Why more exercise probably isn’t the answer for your high-energy Gundog breed

We’ve all heard the saying…

"A tired dog is a good dog".

It sounds logical, but for many of us living with working-bred dogs, it can majorly backfire, and it’s so incredibly common.

We know these dogs need MORE, and when our time is limited, we try to make every minute walking them count.  So we throw the ball, we let them run harder, we arrange playdates.  Anything that keeps them moving as fast as possible for the duration of time we have available for their walk.

It makes perfect sense and it feels constructive.

The problem with physical exhaustion being the sole purpose of a walk... 

 

Physical exercise is absolutely essential.  It keeps the body healthy and releases those feel-good chemicals.

But when the sole purpose of a walk is to physically exhaust them, we are actually making things a whole lot worse and can even be changing how our dog’s body and brain functions. 

 

If your walks are all about high-speed chasing, whether that’s a ball, another dog, or just aimlessly running non-stop, here’s what’s really happening…

 

Each time your dog is in a state of excitement, frustration, or arousal, their stress response system switches on and releases hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.

These hormones are part of the body’s natural “fight or flight” system.  In short bursts, they’re essential.  They sharpen focus, boost blood sugar to fuel the muscles, and increase heart rate and alertness.

The problem comes when the stress response system remains active for prolonged periods because our dogs are repeatedly engaging in activities that trigger it.  

Cortisol can take two to six days to return to baseline, so when these triggering activities are happening daily, the dog’s system never fully recovers and resets.

Over time, this chronic activation has been shown to cause:

• Sleep disruption

• Increased sensitivity and reactivity

• Increased injury risk as pain receptors are blocked

• Digestive issues

• Suppressed immunity

Serotonin and dopamine - the chemicals responsible for relaxation, mood, and motivation - are also affected.  Low serotonin levels make it harder for dogs to relax or recover from stress, and dopamine surges from repeated high-arousal activities can become addictive, resulting in a dog who is constantly looking for that next hit.  

Their brain starts to need more of the very thing that’s causing the problem.

The recipe for a relaxed and contented dog isn’t high-intensity activity...

 

Working-bred dogs don’t just need to run, they need purpose and fulfillment.

They need to hunt, search, and perform the behaviours they were bred for.  

They need to learn new skills and be challenged mentally (puzzle feeders don’t count!)

It’s not always about doing more.  It’s about doing what matters.

When you channel their drive into activities that calm the nervous system and engage their brain, you’ll start to see a different kind of tiredness.  You start to see a more regulated, focused, and contented dog.

Try this instead…

Put that ball chucker in the bin!

Take your dog somewhere interesting instead of the same old field.  Take them to the woods, the countryside, or just somewhere different.  

Scatter a handful of their food for them to forage for, hide a few retrieves for them to find, and do some training and impulse control activities.

They will still be getting plenty of exercise, but it’ll be the kind of exercise that gives their mind a chance to unwind and their stress system time to recover.  The kind of exercise that gives them purpose and fulfillment.  

A calm dog isn’t one who’s physically exhausted.

It’s one who feels mentally and physically fulfilled.

Breed-fulfilling activity walks and impulse control is exactly where we start in the Pet Gundog Life Skills course. Classes are outdoors in the Darlington area. Click here to find out more.