Why I think extremely fit dogs are happy dogs and what you can do to help your dog learn how to just chill out
‘Don’t walk your dog too much, they’ll get too fit!’
I have seen this nugget of ‘wisdom’ being shared with people struggling with an over-excitable dog on many occasions. While I cannot deny that logically, it is true that walking your dog more will make them fitter, I do not agree with the sentiment. I love seeing dogs who are fit and healthy, with well defined musculature and great endurance; these dogs are much more likely to lead longer, happier lives than dogs whose exercise is restricted for whatever reason. More importantly, I don’t believe it’s right to impair a dog’s enjoyment of life simply in an attempt to make them more subdued. That said, there is definitely an argument for being mindful about the type of exercise your dog gets.
Adrenaline junkies versus fitness fanatics
It was going to come up at some point…the dreaded ball launcher! I know that some people use them because they don’t want to pick up dirty slobbery balls and are careful about how far they throw them, but the fact remains: they are often used to excess. Not only is the repetitive sprinting and hard braking this encourages tough on your dog’s joints and muscles, there is evidence that some dogs can find the resulting adrenaline rush addictive. What you’re left with is a dog who is not only fit, but is also so obsessed with chasing a ball that they need it to feel satisfied. More often than not, this translates into excessive, hyperactive and demanding behaviour in the home.
My own dogs are pretty fit: I regularly do canicross with them both and take them on long walks and hikes. However, neither of them are hyperactive or unmanageable at home; when I sit down at my desk after our morning walk and breakfast, they both just settle down for a snooze. So what’s the secret? Well, first of all, I tend to avoid repetitive ball throwing. When I adopted Lyra she already had a pre-programmed ball obsession, and I’ve worked hard to lower her excitement around them. That doesn’t mean we don’t play fetch: we do, but interspersed with calmer activities where she has to think, like sniffing and tricks.
Secondly, in addition to their regular walks my dogs get to do lots of mentally tiring activities throughout the day in the form of training, scent work and puzzle toys. These types of activities can wear your dog out without them getting hyped up; in fact, my dogs often sleep more soundly after a training session than after a long walk! You can even do these activities right after a walk to help bring your dog back down to a calmer state.
Finally, I teach my dogs a key life skill that is often neglected: how to just chill out and do nothing.
Teaching your dog to switch off
For some dogs, this doesn’t come naturally. This is often the case for working breeds like Border Collies, Working Cocker Spaniels or Labradors; but this trait is not exclusive to them. Some dogs can essentially be likened to over-tired toddlers: they’ve gone through tiredness and out the other side to hyperactive and stroppy! As owners it’s up to us to make sure they’re getting the rest they need if they’re unable to settle themselves, and there are a few ways we can do this.
First of all, we can make sure that the dog gets periods of ‘quiet time’ where they are left in a safe space with few distractions away from the busy thoroughfares in the house. This could be in a crate, a pen (for puppies) or even a whole room. For some dogs, simply removing all stimulation is enough to encourage them to catch a few Z’s. Secondly, we can make sure that when we take our dog out for a walk, we give them an opportunity to come back down off their adrenaline high before we bring them home. Instead of taking the dog to a field, playing fetch repeatedly for half an hour and then putting them straight in the boot of the car and heading back, we can intersperse play with more calming activities like sniffing. I’ll sometimes do a little food scatter on the floor right before I pop my dogs back in the car or start the walk back home, which works a treat.
The final thing we can do is to actually put relaxing on cue! Both of my dogs are trained to ‘settle’ when asked; for me this means going to their bed, lying down in a relaxed position and chilling out. This is an incredibly useful life skill for all dogs and I use it all the time, whether it’s at the pub, when we have visitors over or when I’m doing the housework. That’s why I teach a settle as an integral part of several of my training packages.
If you have a dog who’s hyperactive, over the top and just can’t switch off, why not try my Perfectly Calm and Collected package? I take a holistic approach that involves both teaching the dog how to settle themselves in a range of environments and making sure that all their physical and mental needs are being met. So if you dream of one day being able to sit at a café and enjoy a quiet coffee while your dog snoozes under the table, it’s time to take action and make that dream come true!