How To Tire Out A Dog Quickly – My 7 Secret Hacks To Tire Your Dog Out
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Is your dog a high-energy dog? Do you find it difficult to get your dog enough exercise every day? Trust me, you’re not alone…
My dog Jack (a black lab) is non stop all day, everyday. No matter if it’s raining, snowing or 100 degrees out… He’s ready to rock.
And when he was a puppy, he would have 2 walks a day (6 miles +), along with a 3+ hours of non stop fetch.
So how did I deal with this?
Well, I began experimenting with various exercises to see which ones tired hime out and which ones didn’t really affect hims
These activities will provide your dog with a significant amount of physical exercise in a short period of time, making them ideal for a few quick exercise breaks throughout the day. Here are the best five quick ways to tire your dog out.
Swimming
By far, the one that has showed me the best results is swimming.
Now lucky for me, I have a pool, a dog that loves the water (he swims in the local lake in 40 degree weather) and a dog that loves fetch.
So for me it’s easy to get him in the pool and chase after the ball. An hour of throws in the pool/water/lake/ocean, with him swimming full force, 40 yards each time tires him out big time.
Fetch
Again, number #2 goes hand in hand with number #1, but many dogs are not fans of the water, so this is where fetch comes in hand.
Just find some open land, a ball or frisbee and get throwing. I’ve been using the chuckit for years and it’s a game changer. With the chuckit, you don’t have to bend over to pick the ball up everytime, or touch the gross ball. It also allows you, if you can’t throw the ball far with your arm, to hurl the ball 50+ yards.
If your dog isn’t sure how to catch or play fetch, I recommend starting with something they like.
To get your dog interested in fetch, throw it short distances or roll it on the ground, and praise them whenever they show interest.
Go For Walks With Him
Our walks were short when I first brought my jack home.
Our walks grew longer over time.
Now if you don’t have an hour plus, you can take two short walks per day—one in the morning and one in the evening.
Now if your dog struggles to walk on a leash, consider getting some training, we recommend this training guide that will show you how to train your dog.
Walking in groups
Group walks are also a great way to help with walking with your dog.
This will give your dog more opportunities to practice walking on a leash and socializing with other dogs, as well as making the walks more interesting.
Work your way up to one long walk.
I would often take my jack for 2 long 60 minute walks per day rather than two shorter walks as he grew older. Longer walks, without a doubt, are the most effective way to tire out your dog.
Play Games
Dogs are highly social animals who enjoy interacting with humans. Another way to help them tire out is to play games with them.
Some Dog-Friendly Games to Teach and Play:
- Hide and Seek: Tell your dog to stay put. Command him to come and find you once you’ve hidden.
Hide in unusual places with your dog, such as the bathtub or under a large blanket.
- Training:
Stimulating your dog’s brain is a great way to tire them out. Getting them to think, focus and listen will work wonders. Get them to sit and stay, get them to sit and stay as strangers walk by him/her. Throw the ball in a location (without seeing where it lands), and have him/her go and find it.
Teach him/her new commands like: Sit, stay, come drop it/leave it, Heel, lay down
- Treat Dispenser Toys:
These treat dispenser toys have openings through which your dog must get treats by wobbling or rolling the toys. These toys keep your dog busy and also help simulate their mind. These toys have numerous benefits and are a good way to help tire your dog out. Our favorite treat dispenser toys can be found here, but we always like to recommend the Kong treat toys, as they’re always reliable and great.
- Provide him with something to chew and lick
To keep my dog occupied, I fill hollow bones or Kong toys with snacks and freeze them overnight. To save time, I fill and freeze a large batch at a time so that I can quickly grab one when I need it.
My Jack can lick a frozen peanut butter filled toy for up to 30 minutes. He’ll gobble up every last scrap and appear to be in a state of ecstasy the entire time.
Some other foods you can use here include:
- unsweetened plain yogurt
- pumpkin (not pumpkin filling)
- sweet potatoes mashed
- Chicken/Meat/Treats (not frozen)
- Other Things You Can Give Your Dog to Lick or Chew On:
- bully sticks (Jack loves these)
- elk antlers (Jack also loves these)
- bully horns
- pig ears
Allow Him To Look Outside
Is there a window in your house that your pet enjoys looking out of? If he can’t jump, doggy steps are a great way to give him access to a window on a higher level.
Consider allowing your dog to hang out on your balcony or deck on cool days (as long as he can’t fit through the rails).
Allowing him to observe what is happening outside provides him with interesting visual stimulation, which keeps his mind active. If he’s older, give him a comfortable mat to lie on, and make sure he has a bowl of water and some shade if it’s hot outside.
Take Him to a Park
You are extremely fortunate if you have a large, enclosed yard where your dog can run around freely.
But you should still, change things up now and then to keep his mind stimulated.
If it’s safe, take your dog to a dog park or a large open field where he can run around and play with you off-leash.
There is no better feeling than letting your dog run wild, off leash.
They have a sense of freedom that allows them to roam, run and be free.
Now of course, make sure your dog is well trained, no one is around, and of course will listen to you if you need to grab them in a hunch.
But go ahead, grab a ball and have some fun!
If you have a small breed, make sure to look for a designated area for smaller dogs at dog parks.
Many state and national parks allow dogs, but there are usually rules in place, such as keeping them on a leash and picking up after them.
Regardless of the type of park you visit, keep an eye out for children and other dogs. Also, bring plenty of water with you, especially in the summer to help keep your dog cool.
Indoor ways to tire your dog out
When the weather is bad, coming up with indoor activities for your puppy can be difficult. It can be difficult to tire out a puppy during the winter months, especially with the shorter days.
When planning activities for your puppy, keep in mind that mental stimulation is just as important as physical stimulation. Young puppies, like children, do not appear to tire out from running around, but learning and using their brains is much more difficult.
Here are three of our favorite ways to tire your dog out with indoor activities:
- Stairs:
This is like running on steroids. It will tire your dog out especially if they’re running back and forth. Sit at the top of your stairs and toss a TINY treat to the bottom to encourage the behavior. When they’ve collected it, summon them to the top and give them another TINY treat. Rep until your dog starts panting!
- Get The Treat
This straightforward game entails throwing treats all over the place while your dog chases them down.
To make it more difficult, you can include sitting and waiting until you say go/okay.
It’s difficult because it is both mentally and physically exhausting. To increase the cardio impact, combine this with STAIRS.
- Tug
Most dogs enjoy a game of tug, and it’s a great way for you and your dog to bond.
It doesn’t take up a lot of space and isn’t too taxing on young joints, especially if you play on a carpet or rug for traction.
Remember to Exercise Your Dog’s Mind
Dogs can be kept busy and entertained by a good balance of mental and physical activity. Your dog’s physical needs and mental stimulation will be influenced by his breed and age.
Jack (a Black labrador retriever) requires a lot of mental and physical activity, so I gradually When your hyper dog begins to relax throughout the day, you’ve found the right balance.
How Much Exercise Does Your Dog Need?
Is a walk sufficient for your dog? Is your dog getting a good mix of mental and physical activity? What are your favorite dog-exercise methods?
The short answer: at least 30-45 minutes. The longer answer: Much longer! If of course, they’re up for it. If your dog is healthy and active, shoot for at least 60 minutes a day
Above all, enjoy your time with your dog!
It should go without saying that high-energy dogs make excellent companions.
They are intelligent, loving, and eager to work.
Jacktra is committed to assisting your active dogs in doing what they enjoy. We’ll make sure you get the most up to date info for every step of the way.
Take advantage of every opportunity!
