???? You should be the only one using it, for a good long time.

[12onny]

i actually ask my dog trainner and my vet and they said its ok as long as i watch them doing 1MPH on the treadmill.. lol.. cause i thought someone was over reacted..

[Anne]

Originally Posted by observer

Put them in their crates while they are on the treadmill.

Did I get up too early this morning?...before my brain was in gear?
Crates on a treadmill doesn't compute at all

Actually puppies on a treadmill doesn't make sense to me. What's wrong with letting pups run around? Why not teach them to walk nicely on a lead? These puppies are far too young to be engaging in structured exercise.

I was advised by a canine physio to not use a treadmill at all with my dog after she had recovered from knee surgery because walking on a treadmill alters the gait and the reach of a dog. It's quite different from natural walking or running.

To the OP. You may well think the advice is overkill and therefore funny. However when you have to pay for surgery to fix any problems you create by over exercising and incorrect exercising of the pups I'll wager you won't be laughing quite so hard.

[12onny]

Originally Posted by Anne

Did I get up too early this morning?...before my brain was in gear?
Crates on a treadmill doesn't compute at all

Actually puppies on a treadmill doesn't make sense to me. What's wrong with letting pups run around? Why not teach them to walk nicely on a lead? These puppies are far too young to be engaging in structured exercise.

I was advised by a canine physio to not use a treadmill at all with my dog after she had recovered from knee surgery because walking on a treadmill alters the gait and the reach of a dog. It's quite different from natural walking or running.

To the OP. You may well think the advice is overkill and therefore funny. However when you have to pay for surgery to fix any problems you create by over exercising and incorrect exercising of the pups I'll wager you won't be laughing quite so hard.

i dont overexercise them.. they dont really RUN on it.. they just walk on it with really low speed.. like 1 mph.. and they stop whenever they feel like it..thank you though

[observer]

Originally Posted by Anne

Did I get up too early this morning?...before my brain was in gear?
Crates on a treadmill doesn't compute at all

To the OP. You may well think the advice is overkill and therefore funny. However when you have to pay for surgery to fix any problems you create by over exercising and incorrect exercising of the pups I'll wager you won't be laughing quite so hard.

Anne,

I never noticed my serious pronoun error until you did! Yikes! Of course, I meant while YOU (the OP) are on the treadmill.

The OP in her original post said she bought it FOR the puppies. As many have already said, that is not safe exercise for a puppy. While people are using it, the pups should be in their crates. I'd still be worrying about them injuring themselves on any moving machine, even at low speed. Let them run around the yard, work with them (SEPARATELY) getting used to walking on a leash. That is much better spent time for them.

[observer]

Originally Posted by 12onny

its not like i tied them up or let them run non stop lol.. everytime they see that thing running.. they just boxed me out and jump on that thing.. so i let them jog untill they get tired and i continue my workout

Now I am confused. You just said they are only walking around, at one mile an hour, but back in this post you say you let them "jog" until they get tired.

Keep them off of it -- get them their exercise in a non-mechanical manner.