July 31st, 2008
By Eric Letendre
A lot of behavior problems are exercise problems. Many of the dogs that I see are not suffering from a behavior problem; they simply have too much pent-up energy and need exercise. In this article you’ll learn the two forms of exercise that all dogs need.
It’s important to understand that a lot of behavior problems stem from the dog having too much pent-up energy. Young dogs (4 to 14 months) have an unlimited amount of energy. In today’s society, a lot of dogs spend long hours by themselves.
A lot of dogs are left in crates or in the house while their owners are at work. Day after day the dog waits around to do something. This pent-up energy builds and manifests itself into a behavior problem. No amount of training can overcome an exercise problem.
The first step to overcoming your dog’s behavior problems is to physically exercise your dog. A lot of dogs spend a lot of time by themselves waiting for us to do something with them. Today there are many more resources for dogs than ever before.
One of the best activities you can do with your dog is dog daycare. Dog daycare allows your dog to spend the day playing with other dog-friendly dogs. If a dog daycare is not right for your dog, a dog walker may be the answer. Here are 41 ideas to help you give your dog physical exercise:
1. Memory retrieve
2. Two-Person recalls
3. Treasure hunt
4. Service dog gofer
5. Hide and seek
6. Leg weaves
7. Weaving with ski poles
8. Agility
9. Digging for objects
10. Herding indestructible ball
11. Chase remote control car
12. Chase object on fishing pole
13. Chase light
14. Chase racquetball bounce back
15. Chase remote control airplane
16. Chase hose with water
17. Chase ball
18. Lure coursing
19. Swimming free
20. Swim next to canoe
21. Swimming relay race with bumpers
22. Water Kong retrieve
23. Jumping over picnic benches
24. Skateboarding
25. Fly ball
26. Frisbee
27. Mountain Bike
28. Run through powder snow
29. Run through sand dunes
30. Sled dog
31. Treadmill
32. Run a race track
33. Jog with dog
34. Rollerblade
35. Backpacking
36. Carting
37. Skijor
38. Run hills
39. Walk/run stairs
40. Throw ball downstairs
41. Throw ball upstairs
Give your dog some mental exercise. Mental activities include: obedience training, tricks, agility, flyball and tracking. Mental activities are extremely important for your dog. I have seen very active, hyper dogs lie down and take a nap after a 10- to 15-minute obedience session.
The activities listed above are done with the owner. When you leave your dog alone, two of my favorite toys to leave with the dog are Buster Cubes and Kong toys.
A Buster Cube is a hard plastic cube that has some compartments inside. You can pour some kibble into the cube and shake it up. When you put it on the ground your dog will smell the food in the cube and start to paw at it. Some of the kibble will drop out of the cube and this is what will keep your dog interested in the cube. I have seen dogs play with their Buster Cube for as long as an hour. It’s a great toy to leave with your dog when you have to be away for long periods.
Another great toy for your dog is the Kong toy. Kong toys are very popular and they make great toys because they are indestructible and are hollow which allows you to stuff the toy. Kong toys can be stuffed with peanut butter or cream cheese. You can also pack in a few biscuits. Once the Kong toy is stuffed you can leave a few around the house for your dog and keep her occupied for long periods.
Once your dog is getting enough physical and mental exercise you’ll see big changes in your dog’s behavior. A very popular and useful saying among dog trainers is: “The only good dog is a tired dog.”
Eric Letendre is a professional dog trainer from the United States and has been training dogs for over 20 years, teaching regular, average, every-day owners all over the world how to get the training results they want as fast as possible. Eric is also the author of numerous reports, the E-Book “101 Ways to Improve Your Dog’s Behavior,” “The Amazing Dog Training Man Book,” and produced and stars in his DVD “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer.”
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Eric Letendre is a professional dog trainer from the United States. For more than 20 years, he has been developing dog training "hacks" that have worked for dog owners all over the world. Eric operates from a home office or a laptop while traveling and draws on his experience and passion for dog training to show others how to develop a dog that is truly “Man’s Best Friend”.
Eric is the author of numerous reports, the E-Book “101 Ways to Hack Your Dog’s Behavior,” “The Amazing Dog Training Man Book,” and produced and stars in his DVD “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer.”
