Implementing these tips will help keep your high-energy dog content and out of trouble, and make your bond stronger than ever.
You‘ve always wanted a smart or high-energy dog, and now you have one of your very own, so why isn’t it as much fun as it looks in the movies? The truth is, though these pups make a great hero in your favorite show, smart, high-energy dogs are actually harder to keep as pets. If you don’t invest enough into burning off their energy and preventing boredom, they’re clever enough to make their own entertainment (or get into trouble, as we see it).
Picture this: you had a long day at work and all you want to do is come home and watch your favorite show. You walk into the kitchen and find trash all over the floor. Turns out Fido had decided it was the day to pull everything out of the trash can and drag it all over the room. This is after he turned your favorite slipper into a chew toy and your door into a scratching post. You’re frustrated and don’t know what to do or why he’s lashing out at you.
While this behavior can seem spiteful, it’s actually your clue to look at your dog’s outlets. Maybe you’ve been working longer hours this week and cut his daily walk or playtime from 40 minutes to ten to get to the office earlier. Though this shift may seem nominal for you, for your dog it can mean the difference between a dog who’s content and one who is looking for ways to burn off the remaining fuel.
The good news is this scenario is perfectly common and by understanding your dog, you’ll be able to make some changes that can keep you BOTH happy and calm.
There are a variety of factors that play a role in your dog’s stamina and energy. Like nature and nurture, your dog’s energy is impacted both by things you have no control over (their age and genetics) and things you can play a role in (amount of stimulation, consistency).
Just like with humans, a dog’s energy level changes as they age. Puppies, no matter the breed or environment, are generally bundles of energy and require a lot of playtime and stimulation. Once they hit 1-year-old, many pups will begin to have less energy, though many dogs remain higher energy from the age of one to three. And of course, some never lose that energy.
Over time, certain breeds have been developed for specific jobs, many of which require stamina, endurance, and higher energy and smarts. Border Collies, Siberian Huskies, and German Shepherds are just a few breeds that have been selectively built for higher energy.
Note: This is not to say that every German Shepherd is high energy, just as not every French Bulldog is a couch potato. They just have more genes that make them predisposed to it.
A dog who is experiencing high levels of stress or anxiety is often misinterpreted as being ‘high energy’. This can include pacing, constantly carrying toys around, panting, chewing on things, and more. If you find that supplying your dog with both physical and mental stimulation and you still can’t get them to a simmer, it might be time to consult your veterinarian or a trainer.
Or lack thereof. A happy and relaxed dog is one who has had both enough physical and mental outlets to burn off energy throughout the day. A common misconception is that exercising alone is enough to burn off your dog’s energy; it’s been found that working your dog’s brain is just as important as working their other muscles. On the flip side, too much stimulation can tip your dog past the point of balance into overdrive, making it hard for them to calm down.
One of the most important things you can do to help your dog be successful is to provide a consistent daily routine. Dogs learn based on patterns, so making their day as predictable as possible helps them understand what you expect from them, and gives them the best chance of being able to succeed.
Studies have shown that a consistent routine leads to fewer behavioral problems in dogs, as it allows dogs to feel like they have some control over and understanding of their environment. Different stages of your dog’s life warrant different routines. When you bring home a puppy and you’re working on potty training them, you take them out every two hours, then four, then six, and over time, you’ve successfully faded out how often they need to go out and increased how long they can hold it.
A successful routine is one that includes the following consistencies:
The nice thing about putting your dog on a routine is that all you have to do is start doing things around the same time every day and your dog will start to catch on. They will adjust to you, anticipating when it’s time to play and utilize their energy versus when it’s time to settle and relax. On the flip side, if you’re NOT consistent about it, it will be a lot harder for your dog to pick up on what you want; they’re more likely to want to play when it’s bedtime, and want to sleep when it’s playtime.
To maximize success, be thoughtful about what your day-to-day looks like to jump into a routine that you’re more likely to stick to. If you tend to work late, you may opt to do more intense training and play time with your dog in the morning, whereas if you are always rushing out the door in the morning because you struggle to get up, you may prefer doing a longer walk or training session in the evening. You’ll want to line up your dog’s ‘chill time’ with when you want to relax, and their potty times around when you feed them.
Most average dogs can function with two to three 15-minute walks a day without losing their minds. A high-energy dog may need more like a 45-60 minute walk, or multiple shorter bouts of higher paced activity (like running or fetch) to get their energy out. For puppies, you’ll need to avoid running or high impact exercises like jumping—their bones, joints, and muscles aren’t fully developed and are more prone to injury.
Though keeping the time of day that you exercise your dog consistent is beneficial, this doesn’t necessarily carry over to the activities that you do to help your dog burn off that steam. Switching up activities helps your dog build and sustain different muscles and keeps the activities exciting, while also keeping it fun for you. So if you want to work in their cardio by taking Fido swimming or for a hike rather than a game of frisbee, that’s totally okay!
If your dog needs more aerobic work but you can’t physically keep up, try exploring activities that you can do with equipment. Flirt poles are a fun and exhilarating activity that will allow you to tire out and engage with your dog, without physically exhausting yourself. Even better, they don’t require much space, so they are perfect if you don’t have a large yard where your dog can run.
Have the space but not the energy? Try setting up a lure course; you move a lure around a course on a string, and all you have to do is control it with the motor. You can even take this activity to the next level by adding agility equipment that your dog has to get through when following the lure. Proud of your pup’s lure course skills? You can enter your dog into competitions.
To help prevent injury and allow your dog to smoothly transition from one stage of their day to the next, work in warm-up and cool-down times. This could be starting with your walk before running around in the yard, or running through some obedience drills after an intense game of fetch. Not only will your dog’s body thank you, but these transitions will help prevent your dog from remaining in the high energy zone when you’re ready to move on to a lower key activity.
If you find that your dog is still rearing for a good time when it’s time to relax at the end of the night, work on teaching them how to self-regulate by learning to ‘settle’. In reinforcing your dog’s calm behaviors, you’re actually teaching them to be calm.
To work on this, make sure your dog has had the opportunity to burn energy both physically and mentally. This is a great activity to do at the end of the day when you’re watching your favorite show.
Take a seat and ignore your dog’s rowdy behavior. Wait for them to lay down, then mark and give him a treat. It’s important that you keep a calm and even demeanor during this. When you give them the treat, make sure you feed it directly to their mouth, or by putting it on the floor, in an effort to encourage them to continue laying down on the ground.
Continue to do this periodically. If your dog is comfortable in a down and able to hold it, begin luring them slightly so that their body weight shifts onto one hip. This is considered a ‘relaxed down’. Much like how humans have a dominant hand, many dogs have a dominant side that they’re more comfortable shifting onto, so feel free to try and shift your pup both ways to find what works for them.
While physical activity is important for your dog’s all-around health, their mental activity is just as valuable. Mental stimulation can consist of many different things; from basic obedience training, to food enrichment, burning off mental energy is a great way to help your high-energy pup hit the simmer setting.
One of the easiest switches you can make in your daily routine that will help burn your dog’s mental energy is by switching from feeding your dog out of a bowl, to having them work for it. Some examples of ways to feed your dog’s brain and body all at once are:
“Try to weigh down the mat somehow. A friend’s dog figured out that if they lift the entire mat and shake it/turn it upside down, the treats fall out without having to work for them!” - Dr. Erica Irish
You’ve created a routine and stick to it religiously. You make sure your dog gets multiple walks and play sessions a day, and all of their meals are fed through enrichment. Yet your dog still can’t seem to settle. So now what?
The thing that’s tricky about dogs is that each one is different, and dog training in itself is a lot of trial and error. You have to take into account everything for your individual dog, from their age and health, to how stimulating the household is. Plus, what’s commonly seen as ‘high energy’ can sometimes be overarousal or anxiety; and it is not necessarily caused by anything you’re doing or can immediately control.
If you’ve tried out different combinations of the above methods, it may be time to consult your veterinarian or a professional dog trainer, who will be able to identify factors that you may not notice. For example, they may do a consult in your home to get a better picture of the dog’s environment.
This can help them discover things like that your dog’s periods of arousal are correlated with times that the kids are home from school, or that one member of the household is sticking with the routine and agreed-upon response to certain behaviors the dog does, while another isn’t.
Medication isn’t the immediate answer for high energy; even if it is anxiety-driven. Generally, both veterinarians and trainers will attempt to work through behavioral concerns by trying to understand the environment and the dog’s triggers, then implement management and training techniques. However, some cases may warrant your veterinarian recommending a supplement to help your dog better self-regulate or a prescription to help take the edge off so that you can be more effective with your training.
“Overly anxious/scared doggies cannot effectively learn new things, like learning how to be calm when stressful stimuli are present. Medications can help!” - Dr. Erica Irish
What’s important to remember is that while every dog is different and needs a personalized approach, feeling frustrated when you can’t get your dog to settle is completely normal. There are many options that can be explored to help you and your dog continue to live a happy and healthy life together.
You can entertain a high-energy dog both actively, by playing with or training them, and passively by providing puzzle toys and enrichment to keep them focused on a particular task.
In order to find calmness, high-energy dogs need a consistent routine that combines mental stimulation and physical exercise, as well as predictability.
Studies have shown that adding lemon balm to your dog’s diet may have a calming effect on your dog. Make sure to talk to your veterinarian before giving your dog any kind of supplement or medication.
High-energy dogs should be walked multiple times a day, and have physical activity for at least one to two hours a day.
