Don’t you know how to deal with your four-legged friend’s wasted energy? In such a situation, you can try active games with the dog. Not always. Your time with your dog has to be based only on walking or relaxing on the couch.
Sometimes your dog needs to be able to spend his time very actively and intensely. A great way to do this is through games that will make it possible for your dog. It is good to choose both the dog’s intellectual and typical physical effort.
What will you learn from this article:
• The dog needs to spend time actively
• Your dog will get tired after mind training
• You can tire your dog with physical exercises
Fatigue of the dog
Do you sometimes feel that your four-legged friend has endless energy? Coming back from a two-hour walk with my dog, I only want to sit on the couch and relax. My dog has an entirely different opinion on this.
Very often, at such moments, he searches for his ball as soon as we cross the house’s threshold. Satisfied, he brings it to me and waits for me to throw it at him so he can chase me as soon as possible. I do not know where he has the strength to keep having fun after such a long and intense walk.
If your dog is behaving the same, then you are undoubtedly interested in the answer to the question of how to actively tire your dog, e.g. by playing. It took me a while to understand this in my dog’s case. Interestingly, our dogs get tired slightly differently than we might think.
Why is it worth actively tiring the dog?
First, it is worth considering why it is good to tire your dog actively. Perhaps not every guardian is aware of the importance of this for the better health and well-being of your four-legged friend.
Of course, a lot depends on what breed your dog is. Some need a lot more physical activity during the day than others. Among the dogs for whom sport is an essential element of life are Border Collies, Husky and Australian Shepherds.
French bulldogs or pugs need much less active leisure. Dogs of these breeds will appreciate the fun of retrieving more than a long trip. So if you take care of a dog that does not have a sports spirit, active fatigue will be on a much less demanding level.
Regardless of your dog’s attitude to sports, his body needs to be able to spend time actively from time to time. After training, your four-legged friend may feel overly energized and irritable. Physical effort makes dogs feel better. I am sure you know well the pleasant feeling that comes after the end of intensive training.
Some dogs can be miserable if they don’t get enough exercise. We are talking about dogs with a highly sporty embodiment. Daily activity is a crucial aspect for them.
Unfortunately, very often, there is a misconception that the possibility of having a house with a garden meets the needs for active spending of time with such a dog. Nothing could be more wrong. If you are looking after a Border Collie, the time spent in the garden will be insufficient to meet his needs for sports activities.
Therefore, when raising a dog, even in such conditions, you should remember that your four-legged friend may need much more activity in his daily life.
How to actively tire your dog
When choosing intense games with the dog, it is worth paying attention to what your dog likes. Not all activities have to be enjoyed by him.
My four-legged friend taught me that dogs could be huge individualists. Most of the popular games are boring to my dog. He quickly loses interest and begins to do something completely different.
Therefore, if you notice that your doggy does not like an activity, do not try to force him to do it. It does not make sense. Then it is worth choosing another training for your dog, and if necessary, another one, until you find something that your dog will be delighted with.
Mental play for the dog at home
One of the effective ways to actively fatigue your dog is through all kinds of mental play. You are probably wondering how this activity is supposed to make your dog tired. It is worth mentioning that the dog’s fatigue does not have to be related to the physical condition. You might as well achieve the mental fatigue through intense action.
A great way to play mind games for your dog is those based on the sense of smell. My dog especially likes those in which the reward is a delicious snack. For this purpose, I hide his favourite flavours in the olfactory mat. My dog’s task is to track down the treats hidden in it. It’s good to be aware of what delicacies we give our dogs. Some, unfortunately, have an inferior composition.
Therefore, whenever I have time, I prepare treats for my dog. If I would also like to try the DIY dog treats by myself, I refer you to the post, where I present my proven recipe. You can find it HERE.
Dog treat bag |MIDI beige
Mental games for your dog outside
Mental games based on searching for flavours also work great as a form of active spending time outside. How to do it? Whenever I walk with my dog, I take a MIDI sachet from Bowl & Bone Republic, where I keep my dog’s favourite treats.
I choose a place where we are alone and check it to see if any items could injure the dog, such as broken glass. If the terrain is safe, I start to play. I ask my dog to stay, hiding the relish in different places.
I place them both low to the ground, e.g. between the grass, and slightly higher, e.g. a tree trunk. When I hide all the treats, I excuse my dog from the stay command and start looking for delicacies.
I can see that this game gives him a lot of fun and no wonder. My dog is a greedy eater; in this case, the prize is his favourite flavours.
This game makes your dog’s senses work at total capacity. Contrary to appearances, this is a task that can tire the dog. I highly recommend trying it if you are looking for fun to actively tire your dog.
Command training
One of the ways to spend time intensively and actively with your dog is to repeat the commands he already knows. Choose those that require your dog to move. I alternately give my dog the order to sit, lie down, and stay, to my foot, changing my position simultaneously.
It’s time for you and your pet to learn new commands. I am sure that your relationship will gain a lot from this form of spending your free time.
Active spending of time by the dog
You can actively tire your dog with activities that rely on the mind’s work and exercise. Both forms will perform their function as well as possible. You can check which type of active play your four-legged friend prefers.
What games make your dog visibly tired and happy at the same time? Be sure to share your suggestions with me in the comment below
If you have any questions or want me to discuss a topic in the next post, share it in the comments section.
or CANADA 
PLEASE join us at