Pawsitive Attitudes, LLC

We’ve all heard the saying, “a tired dog is a good dog,” but more isn’t always better when it comes to physical activity. If you’re trying to use exercise to help your dog relax the rest of the day, walking smarter, not farther, can help you meet your goal. It also creates wonderful opportunities for strengthening dog-owner relationships.

“It takes energy to solve puzzles,” says Amy Cook, PhD, of Full Circle Dog Training in Oakland, California. “Training on walks means our dogs have to concentrate more and work to filter out distractions, and that’s costly in energy.” In other words, thinking is hard work. The more your dog thinks, the more energy he uses.