Treadmill Intro (Escalator Prep) (Patreon)

About Escalators and A Call for Feedback

In this video I introduce John Denver to the treadmill. This is not a dog treadmill, and would not be long enough for him to use as a dog treadmill for exercise. Instead, I am introducing him to the treadmill for another reason: escalator prep.

Escalators are a controversial topic in service dogs because they are dangerous. Dogs can get their paw pads sliced open on them, or even their fur caught in them. Escalators with missing teeth at the end are especially dangerous (the most dangerous part of riding an escalator for a dog is exiting the escalator). And, wherever there is an escalator, by law, there is an elevator.

That being said, escalators can be convenient, especially if you're blind and finding an elevator alternative can be challenging. Over my career as a guide dog instructor, I've taught many many dogs to ride an escalator, as well as fixed escalator problems that have cropped up.

I don't know how to say the next thing I'm going to say without sounding gate-keepy, so I'm just going to say it: I do not think you should train escalators without the help of an experienced service dog trainer who has taught MANY dogs how to ride the escalator. Why? Because it's dangerous, things can go wrong, and when they do, you need someone there in the moment to make split second decisions or give you directions. I take escalator training very seriously.

So seriously that I never taught Whip to use escalators, instead using elevators, or having her jump into my arm to be carried up the escalator. The risk was not worth it to me.

But also: I know people are going to do it anyways, so I've been waffling over providing info on how to do this as safely as possible without overwhelming and potentially injuring the dog. So, I'm considering teaching Denver escalators to show others how to do it well, to hopefully prevent people from simply flooding the dog without preparing them. Because escalators are kind of like planes: once you're on the ride, you're on the ride.

So what are your thoughts? Should I be showing how to train for escalators? Will this do more harm than good, or prevent dogs from potentially being injured because of the lack of info on how to train them? I'm still not sure and would love your feedback <3

What This Video is About: 

In the meantime, prepping Denver for escalators is also an exercise in confidence and socialization, so the prep-work will be done either way.

Feeling something moving under their feet can be concerning to some dogs. The best way I've found to prep them for that feeling is to use a treadmill. In the past I have picked up two free treadmills off marketplace for this purpose, so if you intend to practice, be on the lookout. This treadmill is my underdesk treadmill that I use while I work.

In this video I start by shaping him to happily load onto the treadmill while it's not moving. Then I start getting him accustomed to it moving at its lowest speed setting (0.5 miles per hour). In hindsight, I think sitting in front of the treadmill instead of standing, so he wasn't craning his neck up, would have been a better option because he's so little in this video.

There's not much to the actual training here besides that I feed during the beeping as that can be concerning for some dogs, and I try to avoid having him fall off the edge, though one foot does, and he doesn't mind. This is a little bit about knowing your dog. I also shift my position so he doesn't try to get front feet up on the end of the treadmill.

I recommend doing one to two short treadmill sessions like this one before 4 months if possible (during their sponge period), but a confident older dog should also have no issues with this exercise.

Bonus: check out the recovery after toppling the mat on top of himself while hunting his treat. This is genetics, helped along by socialization. This is the type of recovery that we're looking for in service dog prospects.

Final note: hind end boots can prevent some of the risk of injury from escalators.