If you own a working breed dog (a breed of dog that historically was bred to do a specific job) then you will know how enthusiastic and energetic they can be. Most of them, especially gundogs and pastoral breeds, also have the capacity to become athletes. This is great, if you are also sporty or need them to perform a job that requires a high level of fitness on a daily basis. However, if you don’t have that requirement and don’t really fancy miles/hours of walking every day, then you need to think how to manage your dog’s on and off switch.
Exercise
If I had a pound for every time someone told me they take their dogs for several walks a day, but their dog is still not tired, then I would indeed be very rich. Walks around the block, on their own, will not tire out the average working breed dog. In fact, you may very well be making a rod for your own back.
Dogs love routine and very quickly pick up patterns or sequences. If you start walking four times a day, then that is what your dog will expect, forever. Similarly, if you find yourself going for longer and longer walks, just to try and tire your dog out, then be prepared to go for long walks for the rest of that dog’s active life.
In fact, what your dog really needs is to use its brain. Brain power and having to concentrate is really tiring – both for us and for our dogs. It is thought that 20 minutes of training is equivalent to an hour of strenuous exercise for a dog. Have you ever noticed how tired your dog is after a training session, especially when they are learning something new? Building in training sessions throughout the day, whether that is at home or out on a walk, will tire them out far more than just going for a long walk from A to B.
Training ideas
Training sessions don’t need to be long; you could easily build in several short ones throughout the day. Opportunities such as mealtimes are ideal for basic obedience and manners. Every time you open a door is also a great opportunity to teach self-control. Not only will your dog be using its brain and having to concentrate on you, but you will be building up these essential skills that will become automatic habits for the dog.
Having some training ideas that you can do indoors is also a good idea for any times that you are unable to get outside. Think about assistance dogs – they may not be on the go all day in terms of running across fields, but they are constantly using their brain. Now, you might not want your dog pulling your freshly washed laundry out of the washing machine but there are various other activities that you can do. Having said that, my youngest spaniel loves to help load the washer – it takes a bit longer, but he seems pretty pleased by the time he’s finished fetching socks & popping each one diligently in my hand so that I can load the machine. And it definitely helped avoid the ‘running off with the sock’ scenario when he was a puppy plus its good practice of delivering to hand.
Hunting games are also great for getting them using their noses and their brains. Make your dog sit while you hide an item somewhere around the house, then send them to find and retrieve it. This builds in several skills, including steadiness.
Enrichment
Enrichment is a bit of a buzz word in the dog world. Of course, we want our dogs to live happy lives but, in all honesty, and I know this may be a controversial opinion, I don’t really think that a piece of silicone covered in meat paste or peanut butter which takes hours to lick off, is something that really provides enrichment. I would argue that it can actually cause frustration and makes it harder for a dog to switch off and be happy doing nothing.
When I think about enrichment for my dogs, I think about what it is that they naturally want to do. They don’t live complicated lives; they don’t have anywhere near the stresses and worries that we do. They require food & water, somewhere to sleep, exercise & sniffing time, and access to us. On top of that will be their natural instincts which will be different depending on the breed of dog (e.g. hunting, retrieving, herding etc).
I once saw a video of someone who suggested that a box full of twigs and grated cheese was a great way of providing enrichment. In fact, it was a good way to teach a dog to forage and eat whatever it found while it was out on a walk – potentially a life-threatening skill. Rather than collecting twigs and leaves and bringing them home, wouldn’t it be better to just take the dog out & let them sniff in the great outdoors? It’s an extreme example I know but it just goes to show how enriching our dogs’ lives can be over complicated. There are numerous methods and products out there that are marketed as being essential to our dog’s wellbeing.
With that in mind, when you think about enrichment for your dog, think more about their basic needs rather than how you can keep them busy all day. Dogs need to sleep between 12 – 14 hours per day on average. Therefore, they need plenty of time to be able to switch off and get that sleep. A few short sessions per day of exercise and training along with plenty of down time makes for a happy and relaxed dog.
Teaching your dog to switch off
This is one of the most essential skills your dog can learn, especially if they live in a busy home rather than in a kennel environment. A dog than can switch off and relax will be less stressed, less likely to exhibit undesirable behaviours, and easier to train. And let’s face it, a dog that isn’t bouncing off the walls at 10pm makes you more relaxed too.
Your dog needs a set place to sleep – this can be a bed, a crate or simply a mat in a corner. If you have a puppy, then a crate is a great tool to help them learn how & when to switch off (it’s also useful in multi-dog households or if you have young children). Getting a puppy used to being in a crate means it will be easier to transition them to a dog box in your vehicle and will make things easier if they ever need to be on crate rest after an injury or operation.
Introduce the dog to its sleeping area and make it a positive place to be. Pair it with praise and a command/cue also – this can be simply ‘bed’ or ‘settle/relax.’ If the dog gets up and walks away, calmly pop them back. Once a dog has learned where its sleeping area is, leave them alone. If you have young children, ensure they understand the dog should be left to sleep and not pestered. If you have a dog that struggles to settle or switch off, start off with small amounts of time and use a lead if necessary. Simply pop the end of the lead under your foot and encourage the dog to lie down. Reward it when it does so. If crate training, then reward the dog for being in the crate if necessary, with a short-lasting chew or biscuit, but don’t give them something that will keep them alert and awake for hours. The objective is for the dog to learn to switch off, not to keep busy.
Be consistent, patient, and teach your dog to settle in any environment that you will regularly be in. You want your dog to be happy to switch off and relax whether they are with you or left at home when you go out.
Recap
Teach your dog to switch off and ensure if has space, and time, to do so – remember the saying ‘let sleeping dogs lie’.
Don’t turn your dog into an endurance athlete unless you want him/her to be one and you are too.
Don’t try to keep your dog busy all day unless it is a working dog with a job. Otherwise, let it have downtime as and when it wants to.
Think about their basic needs and what enrichment means to them. You don’t need to buy lots of different toys and products – get their brains working, give them a job to do, get them outdoors.
Use every opportunity you can to do a quick bit of training, it only needs to be a few minutes.
You can read more about how to prepare for a puppy in our blog on this subject here and we give you more ideas about brain training in our ‘Mental stimulation for dogs’ blog.
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