How to mentally tire out a high energy dog
Standard toys, basic obedience, and daily walks are not enough to exhaust smart working breeds when their owners are constrained by long shifts or limited budgets. This leaves dogs constantly demanding attention and feeling under-stimulated even after intense routines.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Using Kong toys and basic obedience training
- 2Hiring dog walkers or asking family members to watch the dog
- 3Making DIY puzzle toys using rolled-up blankets and hidden treats
- 4Playing indoor nose work games or using a flirt pole
- 5Setting up low-cost scent work or nosework games using birch oil and q-tips
- 6Using a spring pole in the backyard
- 7Working on AKC virtual titles
- 8Going on walks very early in the morning before sunrise (around 6 AM)
- 9Walking dogs late at night after dark
- 10Visiting nearby lakes or spots where dogs can swim
- 11Keeping dogs indoors or in shady backyards during peak heat
- 12trying various alternatives like coffee wood sticks, buffalo cheek rolls, and freezbones
- 13supervising dogs closely and taking chews away when they try to tear chunks off
- 14Hiring a midday dog walker
- 15Using puzzle feeders and interactive treat toys
- 16Freezing wet food or kibble in enrichment toys like kongs or pupsicles
- 17setting up strict crate routines
- 18watching for small signs of progress and milestones
- 19Using dog-safe human food like fruits, vegetables, or ham for treats
- 20Hiding regular kibble around the room for a scavenger hunt
- 21Throwing a ball up or down stairs so the dog runs while the owner stays stationary
- 22Throwing toys while lying on the couch
- 23Devoting all available time to growing knowledge and researching dog behavior
- 24Using puzzle toys to attempt to keep the dog occupied
- 25Using prescribed medications like Prozac, pain meds, gabapentin, and trazadone to keep the dog zonked out
- 26Giving frozen kongs and lick mats for brief waking moments
- 27Providing bubble wrap for them to safely pop and nibble on
- 28Isolating the recovering dog in an extra bedroom away from other pets
- 29Using wet food on a silicone snuffle mat
- 30Using a lick mat with frozen broth or peanut butter
- 31Keeping a cone on him to prevent chewing access
- 32Dosing him with gabapentin to keep him calm while healing
- 33Kong and various other stuffable toys made more difficult
- 34Pupsicles, lick mats, treat balls, and puzzles
- 35Freezing the contents of toys like Kongs with peanut butter to make things more challenging
- 36Using puzzle treat toys available online or in pet stores
- 37DIYing homemade puzzle toys
- 38Using snuffle mats that allow older dogs to lie down and work at their own pace
- 39Hiding treats around the house for the dog to sniff out and find
- 40Doing multiple daily walks, flirt poles, fetch, and scent work
- 41Providing brain games and hiding food bowls in the backyard
- 42Consulting with a trainer
- 43Using enforced naps or crate time
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I don't have too many people in my circle that have dogs, so I wanted to hear what you all do to keep your aging fur babies mentally stimulated.”source ↗
“besides those two things and a maze-like eating bowl, I'm drawing blanks on new ways to keep her mind more stimmed while still respecting her resting times as well.”source ↗
“I can never seem to tire her out.”source ↗
“She knows how to settle but occasionally throughout the day she'll pace or stare at me like she wants something to.”source ↗
“Not sure what else to do to tire her out or at least make her seem less bored when we aren't doing something.”source ↗
“I might be moving to Nevada in the future, and I am concerned about how I am going to navigate the heat with my active dog. Does anyone have any advice or recommendations on things to do with dogs during the summer/early fall times?”source ↗
“I have a 9 month old belgian shepherd and I thought I'd share some of our favorite and least favorite chews”source ↗
“these were great when he was teething and I was just trying to save my sanity and my pants”source ↗
“My little Shihpoo, Poo Bear, is 17 weeks old, and he is FULL of energy.”source ↗
“when you have a puppy who is normally GO GO GO, seeing them choose to just lay down and wait feels like a HUGE milestone.”source ↗
“Is my puppy EVER going to learn how to relax?”source ↗
“The difficult part is that she is SO smart and gets bored so easily. She also gets overstimulated and understimulated so easily.”source ↗
“I need some training ideas especially for my Heeler- he had a pretty intense regiment and even has a job herding goats and occasionally cattle but I feel like he needs more stimulation in his life- I don’t have a lot of money right now but some training ideas would be helpful as I do have plenty of time (between jobs)”source ↗
“In school I’ve never left her alone for more than 6 hours at a time, and I’m worried about the transition to 9-5 that she’ll get bored or lonely.”source ↗
“she seems bored sometimes and I try to train and what not and use a Kong but I need a broader spectrum of toys or ideas to mentally tire her out in a day.”source ↗
“she currently know sit,stay, lay down, touch, place, crate, paw, other paw, high five, spin, leave it, ball etc she is a smart dog for sure.”source ↗
“I hate seeing her bored or wanting to play all of the time when I just don’t have the energy she does at times”source ↗
“What can I do to keep her sane and prevent destructive behavior during the first few days we she cant get proper exercise and long walks?”source ↗
“I need to make sure she doesnt tear her sutures or hurt herself.”source ↗
“How can I occupy her mind so she doesnt go stir crazy? I dont want her to hurt herself or go so crazy she starts chewing on the walls or furniture.”source ↗
“I try to go on walks as much as I possibly can with working a 12 hour shit 3-5 days a week that one is a little tougher.”source ↗
“I am currently pretty sick with a cold and just got home with my dog from daycare, he is an energetic poodle and we always play when he comes home.”source ↗
“I am currently not really able to play our usual tug of war or similar, I also ran out of dog treats yesterday and couldn't go to the store today so any scavenger hunt is out of the question too.”source ↗
“my girl would demolish furniture legs before I found those”source ↗
“He is a chewing machine and is just at a loss on how to keep him occupied and what to do. In his pen he will chew his crate or the bowl. Has anyone went through this and have any advice on what to do?”source ↗
“i have a 6 month cocker spaniel who found a semi open tuna can, and spent, for real, FOUR hours opening tj and licking the tuna, no potty accidents, no noise no drama pure PEACE.”source ↗
“is there any alterntave safe toy or similar that would take hours to solve? She seems to LOVE this, i have not had her this occupied continuously.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 4How to handle a dog with intense guarding instincts
- 6How to handle an extremely intense, high-energy puppy?
- 2Should I keep taking my friendly-reactive dog to group classes?
- 7Why does my dog police my bedtime?
- 2Why does my puppy bark when I leave the playpen?
- 2Why does my dog just guess random tricks instead of listening?