How to Easily Tire Out a Dog

A dog's mental balance depends heavily on the exercise they get every day — dogs need to burn off their excess energy in order to feel fulfilled and rest peacefully.

However, tiring out a dog isn't always easy. Many people don't do physical activities where the dog can join them, and end up wondering what they can do to wear their dog out.

At SoyUnPerro we'll walk you through the best techniques for tiring out a dog, both outdoors and at home, so that both you and your dog can feel fulfilled.

What does tiring out a dog actually mean?

Dogs are animals that love to sleep — they can spend many hours a day asleep, and that brings with it two important points. The first is that by sleeping so much, they recharge a lot of energy, which they'll then need to burn off.

The second is that in order to sleep well and stay calm at home, they need to have burned off their excess energy first, so in a way it's a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation.

Tiring out a dog means playing games, going for walks, and/or exercising with them so they release their energy and feel fulfilled. Depending on the dog's age, breed, and physical condition, they'll need to burn off more or less energy each day.

We shouldn't fall into the mistake of thinking that tiring out a dog means throwing the ball over and over for twenty minutes straight until their tongue is dragging on the ground… that's not even healthy, since they could suffer heatstroke.

We should tire our dog out calmly and gradually, without going overboard, and definitely without rushing.

Games to tire out a dog at home

There are plenty of exercises for tiring out a dog indoors, which we'll call games. Since we need to tire them out anyway… why not do it through play?

• Playing hide and seek is still one of the best games for tiring out a dog at home — just tell them to sit and go hide. Once you're hidden, call them so they come find you.
• The game of tag is also excellent both for tiring out the dog and for getting us some exercise too. Running around the house, you'll see your dog chase you constantly trying to catch you.
• Dog toys, such as chew toys, are great for a game of tug-of-war or for throwing so they fetch and bring them back. They also help improve their training with commands like "fetch" or "drop it."
• Stairs are also an excellent option for tiring them out, especially if you have a hyperactive dog who needs an extra dose of exercise. Going up and down stairs is one of the most exhausting exercises there is.

How to tire them out outdoors

Now that we know how to tire out a dog at home, how about we look at how to tire them out outside? Outdoors we have plenty of great options for wearing out our dog.

Walks are the most widespread practice among dog owners, although they're not always done correctly. A good walk means going with your dog to new places where they can enjoy new smells and even greet other dogs.

A good walk should last at least an hour and let the dog take their time wherever they like. A fifteen-minute walk at top speed doesn't cut it… that doesn't tire them out, it stresses them out.

Playing with other dogs is possibly the best way to tire out our dog while they have a blast. Playing with another dog for half an hour will tire our dog out more than an hour and a half of walking with us.

On top of that, playing with other dogs helps them become more social and prevents canine stress, burns off their energy, and they'll have a great time. What more could we ask for?

Joining us for sports is one of the best ways to keep our dog fit and help them burn off energy. We can take them running with us, rollerblading, or even have them join us when we ride a bike.

Sport is especially recommended for tiring out hyperactive dogs, since canine hyperactivity requires extra exertion for the dog to feel satisfied. Not all dogs have the same energy level.

What about a puppy?

We need to be very careful when trying to tire out a puppy, since they're very delicate and we shouldn't put them through hard or intense exercise. Much less force them to exercise.

The only way to tire out a puppy is by playing with them, either with their toys or by walking them to a dog park where they can play with other dogs.

We should never force a puppy to play, run, or even walk. They should always be the ones setting the pace, no exceptions.

Special care to keep in mind

We need to take special care with sick dogs, senior dogs, and puppies. With them, we shouldn't be insistent, since they shouldn't be forced to exercise. In these cases, they should always be the ones setting the pace.

We should never force a puppy, a senior dog, or a sick dog to play, run, walk, or exercise. They are the exception.

One thing to keep in mind with the rest of our dogs is size and breed — every type of dog has its own limits when it comes to exercising and getting tired. A mini dog isn't the same as a medium-sized dog or a large dog.

Small or mini breed dogs shouldn't be forced either. The same goes for extremely large (giant) breeds or overweight dogs.

We should never exercise a dog when it's too hot out or the sun is beating down hard, since they could suffer heatstroke or even die. So go ahead and tire your dog out, but always with common sense.