Treadmill

[Jhemphill]

Does anyone have experience in training a Corgi to use a treadmill for exercise? We live where the weather is not always complimentary to being outside and we like to give Maxis exercise everyday.

[Michael Romanos]

Treadmilling would be about my last choice for exercising dogs though it might have a sense of purpose for racing Greyhounds. But if the weather is as bad as it gets in Siberia for days on end and you can't invent playtimes indoors - like chasing/fetching a tennis ball, playing chase or hide and seek or eating by tracking or wrestling and tug of war, I suppose one has to concede that treadmilling for short periods will have some physical benefits. It's much like those people who exercise their dogs by having the dog running along side of them as they bike or jog. It is not what dogs want. They want to stop and start. go here and there, and smell like crazy. On walks, dogs use their noses to a greater more stimulating and tiring effect than actually the walk itself.
Perhaps someone in GoCorgis can provide you with advice on dog training for treadmilling. I would have to go back a long way to think of the last time I couldn't take a Corgi for at least one short sharp walk over any two day period. But that's New Zealand and that's me braving the elements.

[Jane Austen]

I live in New England and we are getting very cold weather these past few days. when I can't go out for a good exercise one day I make up for it the next.
I have seen show dogs on TV using a tread mill and it looks like a good idea. My Duchess does not do any of the games that Mike mentioned except maybe I could hide food around but that would defeat the purpose of the exercize.

[Michael Romanos]

Ha Jane - eating by tracking indoors can be either used for your Corgi having her regular meal or in placing small non-fattening treats around the house. Anyways, Corgis perform/learn best through the reward/praise method - and that usually involves treats. And finally, exercising is not always about reducing weight.

[Jhemphill]

Thanks Michael and Jane. As Michael stated this would be a last resort, Maximus does not mind the cold, sleet, snow or rain, so he is exercises outdoors most of the time. When he as to be indoors we play catch, fetch, chase and hide/seek. His best canine friend lives at our house and they play wrestle and chase it other up and down the stairs and around the inside of house several times though out the day. I too have seen dogs on TV running on treadmills and was curious what it took to train them to do that.

[Michael Romanos]

If you were a dog, would you enjoy treadmilling as a regular or even irregular form of exercise. I believe absolutely not. Dogs like scenery for exercising - ever changing, ever unexpected at best. Mind you some dogs enjoy music and/or TV and it might be more palatable to provide one of these as your Corgi does his/her treading. The music has to be about LOVE or FOOD. And the ideal TV show would be animal related- preferably dogs or cats. No horrors, war movies or graphic violence or sex. Loud barking is fine.