You knew puppies were active little playthings, scampering around while chasing butterflies in the sunshine. You wouldn’t trade your Border Collie puppy for the world. He’s already so stinkin’ smart! However, you seemed to have brought home the Energizer Bunny with a puppy that definitely shows more energy than your friend’s English Bulldog puppy. While you knew you were getting an active working dog breed, you are just now realizing the time and effort you will need to spend keeping your high-energy puppy physically active and mentally stimulated to raise a happy, healthy puppy.
High-energy dog breeds will not only be physically wound up but also constantly busy with an active mind. They are incredibly intelligent and are always looking for the next problem to solve. Their brains are always on the go and never stop, so you have to stay one paw ahead of their needs to ensure they do not become bored.
What are your options with high-energy puppies? You are realizing you need to research all you can to have an arsenal of tools by way of toys, games, and activities that cater to your dog’s active needs. Follow our suggestions for active enrichment games to play with your high-energy puppy for a happy, tired, and well-behaved dog.
Why High-Energy Dogs Need to Stay Busy With Enrichment Games
Having a boisterous puppy is a lot of work! It’s not enough to casually throw a ball for 10 minutes, go on a walk for another 10 minutes, and call it good enough for the day. While all dog breeds should go on some sort of walk every day, active dogs may require more spread throughout the day and a longer, more rigorous walk or run. Most high-energy dog breeds need 1-2 hours of focused activity daily, a conservative estimate for some dogs that need even more.
Unfortunately, many dog owners do not get high marks for providing enough enrichment activities for dogs. Mental stimulation for dogs is crucial to keep their minds busy and firing away, reducing boredom and even staving off dementia later in life. Not all games have to be interactive between you and your puppy. We consider games to be anything you provide your puppy with to keep their bodies and brains busy, whether you directly participate or not. Before getting a high-energy dog breed bred to work, consider if you have the resources, time, and energy to give them what they need.
A lack of enrichment can have serious consequences and often leads to behavioral problems in your puppy, such as:
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Chewing
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Vocalizations like excessive barking, whining, howling, etc.
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Digging holes
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Jumping up on people
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Poor leash manners
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Escaping enclosed areas like crates, doors, or fences
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Anxiety, stress, and fearfulness
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Reacting negatively to other people and animals
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Atrophied brain connections
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Lack of problem-solving skills
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Poor doggy manners at home and in public places
Instead, enrichment activities to keep your puppy occupied have a wide range of benefits for your puppy, including:
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Teaching calm behaviors
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Learning how to focus
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Building your puppy’s confidence
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Reducing separation anxiety and fear
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Lessening impulse control issues
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Showing your puppy how to relax
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Improving the formation of neurological pathways in the brain
It’s a good practice to rotate the toys available to your puppy rather than leave them all out. Like children, puppies can easily become bored with too many selections and choices.
Tasty Enrichment: Delicious Direction
Puppies explore the world through their mouths and will inevitably seek out items to soothe their sore gums. A high-energy dog will choose objects whether you allow them or not, which are often your furniture legs and upholstery, baseboards, and even your walls instead of the carefully curated toys. Having plenty of toys intended for heavy chewers or that appeal to their propensity to mouth everything is a surefire way to keep a high-energy dog busy.
KONG Classic Dog Toy shown with peanut butter-flavored Easy Treat filler
Stuffed Kongs
A Kong toy for dogs is a hollow, durable, rubbery toy with different tiers of thickness that provide a puppy relief from teething featuring a cavity to stuff with treats. Dogs use their tongues to lick and work out the contents, giving them the satisfaction of chewing and getting the reward. Kongs come in a variety of shapes and are made in the USA from dog-safe globally sourced materials designed for the heaviest of chewers. They are also easy to wash after your puppy is done.
Many owners find having multiple styles of Kongs to switch out or use as backups is a good way to always be ready to calm a wild puppy. Owners can choose to use a Kong right away, stuffing it with kibble and spraying pet-friendly canned cheese. Other owners enjoy keeping a Kong stash in the freezer with frozen Greek yogurt or peanut butter for a longer-lasting treat.
You can stuff a Kong with single or multiple items as long as the food items are safe for dogs. Your puppy will love it when you rotate ingredients to keep things exciting! Try out these stuffed Kong recipes for both fresh and frozen options. You can stuff your Kong with:
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Kibble or bits of treats
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Beef or chicken bone broth
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Greek yogurt
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Peanut butter
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Green beans
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Pumpkin puree
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Canned cheese
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Carrots
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Bananas
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Cottage cheese
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Chicken
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Blueberries
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Freeze-dried bits of liver
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Cucumber
Frisco Flower Silicone Dog Lick Mat
Lick mats
A lick mat is usually made of silicone and contains raised textures so that you can smear food between the bumps and knobs to encourage your puppy to lick off food. Much like a Kong, owners can choose foods like peanut butter, Greek yogurt, or canned cheese to spread, and your puppy stays busy trying to get every last morsel. Lick mats can be kept on the floor, but some have suction cups, making them handy to use in situations for grooming such as cutting nails or giving a bath. Lick mats give your puppy a “job” to do by licking the mat clean.
Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound Brick Puzzle Game + Dog Hide N Slide Dog Toy
Treat puzzles
Smart puppies will love opening compartments, moving pieces, and operating buttons with their noses and paws when using treat puzzles. These come in a variety of shapes and configurations, but they all have a common goal of getting a puppy to remove treats from various challenging spots.
Nose-Based Enrichment Games
When dogs are allowed to activate their sense of smell in a focused way, their brains and bodies get a boost of activity. Dogs have up to 300 million olfactory sensors and sniff five to 10 times a second compared to a human’s 6 million scent receptors and sniff once every 1.5 seconds. Allowing opportunities for sniffing gives your puppy ample opportunities to make their own choices, tap into their instincts, and problem-solve in addition to lighting up parts of their brains that may otherwise remain dormant.
Scent walks and hide-and-seek
Not only is sniffing good for the mind, but it’s also good for your puppy’s body. Sniffing increases a dog’s respiration rate, tiring them out more quickly than activities that do not encourage sniffing. Taking your puppy on a scent walk where you allow him to sniff to his heart’s desire using a long lead engages him more than a focused walk might thanks to the brain-body connection. “Dogs can get a whole lot of sniffing done in 20 to 30 minutes and be just as tired as an hour walk without sniffing,” says Staci Lemke, CPDT-KA, RVT. If the weather outside is terrible or you have to be on a conference call, playing hide-and-seek games by placing treats around puppy-proofed areas of your home should also keep your high-energy puppy busy.
fouFIT Hide 'n Seek Snuffle Ball Dog Toy
Snuffle mats and balls
A snuffle mat for dogs is a fabric puzzle usually made of fleece and cut with fringe or fleece folded on itself to create nooks and crannies that hide treats and kibbles. Your dog uses its extraordinary nose to “snuffle” around and sniff out the treat treasures you hide. Puppies also learn to push material out of the way, engaging their entire upper body and brains. Some mats lie on the floor, while others are in 3D shapes, such as a ball or animal. The fleece material is easy to wash. Some come with a non-skid material on the bottom to keep it in place as your puppy roots around for his reward. Not only can a snuffle mat keep your dog’s brain busy, but it can also help slow down a fast feeder.
Training Games For Active Puppies
High-energy dogs need more reinforcement and practice when it comes to learning manners. They may be prey-driven and take off after a scent, affecting their recall skills. Active dogs get caught up in the moment and are focused on their wishes rather than following your directions. Put that energy to work by teaching your puppy basic commands. When you have the foundation down, move to more advanced commands that feed into their natural abilities to keep them busy with “jobs” to do.
Monkey in the Middle Recall Name Game
Gather your friends around for a game of “Monkey in the Middle.” In a fenced-in area, split the group into a large circle or gather on opposite sides of the yard. One group calls your dog and gives a reward, and another group calls your dog, repeating the treat reward. Continue until your puppy is tired out. This game reinforces your puppy coming when called and getting rewarded for responding to his name.
Elevated Fetch
You’ll need some carpeted stairs or stairs with traction for this game. Starting at the bottom, toss a ball or favorite toy up the stairs. Your puppy will bound up the stairs to retrieve it. After your puppy reaches the top, call his name and watch him run back down for another fun round. Repeat until they tire out. This is another game that focuses on Recall recognition. Always evaluate for safety if you play the Elevated Stairs game and stop if your dog becomes too energetic.
Get the Sillies Out
This game aims to get your puppy to calm down on command when riled up – a tall order, but it can be done! At first, play with your puppy to get him excited and engaged. Teach a “Go Wild” cue that gives him permission to romp around. Then stand up and put your hands on your chest, saying, “Freeze!” When your dog is still with four paws on the ground, reward him. You can then move on to a Sit command and a Down command with the ultimate goal of getting your puppy to settle while in the Down position.
Dog Sports
Active dogs thrive when they participate in dog sports, such as obedience, flyball, rally, agility, dock diving, and other organized activities for dogs. These allow dogs to use their brains to solve problems and follow commands in a physical way. You may find some of the more unusual dog sports nearby, sports like lure coursing for Sighthounds, earthdog trials for Terriers, mushing for sled dogs, and even dog dancing.
Enrich the Life of a High-Energy Pawrade Puppy
If you’re interested in a high-energy dog breed, Pawrade can help! We partner with reputable puppy breeders who have passed our rigorous selection process to provide active puppies for sale. Our breeders understand the needs of high-energy puppies and raise them to prepare for a seamless transition to their new homes. From Miniature Australian Shepherd puppies to Siberian Husky puppies, high-energy dog breeds are a great choice for an active individual or family who understands the complex activity level these dogs crave and need. Browse our puppies for sale to find your energetic buddy!
