Hiya

Yes we do take our dog on daily walks so Please do not get the wrong idea.

Im Just asking as when it rains heavily we do not want our dog to miss out on excercise as we think its unfair for the dog.

Just wondering what peoples opinions are?

And at what ages do people recommend use?

Is it ok for the Cavalier small type breeds?

Thanks xxxxx

>Im Just asking as when it rains heavily we do not want our dog to miss out on excercise as we think its unfair for the dog.

a good pair of wellies and waterproofs should do the trick ;)  im sure your dog will be happy getting wet and muddy :)

yes we have wellies umbrellas and waterproofs we currently use :)

But our dog will just stop on the road in heavy heavy heavy rain and wont move :)

Taking your dog for a walk is so much more than just exercising it's muscles. Your dog will have a good sniff around everywhere, meet different people and dogs, see and hear different sights and sounds. It exercises their brain as well as their body. In my opinion a treadmill is a poor second. My dogs don't care if it's raining, sleet, hailstones - they still want to go out. The only time they stay in is after dark around fireworks time and then a game is far better for them than a boring old treadmill :-)

Edited to say I see your dog doesn't like heavy rain, it's rare that it rains for 24 hours non stop - you should be able to get it out at some stage and if not he'll probably benefit more from a fun game interacting with you than running on a treadmill.

To be fair to the dog, I would get two treadmills, side by side and do the walking with them!!!  ;)  I may be old fashioned but I dont agree with treadmills unless for rehabilitation. Getting a bit wet has never hurt me and the dogs seem to love it! Maybe just a short wait for a break in the rain is all that is needed. :)

My lot enjoy free running round the woods fields too much, dont think they would thank me if put them on a treadmill, do know people who do use them, whats the point of having a dog, if  you dont enjoying walks with  them, thats the greatest part for me!!

Yes i agree and our dog gets daily walks and games and runs wild in the house garden lounge as it is quite big

I just wanted peoples opinions
Thanks

Tredmills have their purpose but I'm sure a dog won't miss out on one walk when it rains.  it rarely rains all day and aslong as they get outside to do their business they are happy.  Our dogs sometimes miss their evening walk and just go out in the garden insted, happens rarely but on some rare occasions we just don't want to walk them if other things need sorting.  Never harmed them at all.

A tredmill won't replace a walk any more then a game in the house. They can't pee on the tredmill etc, it's nothing like a walk.

However I could imagin a tredmill being excellent for bitches in season you can't really take on a long walk for 3 weeks.

It does rain heavy occasionaly and on those days I was wondering if he could run on the treadmill with us

If this was ok

Dogs enjoy anything they do with you and not on their own so Im sure he would not find it boaring or less stimulating if we were joining him on those few occasions.

He has daily walks and runs and games so I am not looking for a lazy option :)  Not that you are implying this but just wanted to make that clear :)

Thanks

I know what you mean but just on those odd occasions we feel guilty and these are generally on those very very heavy rainy days that we have had in the past.

Thanks

I have a treadmill for me, but have been letting the dog use it as she is in heat and I cant take her out. there are a few people who walk there dogs off lead so I don't want to risk it, she goes on for 5 to 10 mins on walk just after I have done my 20 mins, she cant wait for her turn lol, I cant wait to take her out again when she is off heat though.
I don't know if its good for her health, but its better then nothing, and she enjoys it.

Seeing people's replies about using a treadmill for exercise, amazing.  A lot of the handlers here, use treadmills for the dogs they are showing because they just dont have the time to exercise that quantity of dogs, but can set up multiple treadmills and get the exercise done faster.  Yes, the dogs cant pee and sniff the ground while on a treadmill, but it is better than not exercising the dog at all. 

I thought quite a few people use them. Appears to be many for sale, they have used them and now selling them on and people are interested in buying them.

I personally think if its the odd day here and there over the space of a year then i don't see any problem with it, as you've said the dog gets daily walks and other interactions anyway. Though they aren't cheap, so you have to ask yourself is it something which is going to be really worth it?

> It does rain heavy occasionaly and on those days I was wondering if he could run on the treadmill with us

I am not sure it would be safe for you both on together.  As someone else said if you wanted this to be a joint activity you would need two! :-)  If a dog has a decent double coat it should not mind the rain and if it is really bad a rain coat should sort it.  I think the secret to you both enjoying a walk in the rain is to have the very best waterproofs that you can manage for yourself.  I think dogs pick up on our reluctance to be out there :-)

> but it is better than not exercising the dog at all. 

I think that is the best you can say about it but it should not be necessary for people that only have a small number of dogs and I would even go so far as to say people should not have more dogs than they can offer real activity to on their average day.

I don't think a treadmill should be used instead of a walk an less in my case with my dog on heat. but I don't have a problem using them if it's to help get rid of excess energy. My Chi also loves the tread mill. He has high energy and cant be let off the lead on walks as he dose not like other dogs, the tread mill helps him use up some of that high energy before I walk him, and he is much calmer on his walk

I can see where the OP is coming from.  My working cockers love nothing more than getting wet and muddy (apart, of course, from sharing the wet and mud with me).  But my parents have a Cavalier and she will refuse to set foot out of the house if it's raining.  She is a bit more tolerant of the wet if she has a raincoat on, though - have you tried this?

> a good pair of wellies and waterproofs should do the trick ;-)

LOL, that works for me :)

I've just invested in some new wellies, I must admit I do look very stupid in my 'dog walking coat & wellies'. My new wellies are black with bright coloured polka dots (they were the comfiest pair I tried on) and my coat is nearly knee-length, big, puffy, fur trimmed hood, HUGE pockets, camo coloured and most of all it's wipe clean to get the slobber off!! I dress for comfort and protection against the wind & rain, so am gettting over the fact I look stupid!

I LOVE walks in the rain and I find it makes Buster's coat extra soft & shiny (once the mud is gone!) :) He doesn't like going in the garden in the rain or strong wind, but he'll happily go for a walk in the most awfull weather!

Jack & Rory's mum will not step a paw out of the door in the rain, nope, not a paw.  And the west coast of scotland (where used to live) gets a loooot of rain.  But I'd never get a treadmill for the dogs.  Me definitely, can't stand running in public :-)

> it's rare that it rains for 24 hours non stop

I can tell you've never lived in Glasgow. :-D  When I went to look round the uni before I went we were advised that it rains 364 days of the year... on the 365th it pours. :-D

Have you tried getting a waterproof dog coat for him Gumi?  I'm not a dog coat person on the whole but wondered if he might just not like the feel of the rain landing on him and be happy to walk with a coat. :-)

LOL! Yes Glasgow is the wetest place on earth :-D  In many ways I miss it now that I am on the East Coast.

I think that it could be too easy to cause joint damage to a dog by using a treadmill?

I have a treadmill for my dogs and it does not replace any of my dogs walks, no matter what the weather mine go out.  They don't mind getting wet or muddy and nor do I.  I have had 2 of my dogs retire early from their work because of injuries.  I now like to get mine as fit as possible to help prevent injury where possible.  They regularly visit a chiropractor, have accupuncture when necessary, etc and I just feel that the treadmill is another thing I like to do to help my dogs stay as fit as possible for their job.  However, I would say that the dogs need to get used to it gradually to keep them confident and to prevent them pulling muscles etc.  I don't feel that it is suitable for occasional use as the dogs need to be kept on a regular schedule to keep their bodies used to it.  You wouldn't run a marathon without gradually training up and I think it is the same for the treadmill.

I must say it was very useful for exercising my bitch in season, also when she was close to her due time (needless to say duration and speed hugely reduced).  I agree totally with the others that it should never replace walks and mine doesn't.  If I didnt work my dogs I doubt very much if I would have bought one.

I would love a treadmill...I have dogs which cannot be let off lead so although they get walked a treadmill would mean they could do more work at a faster pace

Am i the only person that will not go out for a walk in the rain?! Nor will my dog :-)

I'm sure you are not :-) but whether you dog is responding to your reluctance I do wonder.

I dont quite understand what you mean?

Try again :-)  Two comments really.  I am sure you are not the only human in world that does not like walking in rain.  That may also be true of your dog or it may be that he does not enjoy walking with his human who is not enjoying it and behaving in her usual manner ie walking at a strange pace, head down buried under a hood etc.

Oh i dont mind it!! I go running on my own in the rain. But Fred hates going for walks, always has. I used to make him walk to the the end of the road and back in the rain but gave up in the end. I've tried to overcome it but he's having none of it!!! Her doesnt mind having the odd day off or evening off a walk!

I think some breeds dislike torrential rain.

On days like this I don't think you can beat a game of hide and seek in the house/flat. Pop the dog into a sit wait, then hide a favourite toy or tasty treat somewhere out of sight and send them off to find it. Repeat twelve times. This will tire them more than a walk, it's fun and your dog will love you for it.

I have 2 norwegian elkhounds who I literally have to push over the doorstep just for a wee in the garden if its raining! I'm then lucky if the don't just pee up the door frame before they run back in!!

I wonder if it is a good idea to have one for rainy days.  It could be quite an expense though and you would have to be careful not to become lazy with it by substituting their walks for the treadmill say if you were having a busier than normal day.  It could become a bad habit/easy option.  :)  Depends on what motivates you to go for a walk though

As someone said on a rainy day mental stimualtion is fine and just as stimulating and will tire them out just as much. You just have to use initiative and keep coming up with different ideas.
Fred has now found a little spot under the window sill where he can go into the garden and wee without getting wet on a rainy day :-)

Quote -I have 2 norwegian elkhounds who I literally have to push over the doorstep just for a wee in the garden if its raining! I'm then lucky if the don't just pee up the door frame before they run back in

My Elkhound is the same, if I open the back door and she sees its raining, she tries to pee just inside the back door, so as soon as I open the door I have to push her out side lol

Hi Gumi,

I have a CKCS as well and she is not overly keen on the rain, but she has a waterproof Burberry jacket that I put on her when its raining and she doesn't seem to mind as much. I dont think I'd ever bother with a doggy treadmill, in my opinion you cant beat the great outdoors. :-)

It seems a very expensive way of exercising your dogs occaisionally. Would be far better to play games in the house when it is raining to exercise  body and mind. Some dogs never really take to the treadmill.

> I wonder if it is a good idea to have one for rainy days.  It could be quite an expense though and you would have to be careful not to become lazy with it by substituting their walks for the treadmill say if you were having a busier than normal day.

I,m not sure how it could save you time as I would never ever leave a dog unattended on a treadmill in fact I,d never have one for my dogs ,and as for the professional handlers having multiple treadmills I think that is truly awful and they,d be better of taking the dogs for walks than paradng them around the showring
*running to get my tin hat now *
thats only my opinion though each to their own as they say.

I agree Pavlova, my dogs are never left unattended on the treadmill.

Something I've often wondered, how safe is a human treadmill for dogs? Obviously never unsupervised, but at £600+ even for a small dog treadmill are human ones a viable alternative?

I got my human tread mill second hand, I got it for me after eating to much at Xmas, lol .my dogs like to have a go after me  , so I let them take a turn each for about 5 to 10 mins  on a walking pace. They  only use it for fun as they enjoy it , I wont put it faster than walking as I fear they will fall off. And I only let them use it when I am watching them. A dog treadmill would be safer if you wanted to use it for serious  exercise  I have to fold mine away now, as my cat got on the controls and turned it on for my chi who had climbed on when I was out the room, I  get the feeling they planed it  lol

All I can think of is the cartoons where the character trips on the treadmill and ends up going round and round and round.  I really aught to get to the gym lol!

You can get nasty injuries from coming off a treadmill. If you trip it tends to have a way of getting ur feet and pulling your toes back under. OUchies