Means doing things with your dog, not just letting him run around alone in the yard. Dogs are social animals and require interactive play – they must play with you, their owner.
Time spent alone running around in the yard will not solve your dog’s behavior problems. In fact, it may lead to more behavior problems, e.g. barking, digging, fence fighting. It may actually increase, rather than decrease, a dog’s level of frustration.
An active, involved owner with a small back yard is a lot more fun for a dog than a detached, aloof owner who banishes the dog to “go play” in a big back yard.
Steven Lindsay, in The Handbook of Applied Dog Training and Behavior concurs, “Putting a dog outside in a fenced yard is not enough to produce adequate exercise. The owner must become directly involved in the exercise activity, ensuring that the exercise is done in a way that produces physiological and psychological benefit.”
Dog parks and day care are not appropriate for every dog. But luckily, those are not the only ways to exercise your dog. Dogs enjoy fetch, jogging, long walks, swimming and playing games like tug-of-war and flirt pole.
Tug-of-war You Tube is a great game to play with non-aggressive dogs, as long as you follow some basic rules. The owner should be the one to start and end the game, use only one object as the tug toy, put it away when you’re done and teach the dog to drop the object on command.
A flirt pole is simply a wooden, PVC, carbon or aluminum pole with a length of rope and a toy tied to it. Dogs with high prey drive love to chase and try to catch the toy. Dogs are not cats though, so be careful not to use the toy to make the dog jump up into the air, or your dog may be injured when he lands. Instead, make the toy “run” along the ground, simulating the movement of a running critter.
Dogs love a challenge, and food games—like puzzle toys or treat-dispensing balls—are a simple way to keep their brains busy. Mental workouts don’t take the place of exercise, but they definitely add to your dog’s overall well-being.
A tired brain can be just as satisfying as a tired body. Bring your pup along when you can and sign up for an obedience class to polish those manners. Training is more than just rules—it’s another way to keep your dog sharp and engaged. And before you think about bringing home a second dog to keep the first one busy, think twice. Two bored dogs can spell double trouble. What they really need most is your attention, your guidance, and your company.
Luther is an 11 month old male German Shepherd. A big, friendly boy, his 85 pounds of boundless energy was beginning to overwhelm the entire family.
Most dogs don’t get enough exercise. But when your dog is a young, high drive dog like Luther, lack of sufficient exercise, play and mental stimulation is a recipe for all kinds of behavior problems.
People come up with lots of reasons why their dogs don’t get the exercise they need:
“I can’t take him for walks – he pulls on the leash.” A good obedience trainer can teach your dog to walk nicely on the leash in a very short period of time, without complicated, expensive equipment.
“I can’t take him to dog parks because he is dog-aggressive.” Dog parks are not appropriate for every dog. But luckily, the dog park is not the only way to exercise your dog. Fetch, jogging, long walks in the park or around town, swimming, taking your dog to work and playing games like tug-of-war are all great sources of exercise, play and mental stimulation.
“But we have a big back yard.” Dogs need to play with you. They should not be left alone to exercise themselves. Too much time alone in the yard will not solve behavior problems. In fact, it will often lead to more behavior problems like excessive barking, digging, chasing critters, fence fighting and eating foreign objects. It may actually increase, rather than decrease, a dog’s level of frustration. An active, involved owner with a small back yard is a lot more fun for a dog than a detached, aloof owner who banishes the dog to “go play” in a big back yard.
“We were thinking about getting another dog to keep him company.” Okay, so now you have 2 bored dogs instead of one? Not a great plan. There is no substitute for human attention, love, guidance and companionship.
Exercise is extremely important, but it’s not a “magic pill” that will solve all behavior problems.
Don’t assume that the solution for all bad behavior to simply wear your dog out. A total solution involves exercise and interactive play along with good obedience training and proper pack structure and communication.
Remember the 4 Toys Are:
A breed-group guide with time ranges, best activities, and quick cautions
How to use this: Times below include physical + mental work. Split into 2–3 sessions (morning/evening + a short brain game). A fulfilled dog is calm, not just tired.
Who: Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, Shetland Sheepdog, Collie, Corgi (Cardigan/Pembroke), Belgian Tervuren, Beauceron, Briard, Kelpie.
Daily Target: 90–150 minutes total (include 30–60 min of brain games).
Best exercises: Off-leash or long-line runs, fetch/frisbee intervals, agility, treibball (herding ball), scent work, advanced obedience chains (heel → sit → down → place then mix it all up and don’t treat until the last command).
Why: High drive + high IQ. They need outlets for both speed and problem-solving.
Who: Labrador, Golden, Flat-Coated Retriever, Chesapeake Bay, German Shorthaired Pointer, Weimaraner, Vizsla, Brittany, Setters (Gordon/Irish/English), Pointers, Spaniels (Springer/Cocker).
Daily Target: 90–150 minutes.
Who: Rottweiler, Doberman, Boxer, Giant Schnauzer, Bernese Mountain Dog, Newfoundland, Cane Corso, Akita, Great Pyrenees, Kuvasz, Northern types: Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Samoyed.
Daily Target:
Sighthounds (sprinters): Greyhound, Whippet, Saluki, Borzoi, Ibizan/Pharaoh.
Scent hounds (trackers): Beagle, Basset, Bloodhound, Coonhounds, Foxhound, Harrier.
Daily Target:
Who: Jack Russell/Parson, Rat Terrier, Cairn, Westie, Norfolk/Norwich, Border Terrier, Mini Schnauzer.
Daily target: 60–90 minutes (short, spicy blocks).
Best exercises: Brisk walks, fetch bursts, flirt-pole, earthdog-style tunnels/dig boxes, scent games, impulse control (“place,” “leave it”).
Why: High prey drive; keep sessions engaging to prevent over-arousal.
Who: Airedale, Irish Terrier, Kerry Blue, Soft Coated Wheaten, American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier.
Daily target: 90–120 minutes.
Best exercises: Tug with rules, fetch intervals, canicross/jogging, tracking, barn hunt, light weighted-backpack walks (age-appropriate), obedience under distractions.
Who: Chihuahua, Pomeranian, Papillon, Maltese, Toy/Mini Poodle, Cavalier KC Spaniel, Yorkshire Terrier, Italian Greyhound.
Daily target: 30–60 minutes + indoor play.
Best exercises: Gentle walks, hallway fetch, trick training, nosework boxes, mini-agility.
Watch: Temperature swings and fragile joints.
Active (90–120 min): Dalmatian, Standard Poodle, Keeshond, Schipperke.
Moderate (60–90 min): Bichon, Shiba Inu, Finnish Spitz, Tibetan Terrier.
Low–Moderate (30–60 min): Bulldog*, Chow Chow*, Lhasa Apso, Boston Terrier* (*brachycephalic/heat-sensitive).
Best exercises: Brisk walks, rally/obedience, trick training, swimming where appropriate.
Under-exercised: Restless after sessions, demand barking, destructive chewing.
Over-exercised: Sore/stiff next day, heat stress, “flat” enthusiasm—cut duration or intensity next time.
