The best pet treadmill for dogs doesn't have this kind of power. You will. With your wallet and a nice stash of cheese. Positive reinforcement will have you telling your son to get on the damned thing and then sitting back to watch the sweet chaos of a happy, humming rubber block turned up to 11. Sans positive reinforcement, your kid will make your wallet and your spirit weep.
Why Rewards Beat Corrections on a Moving Belt
A treadmill moves. Dogs don't think the floor will do that. Fear is swift, and punishment etches it in for good.
Reward training is effective because it gives your dog positive reinforcement. Every treat, "good girl," or scratch behind the ear says to her brain, "This was a great idea, do it again." Within a matter of weeks, the machine stops feeling like a threat and starts feeling like a tail-wagging vending machine.
SCOLDING the other hand, sends a dog the message that the treadmill is where bad things happen. So now you have to be a snowball in hell and a belt in hell on an already bossy floor.
Pick Treats Worth Working For
All snacks aren't created equal. Kibble is the beige desk coffee of dog treats. Feeds you well at home; does nothing in an emergency.
Stash two levels every day. Handle the easy moments with a couple of levels of treats. Have the gulp level of treats ready for the scary stuff: getting out of the crate, a louder motor, a new speed.
Cut to pea-sized bits. Fifty large treats in one sitting will make you a round, slow, gassy dog. Small bits enable you to treat constantly without ruining dinner.
"Test your menu. Give a handful on the floor at random and see what she gravitates towards. I had a friend whose spaniel loved to run through fire for plain cooked egg but wouldn't touch the expensive shop jerky. You never know."
Timing is the Key
Reward your dog in a second or two of the behavior you prefer. Delay even a little, and your dog might associate the treat with something very different: the time that she looked at the wall.
Say a marker word as soon as she does it right. "Yes!" is fine, or a clicker if you already have one. The marker stops her to take the shot and the treat comes afterwards.
Practice away from the machine. Marker, treat. Marker, treat. Repeat twenty times in the kitchen before your dog's ears perk up at the mere sound of the word.
Then step to the treadmill. Mark a paw on the belt. Mark a relaxed stand. Mark a smooth walk. Hand target from her side, close to her shoulder, rather than in front so she doesn't lean forward and lunge to get it in the middle of her stride.
Reward the Small Stuff
Fledglings look forward to the main event: a whole five minutes of organized running, jogging and galloping. That's as if you hold a little kid up and make her recite a poem before giving her any praise.
Break it into crumbs. Like on the belt. Like touching it. Like staying for three seconds. Like not taking any notice of the beep. Each tiny success will lead to the next, so your dog quickly learns that it's worth trying.
Bribe her when she stalls. If she stays on even for a few seconds on the moving belt, she gets a celebration. "That was so big!" say it in a voice that embarrasses you in front of your family.
Maintain a general rhythm as well. At first, do them every few seconds. When she catches on, go longer: every ten seconds, then thirty seconds, then at the end of the session. Vary the pattern randomly, as random reinforcement (a type of unpredictable reward) will keep your dog addicted, as a slot machine addict is to his stool.
Voice, Body, and Mood
Your tone is a reward. It's fun and gentle, warm praise that calms an anxious dog and grating squeals that might push a sensitive dog over the edge. Watch her. If she bounces around in excitement, tone it down. If she looks depressed, get more excited.
Practise your body language. Lean in softly, breathe out, and allow your shoulders to relax. Dogs emulate humans. If you're hanging onto the handrail like your life depends on it, she'll think something frightening is about to happen.
If she's food motivated, toss in treats or a call to put her focus back on you. Physical reinforcers if your dog loves a good rubdown and some pile time if he loves to play. Mix up your rewards menu and a bored dog looks for the door.
What to Do When It Goes Sideways
Even with the best of treats, daily blowups will happen. Maybe she was startled at a loud noise.
Pause the belt, calmly remove her, treat for stepping down. Even then. You're rewarding her calm exit, not the panic. Take a breather, then ask for something she's got a good handle on, like standing close to the machine. Finish on a high.
Never retreat while she is in the shake. When we push beyond her fear and ignore the signals she is giving, she learns she doesn't need to give us warnings any more politely. Eventually she will go straight to running.
Another owner jokingly called her setback "a sulk for three days," and she returned to her sniffing sessions, where she was fed more chicken and returned to walking in a week. Patience is cheaper than a new dog.
Fading the Food Without Losing the Magic
The treats will disappear. Fade 'em out slowly. As long as she happily walks along for five or six minutes, start to fade out the treats. Keep the praise consistent, then every second walk, then every third walk.
Trade your food for a favorite toy at the end of the session or for a quick game afterward. Save a handful of jackpot moments for the new speed, longer sessions, or a different room.
Keep records of your runs in a notebook. Date, time, pace, mood. When you look back after a month, it's pretty great what you learn. Perhaps she's a bit smarter after breakfast. Perhaps the evening runs don't work.
Quick Checks Before Every Session
You have the following in your pouch? Water bowl within reach? Puppy in the pouch relaxed and slightly hungry, not fat? Calm voice prepared? Good.
And then come in with that grin. Dogs are better at reading faces than most of us think. If you make the session seem like a celebration, she'll attend with a desire to boogie.
