In a previous blog article, we discussed the importance of providing your dog with a variety of physical exercise and mental enrichment. This isn’t just because these activities offer your dog the opportunity to live a fulfilling life – it is also preventative against unwanted behavioral outcomes. When dogs do not have an outlet for their sometimes abundant energy, it can have negative consequences. Boredom means that your dog has to find a way to occupy themselves – often in a way that leads to undesirable behaviors.
In this article, we’ll outline some of the ways you can identify if your dog is bored; how their boredom can lead to behavioral concerns; and what you can do to provide your dog with activities that can prevent boredom.
Common signs that your dog is bored
If a human is bored, we can easily communicate this by saying, “I’m bored.” While it isn’t quite as straightforward for our canine friends, there are still common signs that we can spot to discern if our dog is bored.
- Restless behavior. Is your dog pacing? Unable to settle? Startled by every little noise? Looking out the window constantly? Whining frequently? Self-grooming incessantly? Whining or barking at nothing in particular? A combination of these behaviors could certainly indicate boredom.
- Increased anxiety. Does your once-confident dog now display reactivity or anxiety in everyday situations, such as when out on walks or greeting new people? If your dog’s behavior is changing, this could be a consequence of boredom.
- Destructive behavior. If your dog has nothing to occupy themselves with, they will find something to do. If your dog has started to chew on furniture, rip up their bed, or display other types of destructive behavior, it is likely because they are doing this in an attempt to keep themselves busy – irrespective of the consequences.
- Lack of enthusiasm for…anything. If your dog is struggling to muster up the enthusiasm for activities they used to enjoy (ex: dog sports, or even something as simple as chasing a ball), or if they seem excessively lethargic, it could be a result of their mundane day-to-day existence.
Of course, it is important to caveat that these signs are not unique to boredom! Your dog may display these behaviors for any number of underlying reasons, but if your dog’s behavior is changing to reflect some of these characteristics and you have concerns about their daily routine, then boredom could be a contributing factor.
How boredom leads to behavioral issues
If a dog has adequate physical exercise and mental enrichment, they have an outlet for their energy. It’s all part of a well-rounded, behaviorally stable dog. As their needs are being met as part of a structure and routine, the propensity for destructive behavior is reduced. These activities can also typically tire out your dog, which also reduces the potential for unwanted behaviors.
When boredom strikes, your dog is often looking for an outlet for their energy. This is where the problems can arise – their energy can often be directed in ways that are not helpful for them, for you, or for their environment. These behaviors also often become self-rewarding and habitual, so another consequence is that your dog will perform these behaviors with increasing frequency. This can be exacerbated in high-energy, high-drive breeds, who have been bred to require a certain amount of physical and mental exertion.
This is why it is very important to be deliberate and research the type of dog that you want – not just for looks, or because you think the dog looks cool. You need to think about this question – what does your life look like with this type of dog down the road for the next 10 to 14 years? Do you have the time and energy to give this particular type of dog fulfillment? A German Shorthaired Pointer is not meant to sit on a couch and watch the world go by. This speaks to the genetics article previously published on our blog.
Having a high-drive working dog that comes from a working line cooped up all day can lead to mental illness in the dog, such as obsessive compulsive behavior or even self-mutilating behaviors. This is why it is pivotal to consider your own lifestyle before choosing the right dog for you – if you don’t have the time to physically and cognitively exercise and work with a higher energy dog, it isn’t fair to them and you shouldn’t have that breed.
How to prevent boredom in your dog
Whether you’re an inexperienced dog owner or you’ve been working with dogs for decades, we all know that life happens. Sometimes, our own routine changes unexpectedly, and this can have consequences for the time we can spend with our dogs. With that said, if you are worried that your dog is suffering from boredom, come up with a plan! Here are some ideas you can implement.
Routine and structure
Dogs thrive on routine, structure, predictability and consistency. These expectations are not just helpful for your dog, though! By taking the time to create a structure and plan out your dog’s routine, you can make sure that your dog’s needs are being met. Even better, though, is the fact that you can allocate time in your schedule to work with your dog – meaning it doesn’t get forgotten as an afterthought.
If you have a daily to-do list, a dry erase board, like to write things in a planner, or just schedule things on your phone, it is time to put it in your dog’s routine on your list of responsibilities and schedule it!
Enrichment activities
Providing your pup with enrichment activities is an excellent way to alleviate potential boredom. This can be as simple as playing a ‘hide the treat’ game, or working with them on a new dog trick or obedience command. Forcing your dog to think will redirect them away from undesirable and potentially destructive behaviors. These are also great for indoor days when the weather is too hot (or too cold!) to train outside.
Remember this – physical exercise is great, but most dogs can go all day physically. They can go on 20 walks, fetch a ball 3,000 times, and still have energy for more. All dogs are descendants of wolves, and wolves in the wild walk between 10 to 30 miles a day. With the exception of dogs like the Basset Hound, your dog’s energy output will always outmatch & surpass yours as a human. So if you have a dog exhibiting destructive behavior out of boredom, you can throw a tennis ball thousands of times and what you’ll really get out of it is a dog who’s in excellent cardiovascular shape – but with the same problems.
Physical exercise is great, but nothing can match cognitive exercise. Teaching your dog something new allows them to solve new problems and build new neural pathways through neural plasticity. Studies have shown that this is particularly crucial for humans to prevent cognitive decline as we age, and it’s the same for dogs!
Get involved in a dog sport or new activity
Teaching your dog a new behavior is a great way to provide both physical and mental outlets for your dog’s energy. We have spoken before about Mondio Ring, a sport that we are extremely passionate about – but depending on your dog and their interests, they could get involved in anything from dock diving, scent work/detection, agility, search and rescue, or advanced competition obedience.
Do a deep dive into your dog’s breed and genetic characteristics to give you some ideas. For example, If you have a Hound, there is a high probability they would thrive in something like trailing or tracking where they can use their exceptional olfactory ability. If you have a dog who absolutely loves and fearlessly jumps into the water all the time, you might have a dog who would excel and get extreme fulfillment from dock diving. Test a few activities out and see what your dog enjoys! As an added benefit, this is a great way to enhance the bond between you and your dog.
Practice basic obedience
If your dog has been through training, don’t just go on a mindless walk with your dog – practice their obedience! You can elevate what they’ve learned in basic obedience. If they’re really good at it, you can always make things more challenging.
For example, if you can focus on your dog and be in handler mode, see if your dog can do an increased duration down-stay on leash when you go to an outdoor barbecue competition, where there are lots of dogs, very enticing smells, and an outdoor band playing loud music. Can you get your dog to perform really good heeling and obedience at a busy brewery or event on a Saturday, when everyone’s off work with lots of people who also have their dogs (many of which may be untrained behaving badly on a leash)? Can your dog execute with precision while other dogs are barking and rearing up at them, when someone drops a plate of dishes or there’s wild kids running around? These are all areas where you can level up your dog even better with the foundation they already have.
Off-leash walks and ‘natural’ behaviors
Allowing your dog to act naturally – that is, to do things they would typically do in the natural world – is a great way to provide them with the enrichment they require. This is where the confidence of having your dog trained off-leash comes into its own – you can allow your dog to explore and forage and go on a “sniff-ari” to their heart’s content, just as they would naturally, but with the safety and security that they will return to you if needed.
Physical exercise
Different dogs have different physical requirements – your Belgian Malinois is going to need more exercise than your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. It often depends on the heritage of your dog, what they were historically bred for, and so on. However, for their physical health as well as to prevent boredom, almost every dog will need an element of exercise incorporated into their daily routine. Recent studies have come out that show sitting around with little to no physical activity is terrible for the health of humans, and it’s the same for dogs.
When to seek professional help
If you have implemented the tips in this article but are still struggling to make progress with your dog’s behavior, it may be helpful to reach out to a professional dog trainer. It could be the case that boredom may not be the trigger for your dog’s behavior, but another underlying issue. In any event, working with a professional can help to rule in (and rule out) potential causes of your dog’s behavior. A trainer can help you come up with a plan and also help you navigate potential physical and cognitive outlets that would greatly improve your dog’s quality of life.
If you have a question about your dog’s behavior, we’re happy to help! Reach out to us at info@k9evolutionsdogtraining.com or by calling (612) 227-7019.
