How to Deal with a High Drive Dog

So your dog is much more demanding than you planned - and you're at a loss to deal with it.

What are some creative ways to live comfortably with a higher drive dog?

1) Think "short duration intensity" over "long"

It's quite possible to build up a dog's endurance to be really impressive, so running with them for miles, though it might be effective, will lose its efficacy over time as they become conditioned to it. So, unless you're already a marathoner, doing intense things for a short period of time is probably a better strategy. An offleash hike is one of the best exercises you can engage in with your high drive dog.

Some examples are bikejoring (running your dog alongside your bicycle), swimming, flirt pole, and weight pull. I am a big fan of dog treadmills, where they can REALLY cut loose safely and in the air conditioning.

2) Think "mentally intensive"

Some of the best ways to take the edge off of a high drive dog are mentally challenging tasks, such as scent work and tracking. Trick training, obedience, and public access work are also very mentally intensive. Remember, a chess competitor burns as many calories during a competition as a runner in a marathon, so getting your dog to work their brain is just as effective (if not more so) than intense physical activity.

A common thread beneath all of these ideas is the fact that to engage in them safely, your dog needs training. For a higher drive dog, it's not optional (because if you try to go bikejoring with an untrained dog, it's likely you'll end up in the hospital). Ultimately, the best way to live with a higher drive dog is to keep them training at different tasks their entire lives, which just makes them easier and easier to live with over time.

If you're ready to make that investment up front so that your daily existence is much easier, give us a call!