Can’t Tire Your Dog Out? Try This Instead

When Your Dog Just Won’t Switch Off

If you’ve got a dog who is constantly on the go, it can be really exhausting. You might be walking them for hours each day, but still finding that it’s not enough. All you want is to relax in front of the telly in the evening, but your dog is whining and barking at you for attention – and if you try and ignore them, they go and tear up your favourite pair of slippers instead.

Maybe you’ve tried all the ‘enrichment toys’ and puzzle feeders on the market, but your dog figures them out in 5 minutes and is immediately bored again. So what’s the answer when your dog won’t settle at home or won’t relax even after a walk?

The truth is, sometimes it’s not about doing more – it’s about understanding what kind of activity your dog really needs. And for many dogs, that means looking closely at their breed’s natural drives and instincts.

Why Breed Traits Matter

Many of our domestic dog breeds have been fine-tuned over centuries to perform very specific tasks, whether that’s rounding up sheep, retrieving game on shoots or guarding property from intruders. As a result, the instincts and drives needed for these jobs have become hard-wired, even in pet dogs who have never worked a day in their life.

If these needs aren’t recognised and met, dogs can become restless, frustrated or difficult to manage. In some cases, they may even begin to develop behavioural issues that seem to come out of nowhere.

That doesn’t mean your Border Collie needs to herd sheep, or your Belgian Malinois has to guard the house from the postman. But it does mean we need to find safe, manageable ways to give them an outlet – because problematic dog behaviour caused by unmet needs is more common than we often realise.

Whether you're living with a high-drive working breed or a mixed-breed rescue, taking time to understand your dog’s breed traits can be a game-changer — and the good news is, there are lots of creative ways to meet your dog’s needs without turning your life upside down.

So what does this actually look like in real life? Let me introduce you to TJ – a Patterdale Terrier who taught me a lot about instinct, outlet and understanding.

Border Collies were born to herd – and those instincts don’t just switch off because they’re now a family pet.

Looking for simple ways to meet your dog’s needs at home? I’ve put together a free guide with five quick activities that tap into your dog’s natural instincts – no fancy equipment required. You’ll also get a little thank-you surprise inside for when you’re ready to dive deeper. 👉 Download 'From Frantic to Fulfilled' here

Case Study: Life With a Patterdale

TJ was adopted from Pawprints Dog Rescue in Rugby at around one year old. From the start, he really struggled to settle in the home. He would quickly become over-aroused, barking and nipping persistently at his adopters — so they got in touch with me for help.

Like many of the dogs at Pawprints, TJ had been picked up by the dog warden after being found straying and was never claimed. That meant we had very little background information to go on — but that didn’t matter. Instead of focusing on what we didn’t know, we looked at how to meet his needs based on his breed traits.

Patterdales are high-energy dogs, originally bred for pest control. They tend to have a strong drive to hunt, chase and destroy. I encouraged TJ’s adopters to channel those instincts through activities like tug, shredding boxes, and using a flirt pole to simulate chasing in a structured, controlled way. We also added structured rest time and impulse control games to help build frustration tolerance and support calmness.

The results were transformative. TJ became noticeably more relaxed and easier to live with, and his relationship with his guardians grew stronger and more connected.

If I’d simply suggested training him to settle in his bed using food, without first providing proper outlets for his energy and instincts, it’s unlikely we’d have seen this kind of progress. His adopters were already walking him twice a day, so asking them to ‘just give him more exercise’ wouldn’t have helped either. This wasn’t about doing more – it was about doing what actually met his needs.

Don’t be fooled by the angelic face – this is the same TJ who goes wild in what his adopters refer to as his ‘rage cage’ (!) during cardboard shredding sessions. A good outlet = a calm(er) terrier.

💬 Struggling with a high-energy rescue dog? You’re not alone – and it’s not about walking them into the ground. I offer 1:1 behaviour support for rescue dogs across Warwickshire, including Rugby, Leamington Spa and Coventry. Together, we’ll uncover what your dog really needs to feel calmer and more settled at home. 👉 Find out more 📍 In-person sessions available

Progress Starts With Understanding

It’s easy to assume that a restless or demanding dog just needs more training, more structure, or longer walks. But for many high-energy and working-breed dogs, the real shift happens when we stop trying to suppress their instincts – and start finding healthy, realistic ways to meet them.

That doesn’t mean turning your life upside down, or training your dog to become a different dog entirely. It means recognising what’s driving their behaviour, and finding simple, manageable ways to give them the outlets they need to feel calmer, more connected and more content.

Every dog is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution – but when you start from a place of curiosity and compassion, the path forward becomes much clearer.  If you’re finding it hard to meet your dog’s needs or just want a second pair of eyes on what’s going on, get in touch – I’d love to help.

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