What workarounds did people try for "How to mentally tire out a high energy dog"?

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Community members documented 115 workarounds:
1. Trick training
2. Using Kong toys and basic obedience training
3. Hiring dog walkers or asking family members to watch the dog
4. Making DIY puzzle toys using rolled-up blankets and hidden treats
5. Playing indoor nose work games or using a flirt pole
6. Setting up low-cost scent work or nosework games using birch oil and q-tips
7. Using a spring pole in the backyard
8. Working on AKC virtual titles
9. Going on walks very early in the morning before sunrise (around 6 AM)
10. Walking dogs late at night after dark
11. Visiting nearby lakes or spots where dogs can swim
12. Keeping dogs indoors or in shady backyards during peak heat
13. trying various alternatives like coffee wood sticks, buffalo cheek rolls, and freezbones
14. supervising dogs closely and taking chews away when they try to tear chunks off
15. Hiring a midday dog walker
16. Using puzzle feeders and interactive treat toys
17. Freezing wet food or kibble in enrichment toys like kongs or pupsicles
18. setting up strict crate routines
19. watching for small signs of progress and milestones
20. Using dog-safe human food like fruits, vegetables, or ham for treats
21. Hiding regular kibble around the room for a scavenger hunt
22. Throwing a ball up or down stairs so the dog runs while the owner stays stationary
23. Throwing toys while lying on the couch
24. Devoting all available time to growing knowledge and researching dog behavior
25. Using puzzle toys to attempt to keep the dog occupied
26. Using prescribed medications like Prozac, pain meds, gabapentin, and trazadone to keep the dog zonked out
27. Giving frozen kongs and lick mats for brief waking moments
28. Providing bubble wrap for them to safely pop and nibble on
29. Isolating the recovering dog in an extra bedroom away from other pets
30. Using wet food on a silicone snuffle mat
31. Using a lick mat with frozen broth or peanut butter
32. Keeping a cone on him to prevent chewing access
33. Dosing him with gabapentin to keep him calm while healing
34. Kong and various other stuffable toys made more difficult
35. Pupsicles, lick mats, treat balls, and puzzles
36. Freezing the contents of toys like Kongs with peanut butter to make things more challenging
37. Using puzzle treat toys available online or in pet stores
38. DIYing homemade puzzle toys
39. Using snuffle mats that allow older dogs to lie down and work at their own pace
40. Hiding treats around the house for the dog to sniff out and find
41. Doing multiple daily walks, flirt poles, fetch, and scent work
42. Providing brain games and hiding food bowls in the backyard
43. Consulting with a trainer
44. Using enforced naps or crate time
45. Coming home on a lunch break using vacation hours
46. Offering enrichment toys and activities
47. Adding an extra 30 minutes by giving an enrichment activity
48. Implementing a longer walk before the kennel stretch
49. Slowly weaning the puppy off by adding time incrementally each week
50. Using a small wifi camera to monitor the puppy
51. small bully sticks
52. n-bone small teething rings
53. nylabone chews
54. a carrot
55. yak cheese
56. pork chomps
57. food puzzles
58. the cat wheel
59. teaching tricks like fetch, sit, and leash walking
60. Scatter treats for him to sniff out
61. Roll treats in a towel
62. Freeze berries or fruit in ice cubes or Kongs
63. Use puzzle toys
64. Stuff a Kong with kibble and peanut butter then freeze it
65. Play hide-and-seek games with cones and treats
66. Taking dogs on long sniffing walks in new places
67. Practicing new and reinforced old tricks for mental training
68. Visiting dog parks and going people watching
69. Using puzzle toys and hidden treat games for nose work
70. Looking for a monthly subscription box that provides puzzle toys or new items to sniff and chew on
71. Using a flirt pole for indoor exercise
72. Scattering kibble in a rolled-up towel or tying it in a knot
73. Making frozen treats with peanut butter or wet food on a plate
74. Playing gentle tug of war with a rope or towel
75. Using durable chews like Goughnuts sticks, collagen chips, and collagen sticks
76. Providing outdoor herding balls for exercise
77. Feeding whole meals inside advanced puzzle feeders, snuffle mats, or DIY puzzles like rolled towels and egg cartons
78. Hiding puzzles around the house for the dog to find
79. Using puzzle boards
80. Using kongs
81. Using lick mats
82. Scatter feeding
83. Using snuffle mats
84. Starting scent work
85. Using a dog treadmill
86. taking long walks
87. using lick mats and puzzles
88. increasing personal physical activity to exercise the dog
89. Using Kong toys filled with frozen peanut butter
90. Using lick mats and snuffle mats
91. Going on sniffing walks and different routes for exploring
92. Trying to train him commands for mental stimulation
93. Playing in the backyard until the puppy is tired
94. Playing "find it"
95. Hiding treats and toys in cardboard or egg cartons
96. Putting kibble in the folds of an old towel wrapped up and tied in a loose knot
97. scent games
98. hide-and-seek with toys or treats
99. learning object names
100. obstacle courses
101. search trails
102. incorporating her into daily routines like picking up keys and turning off lights
103. Playing indoor games like 'find it' or hide and seek with treats
104. Giving the dog a frozen Kong
105. Working on training or teaching new tricks
106. Letting the dog shred empty cardboard boxes
107. Using snuffle mats or crumpled sheets to hide treats
108. Having dogs clean out peanut butter jars
109. Mixing in training sessions, playtime, enrichment toys, and potty breaks throughout the workday
110. Taking 10–15 minute dedicated 'sniff walks' or 'sniffaris' where the dog sets the pace and investigates smells
111. Hiding toys or familiar household items along the walking route for the dog to find
112. Cracking the car window while driving slowly around the neighborhood to let the dog sniff after surgery
113. Using different gear (e.g., harness vs. collar) to signal the difference between structured 'business' walks and free sniff walks
114. Experimenting with different exercise durations and frequencies
115. Prioritizing fetch over slow, structured walks

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