Help! My dog is bored

Being vocal. The zoomies. Excessive licking and chewing. Pacing.

These are just some signs that your dog might be giving you to tell you that they are bored.

Dogs sleep 12-14 hours a day, but for the remaining 10-12 hours they want excitement. The obvious answer would be to walk them, but that’s not always possible depending on people’s lives. Things like work, childcare and your personal health can take some time away from your dog. So, what do you do when two walks a day just doesn’t seem to be cutting it?

Stimulate your dog

If your dog is showing signs of boredom but you are unable to provide more physical exercise that day, try a brain stimulating exercise. Games such as hide and seek, puzzles and enrichment toys are great alternatives to keep your dog busy.

Training

Dogs want to learn. If you have just a few minutes to spare each day work on a new training technique with your dog. Not only will they learn a new command, but learning can keep them busy and tire them out.

Sniffing

We understand sometimes you just need to get the walk over with. But if you can take the time to let your dog enjoy the walk and sniff as much as they want, they will come back from the walk more tired than ever. Sniffing promotes relaxation, stimulation and in some cases a dog sniffing for a few minutes is equivalent to running a mile!

Rotate toys

We know that fluffy has his favorite stuffed animal, but he may become bored with it. Switching out the toys for your dog can keep them on their toes and enjoy their toys more. (Just like a little kid!)

Window access

Dogs LOVE to stare out the window. If possible, let them sit on the balcony or deck, watch out the window or even put on the animal channel on the tv. The noises, the smells and the sounds will keep your dog entertained.

Dog parks and doggy daycare

Dogs love to interact with other dogs! If possible, enroll your dog into doggy daycare or take them to the dog park a couple times a week so they can socialize and play with other pups just like them! *Please research the dog daycares in your area when making the best decision for your dog. If your dog is more on the aggressive or timid side, we recommend researching alternatives.*

And no matter what, make sure your pup is ready for adventure with the latest and greatest at Frenchie Bulldog!