By Abbi Colborn

Does your dog jump on folks when they come to your house? Maybe they retrieve a shoe every time you come home from work, or have chewed through something. These are all signs your pup has pent up energy, and needs an adjustment in their day to day life.

Their quirks and intensity is what we love about them, but it can become overwhelming and destructive if that energy is not channeled into an outlet. If you don’t find a place for their energy, your dog will do it for you, possibly in the form of destruction of property or self mutilation (licking and chewing on self).

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How Do I Know If My Dog Is High Energy?

Frequent whining, chewing, and separation anxiety are all signs of a high energy dog. If your dog is the kind to jump on and knock over people when meeting them, that’s also a good indication.

People try to punish dogs for this behavior, but that’s not effective for correcting it. Yelling, using force, or fear will only make your dog more anxious. Dogs do not understand punishment as a concept, it will not decrease their nervous energy, but raise it. Let’s get into some constructive outlets for this energy:

At Home:

Make sure your pup has plenty of toys that serve various levels of stimulation. Puzzle toys, Kongs, and chew toys are essential to get your pup’s mind working and their chomping impulses satiated. Isolation is not something high strung dogs take kindly to, so if you’re someone who has to leave your baby alone for 8 or more hours, be mindful.

Set Up A Routine

To combat separation anxiety, you’ll want to take your dog for a walk, or out to play right before you leave and as soon as you get home. Playing fetch or tug of war is a great de-stressor for both of you! It also gives your dog a sense of comfort and certainty, the same way that feeding them at the same time every day does.

In addition to playtime, you should also take your pup on a 45-60 min walk every day, sometimes twice a day depending on the dog. Similar to how you play as a way to transition from home to work and back again, your walks should have a wind-down activity afterwards. This is an excellent time for trick training, followed up by petting and verbally praising your pup.

While Walking:

I used to try to run as much as I could with the energetic dogs I walked, thinking it would get more energy out of them. Dogs are much faster than humans, so what ended up happening was me getting yanked, and the dog getting confused. Instead of having your dog run as much as physically possible when walking them, you need a mix of mental and physical stimulation to fully exhaust them.

Sniff Walks

Normally, a brisk walk without much stopping is great, but every week try to set aside an hour or two for a sniff walk. This is a walk where you let your dog’s nose lead the way. Take your pup to a new environment (maybe a park or new walking route) and let the dog sniff around as they please. Read more about sniff walks here.

Walk And Train

Let me tell you the story of Merlin, the Aussie Doodle. He was the worst leash puller I’ve ever seen, and would lay down in the middle of the sidewalk, waiting to pounce on other dogs he saw. With the help of RK9 Training, we learned to take treats with us on the walk, and to practice tricks with Merlin before and after walks.

Another recommendation was to practice good walking habits with your pup before stepping outside. It’s easier to learn in a familiar environment. Walking with a treat in hand, and telling your dog they’re doing good when walking beside you is already a lot for them to process. When you get outside, and they start to pull, you can call their name, and offer a treat. Because you practiced this, the dog will remember what that cue means, and come back to you, happy for a job assignment.

Let Them Run Free

Eventually your high energy dog needs to get their zoomies out, unencumbered by a leash. Be that in a yard, an empty baseball diamond, or a dog park, you have to divert that energy into an output. It’s in their DNA to run like the wind, and who are we to stop them?

Why Is My Dog Like This?

It’s incredibly frustrating, and sometimes painful, to train a high energy dog. Especially if you’re trying to break a years long habit. Something that helps me find empathy and acceptance is learning about what causes this level of vim and vigor in a pup.

The most popular dog breeds adopted in 2024 included Pit Bulls, Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Boxers. All of these names imply athleticism. Big dogs, working dogs, and some designer dogs (doodles for example) come with lots of energy because of their ancestry.

Breeds, Breeds, Breeds

As the most variable mammal on earth, dogs have a wide breadth of temperaments and traits. Working dogs refer to dog breeds created by selective breeding (the same process that brought us corn and mules) for a specific purpose. Hunting and herding, usually.

If you’re at a loss for where to start, try building games and routines that mimic those of your pups ancestors. Invest in a ball launcher for your Labrador, or hide your German Shepherds favorite toys and treats around the house.

Doodles

I’ve blocked off a subsection just for doodles, because, quite frankly, I have a lot to say on the subject. A doodle is a hybrid breed of dog, poodle mixed with one or more other, that sprung up in the 1990s. The poodles existence dates back to the 1600s. These are smart, high energy dogs bred to retrieve felled waterfowl.

The most popular doodles are golden doodles, labradoodles, and berne-doodles. Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Bernese Mountain Dogs are all medium to large sized dogs bred for herding or retrieving. Running, swimming, and lots of training is quite literally in their DNA. Now, you’ve combined two high energy lineages into a new breed.

Doodles are, understandably so, highly affectionate, highly energetic, and highly intelligent. They’re prone to jumping on people, leash pulling, and chewing on/retrieving things they shouldn’t. Golden doodles are known to be more affected by separation anxiety, as well as aggression towards other dogs. I’m saying of this to let you know that while they are special and amazing, adopting a doodle is committing to a high energy dog.

Give It Time

Being compassionate with yourself and your dog will help this process along tremendously. It will take time and effort to find what works for your situation. When your dog forgets a cue, or has a particularly rowdy day, it’s helpful to take a breath and reframe what’s happening before responding. These things take time, and bit by bit, you are getting better. Remember that.

We hope these exercises and strategies help you and your energetic pup live in harmony. Above all else, compassionate observation and positive reinforcement will help you keep the faith in difficult times. As the most varied pet on the planet, high energy dogs certainly have the capacity to fit into all sorts of lives. That includes yours 🙂