Exercise First; Training Will Follow
Exercise is a crucial element in any training program. Without enough of it, no real learning will occur. A dog without enough exercise is like a child without recess. What adult would like to teach a math lesson to a classroom full of six-year-olds who haven't been outside to play all day? Without exercise, your dog will be hard to teach because she just can't be still long enough to pay attention.
Dogs vary in their exercise requirements, but all need at least thirty minutes of running, playing, and interaction with you each day. The amount and type of exercise is dependent upon your dog's overall energy level. A Border collie or active young Lab will need one to two hours of flat-out running and active play, while a couch potato Pekingese may need only a 30-minute romp.
Yet, every dog is different, regardless of the breed and its stereotype. Ultimately, the amount of exercise your dog needs is whatever it takes to make her tired enough to be able to exist in your home as a calm, relaxed member of the family. The following clues will help you recognize if your dog isn't getting enough exercise:
She paces from room to room in the house.
She hardly ever lies down, even when everyone else is relaxed.
She whines excessively for no apparent reason.
She barks excessively, sometimes over nothing.
She digs, destroys, and chews everything in sight.
She never stops jumping when there are people around.
She runs away every chance she gets.
She runs along the fence, using any excuse to bark at passersby.
Energetic dogs that don't get enough exercise are obvious; they exhibit their excess energy in excessive barking, jumping, and other unwanted behavior. If your dog has behavior problems, increasing the amount of exercise she gets can cut your training time in half.
If your dog exhibits some or all of these symptoms, she could probably use more exercise and mental stimulation. Most people don't realize that leaving their dogs in the backyard for hours at a time is not a good way to burn off energy. Your dog doesn't get nearly enough exercise to make for a relaxed family pet. Most dogs, when left to their own devices, don't do any-thing but bark, dig, or lie around.
If you are going to use your yard as a way to exercise your dog, you will need to go out with her and play games to burn off even a fraction of the energy she's got bottled up. Inviting neighbor dogs over to play might be another option as long as the dogs get along with each other. All-out running, chasing, and wrestling is what a dog needs to do to be tired enough to be a good pet.
