Doggo Parents Advise Each Other On Good Activities To Exhaust Their Four-Legged Balls Of Energy

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kalila courban
Mar 3, 2024 12:00 PM EST

Hey, pals! Keeping your canine friend entertained and satisfied can be a challenge, but fear not, fellow pet enthusiasts! Thanks to one Reddit user, we were able to put together a delightful round-up of pawesome suggestions on how to keep your doggos occupied and happy. From engaging in scent work and agility training to the excitement of a flirt pole, there's something for every energetic pup out there.

For those with ample outdoor space, why not set up an agility course? It's a fantastic way to combine physical and mental stimulation while having a blast. And if indoor activities are more your style, try hide-and-seek with toys or even a thrilling game of left versus right! Remember, a tired dog is a happy dog, so don't hesitate to get creative with puzzle toys, snuffle mats, and obedience training. And who knows, you might even discover your dog's hidden talent for fetching a Tile! Enjoy! 

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  • 01
    Good activities that keep your dog busy
    via u/tranquilovely
  • 02
    Hi Everyone. My brother owns a 3 year old German Shepherd. His name is Ares. My brother lives with my family (mom, dad, brother and me), and Ares is a service dog for my brother. (He's a former Marine)
    via u/tranquilovely
  • 03
    Ares works whenever we are out in public, but he is a dog when we are home. I was just wondering if there are fun activities to help him get his pent up energy out. Ares. We have some enrichment toys, but I don't want to continuously feed him. (Plus, he finishes those games in 5 minutes) He isn't much of a fetch dog. He's a throw the ball, now chase me and I won't give it back to you.
    via u/tranquilovely
  • 04
    We also don't want to let him destroy things because he has destroyed 4 snow shovels and 7 softballs and we don't want to continue that behavior. He enjoys training a lot, but I am wondering what everyone else does with their dogs to keep them stimulated, especially mentally stimulated. He just seems that he is never out of energy and I feel like we are doing him a disservice if he's bored. Any suggestions?
    via u/tranquilovely
  • 05
    . tmntmikey80 Do you have access to a large outdoor space? If so, look into getting an agility set! My high energy dog loves it and it really wears him out. Plus it's not just physical enrichment, it's mental enrichment as well. Starter kits aren't too expensive online but you can probably make your own for even cheaper using PVC. 9h ago
    via u/tmntmikey80
  • 06
    impossibleoptimist • 8h ago Fetch is natural to some but can be taught in others. If you aren't up for walks then any kind of training will do. I'm currently working on "left vs right" but it does involve treats so just take those calories from dinner and make sure the treats are as nutritional like kibble or jerky
    via u/impossibleoptimist
  • 07
    RevolutionaryBat9335 9h ago ● Tug o war? German shepherds normally like a good game of tug.
    via u/RevolutionaryBat9335
  • 08
    ● PapillionGurl 9h ago Oooh, have you looked into Scent Work, Agility, Barn Hunt and Flyball? They have varying degrees of training and time commitments but I love doing sports with my dogs. Also dock diving!
    via u/PapillionGurl
  • 09
    elliot_redwoods • 10h ago Have you tried a flirt pole? Some dogs who aren't ball motivated love it. Maybe try teaching him some scent work games. You could buy a treadmill for him.
    via u/elliot_redwoods
  • 10
    9h ago If he's feed with dry kibbles, simply throw his regular daily portions over a large grass areas if you have a yard, so it may takes him anywhere between 20-40mins to find them all, instead of gobbling them in 2mins. Scent work is somewhat tiring. Sea Pea8536
    via u/Sea_Pea8536
  • 11
    Frankensteinbatch • 2h ago I make 3 baskets filled with old toys and random cut up pieces of towels and full size old ones. I'll take a portion of freeze dried beef liver, hide one piece in one of the three baskets, and make my dog "find it". It takes him 45ish seconds to find the piece, I put it back together in like 30 seconds, then rinse repeat with another piece. It takes like 20 minutes for us to finish the portion, he gets conked out from sniffing.
    via u/Frankensteinbatch
  • 12
    3h ago Dogmomma2231 My GSDs like to play "find the cheese." I sit and stay them in a separate room, go hide a piece of cheese or 2, go back to the dogs and release them to "find the cheese." They love it. Scent work is the best mental stimulation for them. I use a string cheese and get about 6 evolutions.
    via u/Dogmomma2231
  • 13
    Appropriate_Ad_4416 I've started hide & seek. I don't use food, but toys she loves. I'll wrap her favorite toy up in a towel, and tie the ends together (not knotted, just a loose tuck really). She sees me doing it, and gets excited. It keeps her busy trying to get it out. ● 8h ago Accidentally found out she loves easter egg hurts also. So now I hide random stuff in the yard, without her seeing, so she gets excited & will spend time looking for more.
    via u/Appropriate_Ad_4416

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big dogs wholesome dogs adorable german shepherd heartwarming cute doggo sweet German Shepard funny
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