Treadmill recommendation - Page 2

Anyone have any feedback on the UK joggerdog treamill? www.joggerdog.co.uk.

Thanks.

A slightly different view to bear in mind, I agree with the sentiment to use the treadmill, especially if you are not physically capable of exercising your dogs or the weather is too severe where you live.

Just remember that the treadmill's effect on the nervous system and functional performance is very different to the real world.
Running the blinds takes 50 seconds, hard acceleration, serious deceleration and torque/rotational forces against the joints/ligaments followed by further acceleration. The steady pace of the treadmill and gait assistance of the floor moving underneath the dog as opposed to the dog driving itself across the ground does not produce the same improvements. 

As long as it's closely supervised and you carry out of conventional exercise routines you should see some benefits.
Variety is the key, it takes a dog less than two weeks for his body to adapt to any one routine, all this my dog runs 10 miles 5 days a week is written by dreamers or muppets who should be usingg a treadmill themselves.
Use it twice a week, train for time/intensity, the Obedience and Protection last 7 mins max each. Better you dog works hards for 12-15mins than jogs for 45mins. Its about Vo2 max and recovery.

Don't confuse your dog looking in great shape after a few weeks with actual improvements in performance.

Good Luck, let us know how you get on.

Thanks Ronin,

That's exactly what I want it for - he needs to doing a variety of fitness work and wish to utelise the treadmill to aid recovery rate.

I posted an incorrect web address for dogjogger! Oops, it's www, dogjogger.co.uk.

All comments or fitness programmes and ideas are most welcome so that I can see what will be best suited for my dog.

Many thanks,
Taz

RONIN makes a good point, but only for those that don't know how to condition a dog with a mill. Or those who don't know which mill to use for what application. You do not have to keep the speed static on an motorized mill. You can vary the speeds. You can make the dog do wind sprints for however long you need, (building his stamina up to that level over time) then back him down and then sprint him again. 

Slat mills and carpet mills are powered by the dog. The dog makes the belt under him move....  and each is used for a totally different purpose.

If you know what you are doing you can put a canine into its' top physical condition with mills. You just need to know what you are doing and how to read the dog.... I'd say most people on this site should stick with a motorized mill at trotting speed for a little exercise. Unless they have the knowledge to condition a dog. Or they are under the personal instruction of someone who does.