What Actually Tires a Dog Out Mentally? 7 Ways to Settle a High-Energy Dog

What Actually Tires a Dog Out Mentally?

Have you ever taken your dog on a long walk, arrived home exhausted and watched them immediately bring you a toy?

You have walked. Thrown the ball. Played in the backyard. Yet your dog is still pacing around the house, staring at you or dropping the same toy into your lap while you are trying to make dinner.

For owners of high-energy dogs, it can feel like nothing is ever enough.

But the answer is not always a longer walk. Sometimes your dog’s body has been exercised, but their brain, nose, mouth and natural instincts have not been given much to do.

The activities most likely to leave a dog feeling mentally satisfied involve:

• Concentrating on a task
• Using their sense of smell
• Making choices
• Solving an achievable problem
• Learning something new
• Chewing, searching or foraging
• Practising how to settle afterwards

The goal is not to completely exhaust your dog.

The goal is to help them feel fulfilled enough that they can finally switch off and give you a little peace too.

Does Mental Stimulation Really Tire Dogs Out?

Mental stimulation can help dogs feel occupied, satisfied and more prepared to rest.

But remember, every dog is different.

A complicated puzzle might hold one dog’s attention for fifteen minutes while another loses interest almost immediately. A short scent search may leave one dog ready for a nap but make another excited to keep working.

What the evidence does support is that enrichment allows dogs to engage in natural behaviours such as smelling, exploring, chewing, playing and problem-solving. These opportunities are considered important for canine wellbeing and can help prevent the boredom that contributes to unwanted behaviour.

Mental enrichment should complement appropriate physical exercise, social interaction and rest not permanently replace them.

So, what actually works?

1. Scent Work and "Find It" Games

If you have only a few minutes, start with your dog’s nose.

Dogs naturally gather information through scent. Searching requires them to slow down, investigate an area, ignore irrelevant smells and work out where the reward is hiding.

In one study, dogs that regularly participated in nosework showed a more positive response to an ambiguous situation interpreted by researchers as increased optimism compared with dogs completing heelwork activities. The researchers suggested that nosework may benefit welfare by allowing dogs to use their natural olfactory abilities with greater independence.

Try this easy scent game

1. Ask your dog to wait outside the room.
2. Hide several small training treats in easy locations.
3. Bring your dog in and say, “Find it!”
4. Let them search at their own pace.
5. Gradually make the hiding places more challenging.

You can also scatter treats through the grass, hide them inside cardboard boxes or loosely roll them inside an old towel.

For a high-energy dog, this is often more useful than throwing food directly into their mouth. The same reward now comes with a job attached to it.

The benefit for you: This activity requires very little space, equipment or physical effort from the owner. You can set it up while making dinner, answering emails or waiting for the Melbourne rain to stop.

2. A Supervised Chewing Session

Chewing is not simply something dogs do to pass the time. It is a normal canine behaviour involving scent, taste, texture, jaw movement, paw coordination and the gradual manipulation of an object.

A 2025 scientific review concluded that chewing may contribute to sensory enrichment, cognitive function, stress management and positive welfare.

A separate study found that chewing frequency was associated with differences in working-memory performance, particularly among more fearful dogs. This does not prove that chewing will mentally exhaust every dog, but it supports chewing as more than a passive activity.

Most importantly for a busy dog parent, chewing is an activity your dog can perform independently while remaining in one place.

For dogs who enjoy textured kangaroo chews, a Roo Teeth Cleanser can provide a satisfying chewing activity. Larger dogs and experienced power chewers may prefer the bigger challenge of a Roo King Tail.

Set your dog up on a bed or mat, provide fresh water and supervise the session. Choose a chew appropriate for your dog’s size, age, health and chewing style and follow the product’s recommended session time.

The benefit for you: Instead of needing you to constantly throw, chase or entertain, chewing gives your dog something purposeful to focus on while you sit down, work or enjoy your own dinner.

3. Food Puzzles That Are Challenging but Not Frustrating

Puzzle feeders make your dog work out how to access food rather than receiving it immediately from a bowl.

Depending on the puzzle, your dog may need to sniff, lick, push, lift, roll or move an object. This combines food with cognitive and sensory enrichment.

The RSPCA recommends puzzle feeders, snuffle mats and treasure hunts as simple ways to encourage natural foraging and exploration. It also advises using food from your dog’s normal daily allowance to avoid accidentally adding too many calories.

The secret is choosing the right difficulty.

A puzzle that is too easy may be finished in seconds. One that is too difficult can create frustration rather than healthy mental engagement.

Start by leaving treats partly visible. As your dog learns how the game works, gradually cover them, add more layers or introduce moving parts.

Watch your dog’s body language. Barking at the puzzle, aggressively biting it, repeatedly giving up or walking away may mean the task is too difficult.

No puzzle toy? Try this

Place treats inside several sections of a muffin tray and cover them with appropriately sized balls or toys. Your dog must move each object to find the reward underneath.

The benefit for you: You can turn part of your dog’s normal meal into an activity without buying more treats or finding another hour in your day.

4. Learning a New Trick

Repeating “sit” ten times may not challenge a dog who has known it for years.

Learning something genuinely new is different.

Your dog must listen, observe your movements, try different behaviours and remember which action earns the reward.

Keep sessions short and use reward-based methods. Research comparing companion-dog training styles has found that aversive methods are associated with more stress-related behaviour and poorer welfare than reward-based training.

Try teaching your dog to:

• Touch your hand with their nose
• Spin in both directions
• Walk around an object
• Put their front paws on a platform
• Place a toy inside a basket
• Learn the names of different toys
• Go to their bed
• Stand between your legs
• Rest their chin in your hand

Three to five focused minutes can be more productive than a long session in which your dog becomes bored or frustrated.

Use small pieces of your dog’s favourite training treats and finish while they are still engaged.

The benefit for you: Training improves communication. Skills such as  "bed", "drop", "wait" and "touch" are not just party tricks, they can make everyday life with your dog much easier.

5. Hide-and-Seek

Hide-and-seek combines several forms of mental stimulation:

• Listening for your voice
• Remembering the layout of the house
• Following scent
• Problem-solving
• Social interaction
• Practising recall

Ask your dog to wait with another person while you hide somewhere inside the house. Call their name once and let them work out where you are.

When they find you, reward them with praise or a small treat.

Begin with easy hiding places, such as behind a door. As your dog improves, move into another room, crouch behind furniture or hide in a spot that requires them to use their nose rather than simply following your voice.

The benefit for you: It is free, requires no specialised equipment and involves the whole family. It is also far more interesting than repeatedly throwing the same ball down the hallway.

6. Structured Play That Requires Thinking

Play becomes more mentally demanding when your dog must listen and make decisions during the game.

Instead of playing tug continuously, add simple cues:

• “Take it”
• “Drop”
• “Wait”
• “Find it”
• “All done”

You can also create a simple obstacle course using stable household objects. Ask your dog to walk around a chair, step over a low pole, place their paws on a platform and finish on their bed.

The aim is not to make your dog run as fast as possible. It is to combine controlled movement with concentration.

Keep the surface non-slip and avoid high jumps, sharp turns or repetitive movements that may be unsuitable for your dog’s age, joints or physical condition.

The benefit for you: Structured play gives energetic dogs an outlet while reinforcing the skills you need when playtime ends.

7. Teach Your Dog How to Switch Off

This may be the most important step for owners of high-energy dogs.

Some dogs are given plenty of exercise and entertainment but have never learned what to do when nothing is happening.

They follow their owners, paw for attention, bring toys constantly or become restless whenever the household slows down.

You do not just need to tire your dog out. You also need to teach them that resting is a behaviour worth repeating.

Try settle-mat training

1. Place a comfortable mat near you.
2. Reward your dog for stepping onto it.
3. Reward sitting or lying down.
4. Quietly place another treat between their paws while they remain settled.
5. Gradually increase the time between rewards.
6. Introduce a cue such as “settle” or “bed”.
7. Practise while you watch television, work or eat.

Veterinary behaviour guidance recommends rewarding calm, non-demanding behaviour and gradually teaching dogs to rest independently on a designated mat or bed. Predictable routines can also reduce the frustration that leads to barking, pawing and other attention-seeking behaviour.

Once your dog understands the routine, you might give them an appropriate chew on their mat before encouraging quiet rest.

The benefit for you: Your dog learns that you do not need to provide continuous entertainment. Over time, the mat becomes a clear signal that the active part of the day is finished.

The Best Mental-Enrichment Routine for a Busy Owner

You do not need to spend hours designing elaborate activities.

Try this simple routine:

Five minutes: Find it

Hide small training treats around one room and allow your dog to search.

Three to five minutes: Learn something

Practise one new skill using reward-based training.

Up to ten minutes: Supervised chewing

Offer an appropriate natural chew while your dog rests on their bed or mat. Follow the product’s safety directions and remove it at the end of the session.

Finish: Quiet settle time

Dim the excitement, reduce interaction and reward your dog for remaining relaxed.

This sequence moves your dog from active concentration to slower chewing and, finally, rest.

That transition matters.

An activity that leaves your dog more frantic, frustrated or demanding has not necessarily achieved the result you want.

How Do You Know if Mental Enrichment Is Working?

A successful activity should leave your dog looking engaged rather than overwhelmed.

During the activity, your dog may:

• Concentrate for several minutes
• Sniff carefully
• Try different solutions
• Return willingly after a small challenge
• Remain interested without becoming frantic

Afterwards, they may:

• Drink some water
• Lie down
• chew quietly
• Stop demanding constant attention
• Nap or rest

Not every dog will fall asleep immediately. The better measure is whether your dog appears satisfied and can transition into calmer behaviour.

Can You Give a Dog Too Much Mental Stimulation?

Yes. More stimulation is not always better.

Constantly providing increasingly exciting games can create a dog who expects entertainment throughout the day. Difficult puzzles, intense play or repetitive ball chasing may also increase frustration or arousal in some dogs.

Rotate activities rather than offering everything at once. Include quiet days, familiar tasks and plenty of uninterrupted sleep.

Enrichment should suit your dog’s:

• Age
• Breed and natural preferences
• Health and mobility
• Confidence
• Experience
• Individual chewing and playing style

The RSPCA also recommends supervising new enrichment activities, selecting appropriately sized materials and regularly checking toys and equipment for damage.

Why Is My Dog Still Hyper After a Long Walk?

A dog who remains restless after exercise may need more than additional kilometres.

They may be missing opportunities to:

• Sniff and explore
• Make choices
• Search or forage
• Chew
• Learn
• Practise calm behaviour
• Get enough quality sleep

True clinical hyperactivity is considered rare in dogs. Most dogs described as “hyperactive” are highly energetic, over-aroused, under-stimulated or have not yet learned how to settle.

However, a sudden or significant change in your dog’s behaviour should not automatically be blamed on boredom. Pain, illness, anxiety, hormonal changes and neurological conditions can all influence behaviour. Speak with your veterinarian when restlessness is new, extreme or accompanied by other physical or behavioural changes.

So What Tires Dogs Out Mentally?

The activities that mentally satisfy dogs most effectively tend to combine:

• A natural behaviour
• A manageable challenge
• Choice and exploration
• Concentration
• A rewarding outcome
• A clear transition into rest

For many dogs, the most practical combination is scent work, reward-based training, food puzzles, supervised chewing and settle-mat practice.

You do not need to spend the entire evening entertaining your dog.

Give their brain and natural instincts something meaningful to do and then teach them that it is safe to stop.

Because the real goal is not simply a tired dog. It is a fulfilled dog who can settle happily while you finally put your feet up.

Looking for an easy way to add chewing and scent-based enrichment to your dog’s routine? Explore our natural dog chews and training treats, selected for very good dogs with very busy brains.