When can my puppy start treadmill training and how long is safe?

Dogs can be trained to walk on a treadmill, but always have to be under supervision on the treadmill. Usually, I will train them to walk on the treadmill using peanut butter for them to lick (from a Kong or plastic cup) to keep them in the same place while walking on the treadmill. Start with having her walk for only short periods of time initially (1-2 minutes) to get her used to the treadmill, then slowly increase her time up to her normal walk length. I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi and thanks for posting! Wow a treadmill! You may try taking Roxy outside for a short walk to do her business before doing any the treadmill exercise so she can get it out prior to treadmill exercising. Vigorous exercise may be stimulating Roxy to urinate or defecating so a short walk prior may help. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Exercise for puppies should be calculated as 5 minutes per month of life twice daily. For a puppy Roddy's age, that's 15 minutes twice a day. If the loop is only 10 minutes, even if you go three times a day, that's fine. As he gets older, you can increase his exercise time. I hope this helps!

Hello, good questions. Just like in people, dogs are healthier and on average will live longer, healthier lives if they are kept active, lean, and fit. No one can predict if a dog will get liver/kidney/heart disease down the road, but keeping them active is an important component to helping them stay healthy in general. Getting dogs out for walks is also important to their mental stimulation, as it allows them to see, smell, and hear a variety of things. Some people do successfully exercise their dogs on a treadmill, but there are absolutely dangers to this, and doing so requires careful training. A typical dog's first response to being on a treadmill will be to run away (it's scary when the ground moves from under you!), and they can get hurt in the process. I would not recommend attempting to put Bruno on a treadmill unless you are an experienced dog trainer and are comfortable with doing so in a safe and positive way. If Bruno likes chasing balls, throwing a ball for him is a much safer way for many owners to give their dogs some good exercise and mental stimulation. Just as human athletes need to gradually increase their workouts, you may gradually lengthen Bruno's play/running sessions as he appears comfortable. I would start with 15 minutes of running and increase the time according to his enthusiasm and energy level. A very fit dog can run for hours, as long as the weather is cool and there are frequent stops to drink water!

At 60 minutes twice daily, you are doing a little more exercise than Sammi needs at the moment. Puppies do not require as much [exercise](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-start-an-exercise-routine-with-your-dog) as adult dogs. Over exertion may lead to lifelong [orthopedic issues](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-common-orthopedic-conditions-in-dogs). The general recommendation is 5 minutes of exercise per month of age twice daily until fully grown, which for most dogs is about 1 year of age, although larger or giant breeds may not be fully grown until about 2 years of age. I recommend cutting back to two 20 minute walks per day, increasing it by 5 minutes each when she is 5 months, and so on. Because she has a lot of energy, you can work on [obedience training](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-obedience-commands-every-dog-should-know) with her (teaching her to sit, stay, lay down, etc.). That will use up some energy, and have the positive effect of [training](https://www.petcoach.co/article/new-dog-survival-guide-tips-for-training) her.

What a cutie! I would follow his lead in the amount of exercise he needs. You are correct in that going running or prolonged jogging in a young dog is not a good idea, as their growth plates are still developing, so we recommend waiting until they are over a year old. Walks, however, and playtime outside with you are fantastic. If he is seeming like he is overly tired or not enthusiastic to continue walking, this would be a cue to slow down/stop. As he gets continued exercise his endurance will increase, just like a person starting to exercise.

I’d recommend holding a treat in front of Oscar to coax him onto the treadmill first and then have him spend a little time on it to get comfortable. From there you can have it move very slowly and keep holding his favorite treat out front to keep him moving forward. You can gradually increase the speed.