Hyperactive dogs: looking for solutions

Ever wonder why your dog continuously digs in the same hole in your (once beautiful, now tainted) yard, only to find the same nothingness he found yesterday? Or why a waving blade of grass can cause your dog to leap into a barking frenzy? Or how about wondering why your dog refuses to chew on that cute little squeaker toy in the shape of a shoe, but your closet is full of widowed sandals, heels or tennies? When I met Molly, a one-year-old blue-heeler/german shepherd mix, I thought she was going to give me an aneurism...and she wasn't even MY dog! The chewing, the barking, the never ending energy; it was like Molly was a can of soda, and someone shook her up every morning before opening the can of insanity each day. This was the dog of my long-time friend and business partner, Melissa, and she was also the inspiration behind the desire to research how to work with dogs such as Molly.

Melissa walked Molly two hours every day. Melissa played ball with Molly every day. Melissa biked with Molly when the weather was nice. Melissa taught Molly to run on a treadmill. Molly was still NUTS. Then, we found it: mental stimulation.

Think about it: Dogs are all born with natural instincts to hunt prey, protect the pack, secure territory...when do they get to do these things? Sure, we can walk them, run them, bike them, and all of these are great forms of physical exercise that is also very necessary to a happy dog, but it also builds the stamina of a bored animal who now has even MORE energy to drain, with drives that need to be fulfilled. And if these drives aren't fulfilled through productive ways, your dog will find very unproductive, often destructive ways to get their needs met. I recently read an article that described this imbalance well: say you really wanted to go to a movie with your friends, and I told you "why don't you run on the treadmill for an hour instead?" You would probably tell me to take a hike; you aren't in the mood for running, you're in the mood for a movie! It's the same with dogs. While physical exercise is important, it is just as important for dogs to exercise their brain as well, and drain their mental energy, just like we do by surfing the internet, reading articles or books, watching movies or the news, and many other activities.

Anger and frustration are often the initial results of discovering the outcomes of a bored dog, and understandably so! But when you understand WHY your dog partakes in undesirable behaviors such as barking, chewing, digging, etc., you can begin to remedy the situation, and help your dog fulfill its physical and mental needs through productive ways. Here are some simple ways to mentally stimulate your dog (remember, not all of these tips will work with all dogs; consult your veterinarian to determine the safest ways to offer your dog mental stimulation):

- Hide treats around your house
-Put treats under boxes, plastic cups, etc for your dog to find
-Brain teaser toys, such as I Qubes or other dog puzzle toys
-Press rolled dog food or meat firmly into kongs or other toy
-Take your dog on a car ride
-Freeze wet dog food into cubes or in a toy
-Use an old towel and tie into knots with treats inside
-Play hide and seek with your dog
-Freeze their favorite toys into a big ice cube
-Stuff a sturdy hollow bone with treats or food
-Use a food ball or buster cube for daily feeding
-Take you dog to an event with large crowds
-Have a play date with another dog
-Go to a dog park
-Take your dog swimming
-Put a backpack on your dog when you go walking
-Teach your dog a new trick
-Teach your dog hand signals

Remember that a bored dog will find ways to entertain himself, so give your dog productive options to drain his mental energy!
If you would like to contact me, you can do so by emailing me at patti@doggieeinstein.com