FitDog Friday #52 - Crime Scene

It's good for dogs to have their off-leash time. It gives them a chance to exercise their noses and run full steam and perform natural acts of agility. Besides you never know what they're going to find!

Is your dog under-exercised?

I had a wisdom tooth removed last week so Mr. N didn't get nearly as much physical or mental or social stimulation as he normally does. Mr. N was still walked every day for short intervals but that does almost nothing for him.

Mr. N says you better exercise him or else! 

The ASPCA states that under-exercised dogs can exhibit behaviors such as: 

• Destructive chewing, digging or scratching

• Investigative behaviors, like garbage raiding

• Hyperactivity, excitability and night-time activity

• Unruliness, knocking over furniture and jumping up on people

• Excessive predatory and social play

• Play biting and rough play

• Attention-getting behaviors like barking and whining

I think under-exercised dogs amplify their problem behaviors. Mr. N has never been destructive at all and he has shown himself to have excellent bite inhibition so even when he was overflowing with energy, those behaviors didn't manifest.

But he can be hyperactive, and over-excited and reactive and all of those traits showed up in full during his week of inactivity. He was hyper-alert and sprang up every time he thought I might be moving from a stationary position. He would run around with a toy in his mouth at midnight. And he was extra reactive, barking at everything and everyone.

We're going for a long walk with Sage today and the dogs will have some off-leash time so I'm hoping he'll burn off some of that energy. And next week, Mr. N will be starting his new job so that should provide mental fodder!

What is your dog like when under-exercised?