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Living with a high energy dog can feel like you’re constantly battling a furry tornado. They’re bouncing off the walls, chewing on everything in sight, and driving you crazy with their endless zoomies. But what if you don’t have the time or energy to keep up with their boundless enthusiasm? Maybe you have a big project at work or you’re injured/disabled. Maybe they’re going through an extra enthusiastic puppy stage you weren’t prepared for. Or maybe you just inherited a dog you don’t know how to keep up with.
Fear not, fellow dog owner! There are plenty of low energy ways to tire out your hyper hound without having to run a marathon yourself. Here are a few ideas:
1. Engage Their Brain:
- Puzzle Toys: These interactive toys challenge your dog to figure out how to get to the hidden treats, providing mental stimulation and keeping them occupied. Here’s one of the highest rated puzzle toys on Amazon, a favorite style for our own pups.
- Training Games: A quick 15 minute training session can be surprisingly tiring for your dog. Work on basic commands, teach new tricks, or try scent work. Out of ideas? Try checking the list of tricks for trick titles through places like the AKC or Do More With Your Dog.
- Hide and Seek: Hide treats or toys around the house or yard and let your dog use their nose to find them. This taps into their natural scavenging instincts. There are even hide and seek toys, like this one, where you can hide treats and toys inside of it to keep them entertained, giving them an outlet where they can use their nose, work out their brains, and feel like they’re destroying something (when the toy can just be put back together, if they’re not left with it too long).
2. Chew on This:
- Long-lasting Chews: A good chew toy, like a Toppl filled with frozen peanut butter or a bully stick, can keep your dog entertained for hours. Try out Best Bully Sticks for amazing prices on high quality chews!
- Rotating Toys: Keep your dog’s toys interesting by rotating them regularly. This prevents boredom and encourages them to play independently. We personally only allow about half a dozen toys of varying types at a time and change them out every day or two.
3. Socialization:
- Doggy Playdates: Arrange playdates with other dogs to let your pup burn off energy through social interaction IF your dog is social and you have trusted dogs around for them to play with. This one can be tricky, as most dogs are dog selective at best and do not prefer a bunch of random friends.
- Dog Walker or Daycare: If you’re really short on time, consider hiring a dog walker or sending your dog to daycare a few times a week. Daycare can be iffy, so only utilize this option if you have a good facility (more on this in an upcoming article!) and if your dog is very dog social. Wag is a great option for hiring a trusted dog walker!
4. Sensory Experiences:
- Sniffaris: Instead of a brisk walk, try a “sniffari.” Let your dog lead the way and explore all the interesting smells in your neighborhood. This can also be a good option for training – for our personal dogs, we don’t use treats on walks. Instead, when they walk nicely, they’re given the “go sniff” cue so they can break away from their “heel” and go exploring with their nose. Remember that sniffing is a great way to both get energy out and engage their brain.
- Introduce New Textures: Provide your dog with different textures to explore, like a kiddie pool filled with water, a sandpit, or a pile of leaves. You can also take them on walks through new places and have them walk on different textured grounds, or jump up on (SAFE!) things and let them work out how to get up there and what they’re standing on.
5. Calm Activities:
- Grooming: A relaxing brushing session can be surprisingly calming for your dog if they’re accustomed to it.
- Massage: Gentle massage can help soothe your dog and release tension. Ours love it when you rub between their eyes or massage the base of their ears. There are also pet massagers, which can be a great option as well, especially if they struggle with soreness.
- Cuddles: Sometimes all your dog needs is a good cuddle on the couch. This seems counterintuitive, sure, but when you go go go with a high energy dog, you’re building stamina. Your pup also needs an off switch and be taught to settle. While there are certainly more effective ways to teach a “settle” cue or behavior, for the average pet dog with the average owner, a cuddle on the couch is probably easier.
Remember, every dog is different, so experiment with different activities to find what works best for your pup. With a little creativity, you can tire out your high energy dog without exhausting yourself in the process. Contact us today if you need more ideas or may be considering a board and train program.
