Most of us know when we get our first dog that you must walk her every day.
Physical exercise will keep her fit & healthy and help drain some energy for when she is back at home with you.
But why is she still not calm and settled at home?
I know for me I am always surprised when my dogs have come back from a good walk and after a short rest seem good to go again and full of energy around the house. They want to play, or can be restless and just will not settle down sometimes.
There is many a supremely fit dog that never seems to rest, has behavioural challenges and does not look or act in a fulfilled way…they just seem restless.
Some dogs will live in a perpetual hyperactive state that is exhausting to live with for them and us, and can cause long term stress related health issues.
Why is that?
No argument that giving your dog daily regular exercise is great for their physical well being.
But, as with us humans, your dog needs to use her brain and get mental fulfillment and stretch herself to make her feel self confident and calm.
She needs mental exercise as much as she needs physical exercise to keep her happy, interested and content.
Quite simply getting a balance between mental and physical activity is the base building block for a happy dog.
Meeting her mental exercise needs are just as important as her physical needs and really have a significant impact on the behaviour of your dog, whatever their breed or personality.
As with humans, dogs need to use their brains and be challenged and ultimately to succeed in order to give them the confidence and purpose to live a content and calm life.
How to coach your dog to be more content, calm and fulfilled
Learning is great fun for a dog and they are able to do this even well into the senior years when chasing squirrels around the woods is less of an option!
My suggestion to anyone is to look to give your dog a balance of physical and mental exercise every day and I’m certain you will see your dog become calmer, more settled and also pretty chuffed with themselves as they start to use their brains more.
If you are working on behavioural challenges this will help as part of your programme in giving her confidence .
In my experience it also takes the guardianship of your dog to new level of fun and bonding…which can never be a bad thing!
So here is what could you do straightaway to promote her mental stimulation:
- Make mental exercise part of your everyday life with your dog, use mealtimes to let her find some of her food using food trails
- On a walk, think about how you can mentally challenge your dog, e.g. hide and let her find you, give her proper sniffing time
- Find a treat or toy that she really likes and use it just for the mental exercise fun a couple of times a day at home
- Challenge your dog, but do not push…let them succeed and build confidence
- Take part and be creative, encourage her and enjoy it!
- Always start and finish on a high note with a game she always loves…make her enjoy the time always
Getting a balance between physical and mental activity is really worthwhile, you will see her joy and it will overflow into your life too in my personal experience.
It’s a great way to bond and have fun with her from a few weeks old puppy and well into her senior years.
Get in touch and share what you do for dog mental stimulation, pictures even better!
