The Dog Den: Does Your Dog Need More Exercise?

Our HuMom spends her days rehabilitating rescue dogs. She does not believe that you can help a rescue dog to adjust to life in the average family home unless they live in a home during rehab training. Therefore, she lives with our pack of multiple dogs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. HuMom says “It’s rather like living with a preschool classroom full of 3 year olds on a daily basis. However, this particular group of three year olds, doesn’t speak my language, and they will never progress mentally past the human age of three. Turn your back on them for a second and there is no telling what they might get into.”

Every dog is different, each has their own unique quirks of character. and traits humans see as “behavioral problems.” One dog may enjoy snacking on those $500.00 Manolo Blahnik shoes their HuMom bought on her last trip to Europe, or providing her with an endless supply of crotchless Victoria’s Secret panties. Another dog may prefer mopping the kitchen floor using the water from the dish they just upended, and the clean laundry they pulled out of the basket HuMom left by the door. Suffice it to say that left to our own devices, us dogs can do a lot of damage.

A bored or anxious dog can be a destructive dog.

But is all this destruction willful, or is something else at work here? Is your dog acting out because of another problem? Chances are, the answer is yes. What makes a dog chew and destroy? With some dogs it is boredom, with others anxiety. Large breed dogs and high energy breeds, need a LOT of exercise. They need a hour walk at least three times a day in order to burn off pent up energy. If not given the exercise they require on a daily basis they begin to get bored or anxious. They have to dispel that energy somehow, and a good chew at your shoes or a nice wet romp on the kitchen floor with the laundry seems just the ticket.

So if you are finding yourself with a larger supply of crotchless panties than one person could ever want or need perhaps it is time to assess whether you and Fido are getting enough exercise. Letting him out the back door once or twice a day is NOT enough, no matter how small he is. So get out and explore the neighborhood, visit the off leash park, EXERCISE your pooch, and perhaps you’ll actually get to wear those Manolo’s BEFORE the dog redesigns them!

Remember, a TIRED DOG IS A HAPPY DOG! But more importantly, a tired dog is less likely to be destructive.

Of course if your dog is still a puppy there are entirely different reasons as to why your shoes are so attractive. We’ll combat those in the next “Dog Den” post.

Until Then,

May your feet stay furry, your nose stay wet, and your food bowl never empty!

Toodles,

Pebbles & Harley