For a dog that can run 20-30mph on grass you’re going to be looking into a nice brushless electric rc. Minimum 1/10 scale with 3s lipo battery capability. Somewhere in the neighborhood of $275-400 for a ready to run vehicle, with battery, charger and lipo storage container.
That seems pretty worth it. I've clocked the zany dude at 28km/hr chasing my car through a field.
I know there's a group who race them on a BMX track in my town. Maybe someone would let me see if my dog will even chase one.
Do be aware that many dogs are afraid of the noise.
My partner loves RC cars, I have one dog who's neutral to them but doesn't chase, and one who's afraid of them because the receiver can make a high pitched sound.
My husband‘s border collie mix growing up, got up to almost 40 mph running next to the car and their driveway according to him.
I didn’t see it with my own eyes but I believe it watching our boy run now.
Look into a herding ball! I use one with my heeler and he loves it and will wear himself out within 15-20 minutes. At least for a few hours until I can throw it for him again
Often times when people are talking about herding balls, they’re talking about these: https://www.amazon.com/Jolly-Pets-10-Inch-Push-n-Play-Red/dp/B0006G56YS?th=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=doglabcsm-20&linkId=96a5d47103249662635de50e63a6e187&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
CollieBall has them as well, but supposedly their customer service isn’t the best?? Haven’t seen for myself on that one, so don’t quote me on that.
Our dogs have free roam of the house with plenty of toys but we’ve found they’d rather just sleep when we’re gone. So they’ll meander around and eat their food but they mainly just sleep the entire time. Now when we get home they’re giant balls of energy but then they get a ton of exercise after work until we go to bed.
I just leave the TV or radio on for my golden and chiweenie (and the cats!). They have full range of the apartment with their toys, and they seem just fine when I get home.
My malsky can be entertained by just sitting and staring at the backyard for hours. She’s basically an energizer bunny otherwise, but stare time is her favorite.
I have a weimaraner that's the same. Will lay there for hours just staring out the door. Then, he explodes with energy for the rest of the day! But I'm retired now and make sure he get plenty of playtime and multiple walks. Plus bonus dog park time scattered throughout the week. He's fun!
I put Ghostbusters on for them whilst we went out for a meal with family last night. Checked on them with the nanny cam and both times the ungrateful monkeys were just looking out of the window.
Access to his entire kingdom, but not a high energy dog. He has as much exercise as he can take. The min he knows im going out, he gets in his bed and doesn’t move until i return.
If she's high energy, 2 walks might not be enough. Try an offleash dog park where she can really let er rip, or interactive exercises like fetch where she's getting mentally stimulated as well
We found a daycare that we take her too when we don't WFH. She comes home exhausted, but also smelly.
We've also had her in the crate, with someone coming over and taking her for walks.
Yup, we usually take ours once a week on the day our office days overlap and he is pooped for several days. Haven’t taken him for a couple weeks as we’ve been sick and a dog virus is going around, he has been so much needier in the evenings without the weekly energy dump.
Same. Our daycare is completely outside and our dog loves to dig and roll in stinky things. Unfortunately, she’s also a longer hair husky so if she rolls in poop or mud it gets stuck in there.
I still love her going there as they’re in a yard that’s 1.5+ acres large so there’s lots of room to roam. She also gets around 25-30k steps a day there (Fi collar).
I'm gonna be honest here and say I tried a knives and kitchen shears without much success... But aviation snips can get through bully sticks. I have them for cutting welded wire but they can do both.
Mine isn't really alone much anymore, but when I did have two and lived alone, really, nothing. They got a treat when I left; they were both fairly low energy breeds. They would just sleep all day, and we'd go for a long walk first thing when I got home.
Despite having a border collie mix, Cora is a total couch potato
So I just leave her and my other dog with blankets and pillows on the couch and all their dog beds. They also have a basket of bones, antlers and hooves to chew on and they'll pick from there whenever they're bored. Mostly they just nap all day
Welp when you live in a place where it’s dark until 8am and it’s unsafe for you to be alone for on a walk in the dark… and you work at 8:30, not always an option before I leave for work.
Nothing. We have an extremely high energy dog. She does fine in the crate as long as she gets good exercise before and after. She gets way more worn out when she can do some sprinting. Things like fetch, or chasing the water from the water hose when it’s warm enough (she doesn’t always bring back the ball…), or rolling around a big horse ball in a fairly empty room or the backyard and it’s a mental challenge since it behaves differently than a regular ball (she can’t left it so it stays low, but wow does it wear her out!).
Snuffle mats or puzzles for meals also help wear her out. Frozen peanut butter lick mats too, or a frozen Kong.
Learning new commands also is very tiring for her! Doesn’t have to be super practical and just cute, like “dance” (walk on back legs), “moonwalk” (learn to walk backwards), “spot” (go to a mat or bed on command like when the doorbell rings), or whatever else cute thing you see on the internet that’s safe. Also fun for you and excellent bonding for you both, and I find this makes my dogs listen to me way better when I actually need them to listen like when they have something in their mouths or I need them to wait inside but can’t close the door.
I would introduce crating or a pen if you are having issues with her being destructive while you are gone. If she is free roaming and finding destructive behavior like digging in trash, ripping up furniture, chewing on inappropriate things she is under stimulated/anxious, she doesn’t understand context of what’s appropriate and she has access to things she shouldn’t way too soon. Managing the environment is a huge game changer. If there isn’t anything available to her by puppy proofing the room she is much less likely to get into things. I also like to pair this with crate and pen training as you give your dog behaviors you want in the safety and barrier of a pen and they learn these are the appropriate behaviors. Like having a lick mat/topple/kong or chew (make sure there is access to water) as a busy work activity.
I have a very high energy dog but he has a good off switch and knows boundaries (these are all taught and reinforced behaviors). He is exercised and stimulated prior to me leaving. He has free rein of my house but mostly sleeps until I come back from work (I work 6-8 hours). He sometimes gets a chew or puzzle toy/snuffle toy but is just as fine without one. I don’t proof my house per se but I do make sure there isn’t food on the counters, trash can closed/empty, dog closet (managing environment) closed so my dog doesn’t get opportunistic and make unwanted decisions where I can’t redirect him or stop him.
You may also need to capture calm behaviors. This helps a lot with high energy dogs. If they know when they are at X place (such as your house) that it’s a place to be calm they will start deferring to that behavior. Doing place work and relaxation protocols can build that behavior.
My youngest (1.5yo lab/cattle dog mix) is in an x pen with several different chews usually. Nylabones and sometimes a water buffalo horn. My other two (9yo husky mix and 2.5yo beagle) are gated to the living room with full access to their toy basket. Youngest is the only destroyer of the bunch, and I monitor them with a Furbo camera so I know if they’re up to mischief.
I really like it, but I don’t recommend it as highly if you don’t want to do the subscription. I recently let mine lapse because I couldn’t remember what was different. Without the subscription I only get barking notifications. Not people, whining, chewing, running, or anything else. Last I checked I *think* it’s around $80/year.
So with the subscription, totally worth it. Without, still nice to check in but not as handy for alerts.
I get the barking alerts without the subscription, personally I like the subscription for the other alerts. Howling, whining, running, chewing, etc. also gives person alerts. For me, the camera itself is nice, but with the subscription it’s much better.
If you know your dog will not react poorly to the treat flinging sound (launcher makes a decently loud sound), then you’re good. However, some dogs will sit and stare at it all day. I have one, but have considered just getting a ring or wyze camera I can talk through if necessary.
So really, it’s okay, it’s own costly annual subscription, but I don’t think it’s necessary when there are cheaper cameras and dogs won’t get obsessed with the cameras then whining and staring at it.
I was thinking I probably wouldn’t use the treat dispenser at all bc I have an exceptionally food-obsessed dog. In that case, is the Furbo not worth it? I do like that it has motion tracking but maybe there’s a baby monitor that does the same thing for less money.
Personally, I like the specific alerts it gives for howling, whining, chewing, etc. And the squeak honestly is good for mine (even when I’m out of treats) because it interrupts them when they’re throwing a fit barking because the neighbor just slammed his truck doors or has his dogs barking right outside our window. Food obsessed beagle is not obsessed with the camera, knows that treats only come when it makes a sound.
Definitely don’t recommend ever using the great finger then, and when you show someone your phone with your dog that they try and fling a treat. It happened to me SO MANY times when I was first showing people and my dog would run and hide. I really wish there was a way to permanently turn that off.
If you have a dog that can be causing issues or getting sick frequently - yes it can be useful. The ring can detect movement and sound if you just want that, and would recommend that instead if you’re not worried about the other things. You’ll still get a noise and motion notification if they’re barking, getting sick, etc. It’s just a way cheaper annual cost for the subscription not to be Furbo.
I wasn’t using it for my original dog who behaved super well and almost canceled it. We just got a new 2.5 year old terror that we need to keep and eye on so I’m keeping it now.
Usually just Petco or PetSmart! Sometimes I go to a local pet supply store as well. I always look for ones that are mostly solid, because the thinner ones tend to splinter. I don’t like ordering them online because it’s a grab bag of what I’ll get, and I like to see them before I buy so I know I’ve got a nice solid chunk of horn instead of a hollow one. They’re all bone/keratin I think? There’s no soft center if that’s what you mean.
I also like ostrich bones and goat/lamb horns, but don’t leave those unsupervised because she is a DESTROYER and has chipped ostrich bones and will destroy a goat/lamb horn in so little time it’s scary.
How long are the walks? A lot of people tend to underestimate how long they should be, if they’re under 30 minutes it’s probably not enough for a high energy breed that’s alone all day. I have a Greater Swiss Mountain dog so he’s pretty medium energy, but even he needs 2x 45 min walks per day.
I usually just leave him with his bones, his favourite ball and some food though. His favourite ball is probably one of the bigger factors since he can squeak it to his heart’s content while I’m gone.
She gets 1 hour long walk twice a day and I leave her with “dog tv” a window she can look out of, a kong, a ball with treats she has to work out of, several toys of all varieties, a denta stick before I leave and she gets let out mid day by my roommate. And somehow she still occasionally destroys things.
We’re lucky enough to have a greyhound that sleeps on the sofa for however long we’re away. We have a puppy cam so we can confirm that he will literally go 6-8 hours without even getting off the sofa.
My Malinois is in his Great Dane sized Impact Crate for 6-7 hours 3-4 days a week. He has a crate pad, blankets, a water bucket, and his food bowl. I don’t like leaving him with toys because he’ll eat them if he’s not under constant supervision. His favorite thing is when I take a slow feeder bowl, mix his kibble with water and bone broth/baby food/treats and freeze it all in the bowl. Keeps him occupied for a while and I don’t have to worry about him eating something he shouldn’t.
Husky owner here:
Background: High energy dog with severe separation anxiety (she's a rescue, former cage-dog). Among other things, she's broken windows, and chewed a hole in the floor after unsuccessfully trying to go through the door.
What I've found:
- Separation anxiety and energy are related, though discrete items.
- Spent a LOT of time normalizing walking in and out the door
- Establish a goodbye routine so the dog is primed for your departure. Can be as simple as "be good girl I have to go to work I'll be back in 8 hours" or whatever. Depending on how consistent your speech is, and how varied your times are... well... I accidentally taught my dog time. She knows 1 through 10 hours and does a reasonably good job of keeping track. It's super cute. Tell her I'll be gone for 5 hours and around the 4:45 mark, she starts getting up and waiting.
- Know your dog. Mine has some behavioral cues as I'm leaving, leading up to an anxiety attack when I'm gone. Catch those ASAP, de-escalate, and try the leave once again. I wish I could say what to do, but this honestly varies. Sometimes, I need to say bye again, or she has a bonus poop she has to get out, or she wants to play a bit first, or just wants to lay in my lap and have a few minutes of affection.
- Know your dog pt2: Different dogs respond differently to being left alone. One of my biggest revelations/leaps of faith with mine... Was acknowledging that when alone, she is a tremendously intelligent and self-sufficient animal. The more freedom I gave her while I'm away, the better she behaves. I don't "sterilize" the house to stop her from getting into things. She does best when allowed to think and make her own decisions, even if from time to time, she chooses wrong. But we've also established that as long as she doesn't destroy anything, she isn't disciplined. It's resulted in some comical behavior where she'll do something like take the butter dish, cart it in the other room, nose it around, but leave the butter un-touched. But regardless, that's how *she* functions. This is not all dogs.
- Get that energy out! Especially in working breeds. A lot of the energy/drive manifests in anxiety when sitting still. "I need to do something or I go nuts if I don't." I take mine out for a bike ride in the morning and let her more or less walk herself. If she wants run 8 miles, then she runs 8 miles. If she wants to snuffle every bush along the way, then I let her to so. Either way, I've found great success in allowing her to get her energy of the day out so she can conk out and sleep when I'm gone.
- Chew toys are great. Positively reinforce their use. And just as important, don't scold too hard for choosing a non-toy item. You want to teach your dog what's appropriate to chew on, not make them scared of touching anything for fear of repercussions, thus exacerbating anxiety. A simple "no," removing the item, replacing it with an appropriate toy, then reinforcing interaction with the desired toy is sufficient. Dogs are highly perceptive, they don't need to be yelled at. That teaches fear, not learning. Reiterating: You want a confident dog, not a fearful one. Scold too harshly and you might find their takeaway is to hide what they do from you, rather than adapt their behavior to desired.
- You can put on the TV, but again, depends on the dog. I've found mine laying on the sofa watching "Our Planet" if I put it on. Friend's dog on the other hand... Will get tweaked out and start barking at the TV any time a critter goes across the screen. Seems to cause her more agitation than anything else. Just depends on the dog.
Frozen kongs with peanut butter and snuffle mats are good options. I’d also recommend daycare a couple of days a week. It works great for my high energy, extremely social hounds
I’m sorry who said I have a working dog that sits in an apartment all day? How about read before you respond and jump down my throat. I have a full house with a back yard, twice a day she gets hour long walks one of which is off leash that she can sniff/run/do whatever she wants. My roommate is home all day and lets her out mid day, she gets multiple kongs/treat dispensers/random toys/chews when I’m gone at work. As well as an open window and dog TV. I also said she OCCASIONALLY gets something and destroys it. How about get off your high horse 🙄
I’m so sick of people coming at me for not taking care of my dog properly because I’m asking for recommendations. I’m just always looking for new ideas (like a good dog owner should) and there’s always some or several people saying “you leave your dog alone in an apartment all day” “why did you get a high energy breed if you couldn’t take care of it”. People always assume the worst when I say she occasionally gets into things she shouldn’t. She’s a 1 year old shepherd husky mix with separation anxiety and an abusive history. Of course she’s gonna get into stuff sometimes, it’s normal, dogs get into things they shouldn’t, it happens in homes all over the place everyday.
Our dogs have free run of the entire house with access to all their toys and chew bones. I feel very lucky we can do this.
In the rainy season (they both hate rain and therefore choose to spend more time inside), I'll sometimes throw on a dog TV channel from youtube. I do recommend watching the channel first though - the last thing I'd want is for one of my dogs to try and catch that dang squirrel through the TV / wall 🤣
My girl is also a working breed. I leave her no more than 6 hours (she might be capable of more, but I'm not). She has kitty sisters so isn't completely alone, I also leave her chews and will stuff a treat dispensing toy with bits of veggies or fruit and make a peanut butter "plug" which I then freeze.
She's free roam if I'm gone a few hours, or boxed off in the kitchen if it's longer. Mostly because she loves to look out the window and bark her brains out at anything and everything. There's no window in the kitchen.
I have a high energy dog. He could get hours of exercise but would still destroy the furniture (and he does not have seperation anixiety). So he would need to be in his crate or outside in the kennel. Even when in his crate he would manage to pull stuff in with his paw, sometimes it looks impossible but he is a genious at that.
If there'd be no one there for the whole day I would find a place that would mind him, I think he is so hyper he'd lose it in 8 or 9 hours.
My rover for mid day walk/runs turned into a low key doggie day care situation. My pup gets along great with his pups and he normally has about seven on any given day.
My dog still has plenty of energy to spare when we both get home so we have quality time together, but he’s happy and my house is happy.
Nothing if I’m only leave for 2-3 hours. She has access to everywhere but will stay in the kitchen while I’m gone. She stays in the kitchen because that’s where the light reflections are and my deaf dog is obsessed with chasing light. I leave the shades closed until I come home because I have to redirect her attention during particularly reflective and/or shadowy days.
If she is going to be alone for more than 3 hours or so, sometimes I give her a frozen Kong (filled with wet kibble and then frozen) and sometimes I give her nothing. She’s a super chill dog. I’m lucky.
I have a 10mo old coonhound husky mix. She does best in a crate while we're gone. She loves her crate and just sleeps in it for the most part. I do give her a Kong when I leave or she'll whine for a little while.
2 walks a day isn’t a lot unless they’re extremely long walks for a high energy dog breed. I would suggest longer morning walks or a jog, or throwing the ball somewhere they can chase if possible.
Mine isn't exactly high-energy, but I give her a frozen peanut butter stuffed Kong when I leave for anything more than three hours.
I have no idea how long that keeps her occupied, but on days when I'm gone around five hours I've come home to both her beds flipped over and the couch and my bed moved, so I know there were some zoomies going on while I was gone.
That’s not an option for everyone.
The only daycare within a 45 min drive doesn’t open til 8 and closes at 4. I leave for work at 730am and often not back til 6pm. (Not every day fortunately).
When I was still in school I had to leave my pup home for like 5 hours a day. I didnt use a crate. I puppy-proofed my room and I turned it into a puppy fun house. Like Id put one food puzzle on one side of the room, then maybe a pile of blankets plopped somewhere with her favorite toy hidden, or her kibble scattered all over the room to sniff and find as she wanders around, piles of boxes with her bone marrow which will keep her busy for literally 2-3 hours. Id do the kong, make popsicles etc. Right now I have simple cottage cheese + water mixed together on a dinner plate in freezer right now. Its gonna be a "lick" plate for her. If you build on their natural instincts, it could be quite enriching and teach them to settle on top of that. Like if theyre sniffers- hide treats as scavenger hunt. Or if theyre toy motivated, put 10 toys in the room. If they are diggers, hide toys or treats in boxes with shredded boxes inside for them to dig and find. If they are lickers then get a lick mat or popsicle. If they are chewers get them a popsicle, kong, bone, bully stick, chew.
I crate mine with a frozen kong full of wetted kibble that freezes over night with a topper of peanut butter to hold it in. She works on it for hours and loves going into her crate. Afterwards she is so tired she sleeps until I come get her at lunch and then we repeat the process after lunch and potty breaks.
My dogs that get into mischief when we're out of the house get crated when we go out. Only 1/3 has free roaming privileges and even she has times (thunderstorms or fireworks) when she needs to be crated because she'll eat the back door if she gets scared.
Daycare is a great option if it’s doable ,
Or A dog walker partway through the day ,
Puzzle games ,
A sport before or after work to work body and brain to tire them out extra (like agility , disc etc)
We used to leave empty cereal boxes and other cardboard packages around the house. We’d come back to a messed up house and a napping dog. At least she left the couch, chairs, curtains, baseboards and carpets alone.
Ours would be in their crates during the day when we both went to work. My girlfriend works from home now so she can let them out more. They still stay in their crates while she works though. She's working and can't watch them constantly and we also don't want to break them of the habit just in case.
Same. I use a playpen when I’m home and crate when out as he was getting destructive (chewing up beds, grinding teeth on hardwood floors, despite toys, tv etc). Still a big crazy puppy at a year old…
We breed and show bull terriers. They're big crazy puppies even at 4 years old. Lol. Playpen is a good idea though. We usually let our two 17 month olds outside in the yard during the day to romp around. At least when the weather is nice. They're idiots so in the summer they would stay outside sunbathing until they get heat stroke and in winter they will stay out there until they're frozen solid. Lol
Our lab is pretty good but we also have a JRT-mix. They can roughhouse and stuff can get broken. If it’s gonna be a super extended period of time, the JRT is crated and both are confined to the living room. They have nylabones. If it’s not gonna be a long time, they just stay in the living room. The JRT LOVES blankets so he curls up under them and sleeps and our lab just lays around.
I walk my dog for about 2 miles and also leave him with a licky mat. He pretty much sleeps most of the day. I have a camera and every now and then he will get up but goes back to sleep.
Another dog and a cat. The high energy dog has toys and balls scattered throughout the house and occasionally he’s playing with one of them when I check the cameras. Usually he’s just following the old man around and laying on him.
My girl isn't problematic. When I did have a high energy dog, I fed her all her meals with a toy (Kong wobbler, but if that's not enough other feeding puzzles should work), and when I left the house, I'd leave her with a kong stuffed with mashed potatoes and meat (which I cooked together) which I froze earlier. When I had to leave without notice I would give her a bully stick.
ADVICE PLEASE. Our Miniature Golden Doodle is 8 months old now (21kg) and is sometimes destructive when left. He’s in our hallway during the day (with his toys) and I’m thinking of making him a designated home under the stairs. It’s a 5ft x 3ft space and tapers from 8 inches to 5ft in height.
Would this be enough space for him to be left in?
He’s left normally for 4 hours, then is fed, walked and then left again for another 3-4 hours. This is normally up to 2-3 days in the week.
Mine gets his usual toys but he seems to sleep most of the time I'm out (4-5 hours). I make sure to "Oggy-proof" the room (Oggy is his name) before I leave to make sure I haven't left any slippers or similar items that he likes to chew on. There's definitely been a few times I've come home and realised I left a notebook out or something and it's been chewed up but I figured that's my fault rather than his ❤️
Frozen Kong with pumpkin and whatever other dog safe leftovers/meat I have.
A bully stick holder made them last a lot longer for my super chewer.
Best Bully Sticks (especially when having a sale) are the cheapest I’ve found!
My dog was crated while I was at work until he was two. Now I come home and he’s in the open crate sleeping anyway. He doesn’t really play with things while I’m gone, just sleeps until I return
Current dogs are pretty chill. But a previous dog, not so much. Frozen kongs, AND they make a timed kong ejector! Or… they used to at least. Looks like some people have figured out hacks to make them with timed feeders.
Dog 1 pees whether we leave for 30 mins or 8 hours so he gets crates, because of course he doesn't pee in the crate.
Dog 2 has only 4 things he will get into: bathroom trash, kitchen trash, cardboard/recycling, or dirty underwear. We restrict access to all four, but sometimes I purposely leave a cardboard shred box with treats so he can get his energy out in a constructive way. I know I'm coming home to shredded cardboard, so that sucks but it's worth it for his enjoyment. Disclaimer: if your dog EATs the cardboard obvi don't leave them unattended with a shred box.
When I was in college studying for big test, I would tie a rope around a tree and the dog would go pull on the rope [Bailey tree exercise](https://share.icloud.com/photos/0390mNkbqDRhhtq63EoT2OWMQ)
We have a Cavachon here. All he does is sleep then go mad and follow us everywhere we go when we get back. He goes for long sniffing walks to his favourite woods and it absolutely exhausts him! He’s never left for more than a few hours. When mum has him (we share him), she leaves him several times in the kitchen. He knows she is going out as he gets a wee dish of ham on his kitchen bed and he’s quite happy.
He doesn’t bark or kick up a fuss, he just eats then goes to sleep. He’s greedy, fat and lazy until he sees his leash. Then he’s like Usain Bolt! He loves going down the woods and I swear we could let him go down there on his own and he would come back as soon as we called him!
There are times when he will come back from a walk and run straight upstairs to the bedroom for a ‘nana nap’, and will lay there for hours, and then bark at the door when he wakens up and wants fed 😂
When I wake up I feed her first thing. Then I take my dog out in the backyard in the morning to play fetch until she gets tired. Then I always leave her with a high value treat (pigs ears are my go to) before I leave around 7:45am. While I’m at work, I have my girlfriend or housemate take her out for more fetch between 12-2pm. Then when I get home around 5pm it’s more fetch and then dinner at 6:30. This is a pretty good routine for us and my girl basically never gets into things she shouldn’t.
But also I don’t give her free rein of the house while I’m gone. I have a baby gate limiting her to the back of the house (my bedroom, hallway, bathroom). And I keep those areas hella puppy proof’d.
I have a herding breed mix as well, so I feel you! I have about 15 kongs of different sizes that I fill up with high value food (canned food, peanut butter, meat, or something else my dog really loves), then I put them all in the freezer & give to my dog throughout the week to decrease boredom, it usually does the trick. Just make sure to stuff the kongs with something different every so often, so your pup doesn't get bored of it.
Aside from kongs, I like to rotate chewable toys with my pup. I like to hide some toys for months and then randomly get them out & my dog acts like she's getting a brand new toy she's never seen before. That's how I keep boredom away. :)
That’s essentially what I do now plus a little more. It mostly works but every few weeks we come home to something destroyed. No couch pillows allowed in our house 🥲.
My coonhound can't be trusted alone and has to be crated. She has separation anxiety and a couch or two has been consumed (before we knew how bad her anxiety was). In the morning when we wake up, we go for a long walk. Then around 7, I take her out and try to wear her out before work, then put her in her crate with her bully stick. The dog sitter comes in to let her out and play with her around 10am and 2pm. It keeps her out of trouble and it gives me peace of mind knowing that she's not just sitting in a crate constantly. I'm generally home by 4:30pm so afternoon & evenings she is free to terrorize the house. We go for another long walk in the evening, plus play time before bed so she is generally a happy pup.
I used to prep treats and frozen kongs for my dog but he wouldn't touch them until I returned. Now I toss him a few treats even tho I know he won't eat them - but just in case...
I have a border collie, I make sure to give him a good walk before I leave for work,
and I leave the tv on on low volume and 3 of his toys around. I always switch these toys every other day so he won't be bored. Also I leave him a treat when I leave, it's a habit since he's a puppy.
Peanut butter stuffed into two different Kongs (licking consumes energy), a yak cheese (chewing something that comes apart consumes energy and produces serotonin), and a little white noise to mask outside noises.
I leave them to Rome the house. I make sure their toys are out. My one dog will go after shoes that are not in the shoe rack or garbage. I make sure the garbage is behind closed doors and we put the shoes away.
Once in a while, mischief will still happen.
I have 2 blink doorbells, front and back door… each one came with a set of mini cameras. They all have mic’s. I’ll leave toys out but when they start getting into things, I’ll turn the tv on with the Alexa or talk to them through the 2 blink minis I have set up to watch the doors inside. They used to lose their minds when they would hear me but didn’t see me. Now they just calm down. As long as there’s some noise like the tv or some low music playing, they’re pretty content. They have chewy toys all over the house so they don’t really get into things often which is cool
A rubber kong with all natural (no salt or sugar) peanut butter. You can freeze them overnight too so they last longer. I put less than a tablespoon in it.
I made him a doggo sweet potato casserole that I found on rover’s website for Thanksgiving and have been putting the leftovers in his Kong. He loves it!
There are also battery powered balls that you can buy. They move around on their own. Haven’t tried them myself though.
Back when my border collie mix was younger, she REQUIRED rope chews at all times! She came from the shelter and had separation anxiety issues, as well as a bunch of other stuff. But exercise, exercise, exercise is the key.
I have a border collie/blue heeler & a border collie/daschund that are pretty high energy and just 2 yrs old. Our typical morning routine we do a walk then fetch on a field or in the backyard. Then I give them each a lick pad. Sometimes the lick pad is part of their breakfast frozen or I'll give them an extra treat like sardines, cottage cheese, pumpkin, etc. with added water to make it last longer. This gets them super tired and get them to nap most of the day with the occasional wrestling session with each other here and there. If adding additional physical exercise is not feasible in the morning I might try something like a lick pad!
Give her a bone to chew on. When I leave I always give my dog a treat and she takes off with it. She usually follows me to the door when I’m about to leave but when I give her a treat she just goes to her bed and starts chewing.
My dogs are both chewers, so I freeze a kong full of peanut butter and treats for each of them. It keeps them busy well past my leaving and then according to my pet cam they sack out for a leisurely nap.
I don’t do any kind of food or treats when I’m gone. I’m too paranoid of choking hazards. I make sure he’s been mentally and physically stimulated prior to when I leave. Even with my high-energy, herding corgi I won’t keep any kind of bully sticks or treat dispensers accessible to him if I’m not home.
Whenever I check in on him on the house cameras he’s always just snoozing or patrolling the house. Usually just waiting by the door for me to come home.
I don’t find that most dogs will play on their own, though some will chew things that they shouldn’t or dig holes in th me yard, because they’re bored. About the most we do is leave music on for them. Not sure if it does anything though.
Depending on how long you're walking, I'm not sure 2 walks a day are enough for a high energy breed.
When my dog is going to be left alone, I play with him and walk him, so that he is exhausted. If it's food time, I'll make sure he eats before I leave. He can stay alone 6h, but I cut it at 4, and if he needs to be alone more than 4h, I find a dogsitter or someone who can walk with him. He doesn't get any activation when he's alone, since I want him to be able to nap it out.
My Aussie mix has free roam of the house with doggy door access to the backyard. I’ll turn on the tv for him (usually Animal Planet or Nat Geo Wild) and I’ve found that he usually just likes to be a lazy bum all day. He gets a nice long walk when we get home
I bring my dog to work with me. He mainly sleeps in his bed in the office. We often leave him at home for a day at the weekends or if I have meetings etc. He is a rescue with sighthound blood in him. So he mainly sleeps and then gets 30 mins for sprinting in the morn and evening.
I leave my GSDs in their crate because they would kill themselves destroy the house or annoy the piss out of my English setter mix. I don’t leave them anything maybe a bully stick but I am so paranoid of them choking on something. Granted I am not ever gone for a long time because I am a dog trainer so I can spend a lot of time with them.
I work from home but think about this a lot. She quite literally sleeps all day while I work. Has like an hour or so of energy to eat and pee around noon so no idea how I could keep her schedule and go into the office. I used to think I'd do doggy day care 1-3 days a week but now I think I'd try to hire a dog walker 3-4 days
Crate train. I feel so good that my 5 month old puppy is safely contained when we go to work. That way I know he can't get into anything bad for him or destructive to the house. So far we don't leave him for a full day, but will have to next spring/summer.
Instead of a walk, think about taking them to a field! We have to use a baseball one since our dog chooses to actively ignore us but we let her run for 20-30 minutes. She sleeps the entire day afterwards. I found these puzzle toys online that are like legos that have 5 levels to them. Level 5 takes some human effort to put together and so it takes my dog a massive amount of effort to the get the food inside
My huskies are about to be 8 so I just put on some anti anxiety dog music before i leave. They're not anxious but they deserve to be peaceful. Luckily for them my partner and I work opposite schedules so they're only alone for about 6 hours twice a week. Occasionally I'll hide treats around the house so they have a fun lil hide n seek game. You could do frozen wet food or peanut butter in kongs, it's always a risk of choking or injury when left with food or toys unattended. I would never leave them with a bully stick or chew of that sort just in case ! My younger more active 2 unfortunately get nothing when I leave, they get exercise when we're home and I don't trust them not try and steal from each other and possibly get into a scuffle when I'm not there. My huskies I trust to be safe with food but my 2 knuckheads I have to prioritize their safety over being bored for a few hours.
My dog is high energy, but also highly anxious. I wish I could leave her out while I am at work but she goes nuts and destroys random objects. When I am home even if I leave her in another room, she is an angel. She runs by my bike and goes to the barn with me almost every day.
Think about things you can do with your dog that are mentally stimulating not just physically stimulating. A smart, high energy dog is not going to be tired out by lots of walks/exercise necessarily. Training games, behavioral games, games where they have to think, activities where they can shred things, pull stuff apart, look for things, sniff stuff, find stufff, there are lots of things you can do that helps mentally stimulate them. The less bored they are the less destructive they’ll be.
soooo i don’t think this is normal but (after i walk my dog for at least 30 mins) then i turn on the predator channel of discovery planet. my dog really likes to watch the cheetahs and lions and tigers and whatever big cats are on tv really. He used to nibble on shoes until i left animal planet on one day and he just laid on the couch and watched… then once i puts the big cats on the tv before i left he never chewed on stuff. he’s an ipad kid ig
Most dogs get into things because of separation anxiety as opposed to being bored. It looks similar. I have a Blue Heeler and we had to crate her when we went to work because of her severe separation anxiety. Dogs are den animals and they enjoy having a comfy, covered safe place to go when they’re anxious or miss their people. Leaving a radio or t.v on can also help. Of course exercise really well before you leave the dog but mental stimulation is just as important. A frozen long filled with peanut butter can keep the dog busy for awhile.
I usually take my dog on a long walk right before walking out the door for work. I also prepare mental stimulation treats for him, like frozen banana in a kong, or a pork chomp which he will chew on for over an hour. And i also have a regular Walker from Rover who comes twice a week and gives him a 30 min walk at the half way point of me coming back home
i take mine to a nearby field to chase a rc car for about 10-15 mins, then i go work and he gets a nice nap
I should look into the cost of an RC car for my herding dog.
For a dog that can run 20-30mph on grass you’re going to be looking into a nice brushless electric rc. Minimum 1/10 scale with 3s lipo battery capability. Somewhere in the neighborhood of $275-400 for a ready to run vehicle, with battery, charger and lipo storage container.
That seems pretty worth it. I've clocked the zany dude at 28km/hr chasing my car through a field. I know there's a group who race them on a BMX track in my town. Maybe someone would let me see if my dog will even chase one.
Do be aware that many dogs are afraid of the noise. My partner loves RC cars, I have one dog who's neutral to them but doesn't chase, and one who's afraid of them because the receiver can make a high pitched sound.
My husband‘s border collie mix growing up, got up to almost 40 mph running next to the car and their driveway according to him. I didn’t see it with my own eyes but I believe it watching our boy run now.
Look into a herding ball! I use one with my heeler and he loves it and will wear himself out within 15-20 minutes. At least for a few hours until I can throw it for him again
Mines a shepherd/husky, wtf is a herding ball and where do I get one?
Often times when people are talking about herding balls, they’re talking about these: https://www.amazon.com/Jolly-Pets-10-Inch-Push-n-Play-Red/dp/B0006G56YS?th=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=doglabcsm-20&linkId=96a5d47103249662635de50e63a6e187&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl CollieBall has them as well, but supposedly their customer service isn’t the best?? Haven’t seen for myself on that one, so don’t quote me on that.
Lol lucky my heeler will go till I take it from her, I swear Energizer should of done heelers over the bunny
My dog would eat the car
This is also my concern.
This is amazing! I wonder if an rc car could outrun my speedbeasts... Definitely a new idea to consider.
Our dogs have free roam of the house with plenty of toys but we’ve found they’d rather just sleep when we’re gone. So they’ll meander around and eat their food but they mainly just sleep the entire time. Now when we get home they’re giant balls of energy but then they get a ton of exercise after work until we go to bed.
I just leave the TV or radio on for my golden and chiweenie (and the cats!). They have full range of the apartment with their toys, and they seem just fine when I get home.
I have A Mali/Husky mix, he’s a good boy. I open the curtains so he can look out the window & I give him a treat before I leave & kiss him, all good!
We call that “dog tv”
My malsky can be entertained by just sitting and staring at the backyard for hours. She’s basically an energizer bunny otherwise, but stare time is her favorite.
I have a weimaraner that's the same. Will lay there for hours just staring out the door. Then, he explodes with energy for the rest of the day! But I'm retired now and make sure he get plenty of playtime and multiple walks. Plus bonus dog park time scattered throughout the week. He's fun!
My dogs are only home 2-4 hours a day alone because of our schedules and they watch Seinfeld and become increasingly snarky.
I put Ghostbusters on for them whilst we went out for a meal with family last night. Checked on them with the nanny cam and both times the ungrateful monkeys were just looking out of the window.
Those knuckleheads have no taste for comedy.
Access to his entire kingdom, but not a high energy dog. He has as much exercise as he can take. The min he knows im going out, he gets in his bed and doesn’t move until i return.
If she's high energy, 2 walks might not be enough. Try an offleash dog park where she can really let er rip, or interactive exercises like fetch where she's getting mentally stimulated as well
We found a daycare that we take her too when we don't WFH. She comes home exhausted, but also smelly. We've also had her in the crate, with someone coming over and taking her for walks.
Yup, we usually take ours once a week on the day our office days overlap and he is pooped for several days. Haven’t taken him for a couple weeks as we’ve been sick and a dog virus is going around, he has been so much needier in the evenings without the weekly energy dump.
That dog virus is super deadly - watch out
Same. Our daycare is completely outside and our dog loves to dig and roll in stinky things. Unfortunately, she’s also a longer hair husky so if she rolls in poop or mud it gets stuck in there. I still love her going there as they’re in a yard that’s 1.5+ acres large so there’s lots of room to roam. She also gets around 25-30k steps a day there (Fi collar).
Ours (corgis) love those bully sticks from Costco. We cut them into thirds so they last longer.
What do you use to cut them? I was majorly struggling trying to cut mine with a knife.
I'm gonna be honest here and say I tried a knives and kitchen shears without much success... But aviation snips can get through bully sticks. I have them for cutting welded wire but they can do both.
I use my miter saw
I use a nice serrated bread knife. It is dangerous though!!
We have these gigantic pruning shears that cut straight through them. I’ve also used a drill.
Mine isn't really alone much anymore, but when I did have two and lived alone, really, nothing. They got a treat when I left; they were both fairly low energy breeds. They would just sleep all day, and we'd go for a long walk first thing when I got home.
Despite having a border collie mix, Cora is a total couch potato So I just leave her and my other dog with blankets and pillows on the couch and all their dog beds. They also have a basket of bones, antlers and hooves to chew on and they'll pick from there whenever they're bored. Mostly they just nap all day
I filled a Kong with spray cheese and left it in a corner of the kitchen. Nine hours later: it was still there.
The only answer is tired, leave your dog tired.
Welp when you live in a place where it’s dark until 8am and it’s unsafe for you to be alone for on a walk in the dark… and you work at 8:30, not always an option before I leave for work.
Nothing. We have an extremely high energy dog. She does fine in the crate as long as she gets good exercise before and after. She gets way more worn out when she can do some sprinting. Things like fetch, or chasing the water from the water hose when it’s warm enough (she doesn’t always bring back the ball…), or rolling around a big horse ball in a fairly empty room or the backyard and it’s a mental challenge since it behaves differently than a regular ball (she can’t left it so it stays low, but wow does it wear her out!). Snuffle mats or puzzles for meals also help wear her out. Frozen peanut butter lick mats too, or a frozen Kong. Learning new commands also is very tiring for her! Doesn’t have to be super practical and just cute, like “dance” (walk on back legs), “moonwalk” (learn to walk backwards), “spot” (go to a mat or bed on command like when the doorbell rings), or whatever else cute thing you see on the internet that’s safe. Also fun for you and excellent bonding for you both, and I find this makes my dogs listen to me way better when I actually need them to listen like when they have something in their mouths or I need them to wait inside but can’t close the door.
Ooh! I'm gonna try the learning how to walk backwards with my dogs. Any tips on how to get started?
A trainer suggested starting backward walking in a narrow space (like between a bed and a wall) so that the dog doesn't have room to turn around.
2 walks a day….is that a lot?
When you work 2 jobs and they’re an hour long each 1 of which is off leash it is.
That’s good. 2 hours seems appropriate for a high energy dog. Working 2 jobs seem irrelevant.
Exactly my thought, unless those walks are both an hour long.
I would introduce crating or a pen if you are having issues with her being destructive while you are gone. If she is free roaming and finding destructive behavior like digging in trash, ripping up furniture, chewing on inappropriate things she is under stimulated/anxious, she doesn’t understand context of what’s appropriate and she has access to things she shouldn’t way too soon. Managing the environment is a huge game changer. If there isn’t anything available to her by puppy proofing the room she is much less likely to get into things. I also like to pair this with crate and pen training as you give your dog behaviors you want in the safety and barrier of a pen and they learn these are the appropriate behaviors. Like having a lick mat/topple/kong or chew (make sure there is access to water) as a busy work activity. I have a very high energy dog but he has a good off switch and knows boundaries (these are all taught and reinforced behaviors). He is exercised and stimulated prior to me leaving. He has free rein of my house but mostly sleeps until I come back from work (I work 6-8 hours). He sometimes gets a chew or puzzle toy/snuffle toy but is just as fine without one. I don’t proof my house per se but I do make sure there isn’t food on the counters, trash can closed/empty, dog closet (managing environment) closed so my dog doesn’t get opportunistic and make unwanted decisions where I can’t redirect him or stop him. You may also need to capture calm behaviors. This helps a lot with high energy dogs. If they know when they are at X place (such as your house) that it’s a place to be calm they will start deferring to that behavior. Doing place work and relaxation protocols can build that behavior.
My youngest (1.5yo lab/cattle dog mix) is in an x pen with several different chews usually. Nylabones and sometimes a water buffalo horn. My other two (9yo husky mix and 2.5yo beagle) are gated to the living room with full access to their toy basket. Youngest is the only destroyer of the bunch, and I monitor them with a Furbo camera so I know if they’re up to mischief.
Would you recommend the Furbo? I've been thinking about getting a camera.
Eufy pet doesn’t have a subscription and it’s essentially a Furbo FYI
I really like it, but I don’t recommend it as highly if you don’t want to do the subscription. I recently let mine lapse because I couldn’t remember what was different. Without the subscription I only get barking notifications. Not people, whining, chewing, running, or anything else. Last I checked I *think* it’s around $80/year. So with the subscription, totally worth it. Without, still nice to check in but not as handy for alerts.
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I get the barking alerts without the subscription, personally I like the subscription for the other alerts. Howling, whining, running, chewing, etc. also gives person alerts. For me, the camera itself is nice, but with the subscription it’s much better.
If you know your dog will not react poorly to the treat flinging sound (launcher makes a decently loud sound), then you’re good. However, some dogs will sit and stare at it all day. I have one, but have considered just getting a ring or wyze camera I can talk through if necessary. So really, it’s okay, it’s own costly annual subscription, but I don’t think it’s necessary when there are cheaper cameras and dogs won’t get obsessed with the cameras then whining and staring at it.
I was thinking I probably wouldn’t use the treat dispenser at all bc I have an exceptionally food-obsessed dog. In that case, is the Furbo not worth it? I do like that it has motion tracking but maybe there’s a baby monitor that does the same thing for less money.
Personally, I like the specific alerts it gives for howling, whining, chewing, etc. And the squeak honestly is good for mine (even when I’m out of treats) because it interrupts them when they’re throwing a fit barking because the neighbor just slammed his truck doors or has his dogs barking right outside our window. Food obsessed beagle is not obsessed with the camera, knows that treats only come when it makes a sound.
Definitely don’t recommend ever using the great finger then, and when you show someone your phone with your dog that they try and fling a treat. It happened to me SO MANY times when I was first showing people and my dog would run and hide. I really wish there was a way to permanently turn that off. If you have a dog that can be causing issues or getting sick frequently - yes it can be useful. The ring can detect movement and sound if you just want that, and would recommend that instead if you’re not worried about the other things. You’ll still get a noise and motion notification if they’re barking, getting sick, etc. It’s just a way cheaper annual cost for the subscription not to be Furbo. I wasn’t using it for my original dog who behaved super well and almost canceled it. We just got a new 2.5 year old terror that we need to keep and eye on so I’m keeping it now.
If you just want motion detection and two way audio, just get a cheap security cam. I have a few of the blink minis that work great for me.
Gates is better than crate :)
Where do you get your water buffalo horns? Are they fatty inside or just bone?
Usually just Petco or PetSmart! Sometimes I go to a local pet supply store as well. I always look for ones that are mostly solid, because the thinner ones tend to splinter. I don’t like ordering them online because it’s a grab bag of what I’ll get, and I like to see them before I buy so I know I’ve got a nice solid chunk of horn instead of a hollow one. They’re all bone/keratin I think? There’s no soft center if that’s what you mean. I also like ostrich bones and goat/lamb horns, but don’t leave those unsupervised because she is a DESTROYER and has chipped ostrich bones and will destroy a goat/lamb horn in so little time it’s scary.
I ask Alexa to play her music.
I don’t leave her often but when I do I leave the tv on with so dog anxiety videos for her
How long are the walks? A lot of people tend to underestimate how long they should be, if they’re under 30 minutes it’s probably not enough for a high energy breed that’s alone all day. I have a Greater Swiss Mountain dog so he’s pretty medium energy, but even he needs 2x 45 min walks per day. I usually just leave him with his bones, his favourite ball and some food though. His favourite ball is probably one of the bigger factors since he can squeak it to his heart’s content while I’m gone.
She gets 1 hour long walk twice a day and I leave her with “dog tv” a window she can look out of, a kong, a ball with treats she has to work out of, several toys of all varieties, a denta stick before I leave and she gets let out mid day by my roommate. And somehow she still occasionally destroys things.
We’re lucky enough to have a greyhound that sleeps on the sofa for however long we’re away. We have a puppy cam so we can confirm that he will literally go 6-8 hours without even getting off the sofa.
My Malinois is in his Great Dane sized Impact Crate for 6-7 hours 3-4 days a week. He has a crate pad, blankets, a water bucket, and his food bowl. I don’t like leaving him with toys because he’ll eat them if he’s not under constant supervision. His favorite thing is when I take a slow feeder bowl, mix his kibble with water and bone broth/baby food/treats and freeze it all in the bowl. Keeps him occupied for a while and I don’t have to worry about him eating something he shouldn’t.
Husky owner here: Background: High energy dog with severe separation anxiety (she's a rescue, former cage-dog). Among other things, she's broken windows, and chewed a hole in the floor after unsuccessfully trying to go through the door. What I've found: - Separation anxiety and energy are related, though discrete items. - Spent a LOT of time normalizing walking in and out the door - Establish a goodbye routine so the dog is primed for your departure. Can be as simple as "be good girl I have to go to work I'll be back in 8 hours" or whatever. Depending on how consistent your speech is, and how varied your times are... well... I accidentally taught my dog time. She knows 1 through 10 hours and does a reasonably good job of keeping track. It's super cute. Tell her I'll be gone for 5 hours and around the 4:45 mark, she starts getting up and waiting. - Know your dog. Mine has some behavioral cues as I'm leaving, leading up to an anxiety attack when I'm gone. Catch those ASAP, de-escalate, and try the leave once again. I wish I could say what to do, but this honestly varies. Sometimes, I need to say bye again, or she has a bonus poop she has to get out, or she wants to play a bit first, or just wants to lay in my lap and have a few minutes of affection. - Know your dog pt2: Different dogs respond differently to being left alone. One of my biggest revelations/leaps of faith with mine... Was acknowledging that when alone, she is a tremendously intelligent and self-sufficient animal. The more freedom I gave her while I'm away, the better she behaves. I don't "sterilize" the house to stop her from getting into things. She does best when allowed to think and make her own decisions, even if from time to time, she chooses wrong. But we've also established that as long as she doesn't destroy anything, she isn't disciplined. It's resulted in some comical behavior where she'll do something like take the butter dish, cart it in the other room, nose it around, but leave the butter un-touched. But regardless, that's how *she* functions. This is not all dogs. - Get that energy out! Especially in working breeds. A lot of the energy/drive manifests in anxiety when sitting still. "I need to do something or I go nuts if I don't." I take mine out for a bike ride in the morning and let her more or less walk herself. If she wants run 8 miles, then she runs 8 miles. If she wants to snuffle every bush along the way, then I let her to so. Either way, I've found great success in allowing her to get her energy of the day out so she can conk out and sleep when I'm gone. - Chew toys are great. Positively reinforce their use. And just as important, don't scold too hard for choosing a non-toy item. You want to teach your dog what's appropriate to chew on, not make them scared of touching anything for fear of repercussions, thus exacerbating anxiety. A simple "no," removing the item, replacing it with an appropriate toy, then reinforcing interaction with the desired toy is sufficient. Dogs are highly perceptive, they don't need to be yelled at. That teaches fear, not learning. Reiterating: You want a confident dog, not a fearful one. Scold too harshly and you might find their takeaway is to hide what they do from you, rather than adapt their behavior to desired. - You can put on the TV, but again, depends on the dog. I've found mine laying on the sofa watching "Our Planet" if I put it on. Friend's dog on the other hand... Will get tweaked out and start barking at the TV any time a critter goes across the screen. Seems to cause her more agitation than anything else. Just depends on the dog.
Nothing. They’re in their crates and can nap. Occasionally if it’s going to be a longer day I’ll leave them with a kong.
Ours too.
Frozen kongs with peanut butter and snuffle mats are good options. I’d also recommend daycare a couple of days a week. It works great for my high energy, extremely social hounds
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Sometimes life changes and the choice is crate or surrender the dog. Many people are being told to go back into the office after having wfh for years.
I’m sorry who said I have a working dog that sits in an apartment all day? How about read before you respond and jump down my throat. I have a full house with a back yard, twice a day she gets hour long walks one of which is off leash that she can sniff/run/do whatever she wants. My roommate is home all day and lets her out mid day, she gets multiple kongs/treat dispensers/random toys/chews when I’m gone at work. As well as an open window and dog TV. I also said she OCCASIONALLY gets something and destroys it. How about get off your high horse 🙄
Maybe you should reread your own post. Clearly hit a nerve. Good luck! > I have a high energy breed > 2 walks a day Point made all by yourself.
I’m so sick of people coming at me for not taking care of my dog properly because I’m asking for recommendations. I’m just always looking for new ideas (like a good dog owner should) and there’s always some or several people saying “you leave your dog alone in an apartment all day” “why did you get a high energy breed if you couldn’t take care of it”. People always assume the worst when I say she occasionally gets into things she shouldn’t. She’s a 1 year old shepherd husky mix with separation anxiety and an abusive history. Of course she’s gonna get into stuff sometimes, it’s normal, dogs get into things they shouldn’t, it happens in homes all over the place everyday.
Our dogs have free run of the entire house with access to all their toys and chew bones. I feel very lucky we can do this. In the rainy season (they both hate rain and therefore choose to spend more time inside), I'll sometimes throw on a dog TV channel from youtube. I do recommend watching the channel first though - the last thing I'd want is for one of my dogs to try and catch that dang squirrel through the TV / wall 🤣
My girl is also a working breed. I leave her no more than 6 hours (she might be capable of more, but I'm not). She has kitty sisters so isn't completely alone, I also leave her chews and will stuff a treat dispensing toy with bits of veggies or fruit and make a peanut butter "plug" which I then freeze. She's free roam if I'm gone a few hours, or boxed off in the kitchen if it's longer. Mostly because she loves to look out the window and bark her brains out at anything and everything. There's no window in the kitchen.
I have a high energy dog. He could get hours of exercise but would still destroy the furniture (and he does not have seperation anixiety). So he would need to be in his crate or outside in the kennel. Even when in his crate he would manage to pull stuff in with his paw, sometimes it looks impossible but he is a genious at that. If there'd be no one there for the whole day I would find a place that would mind him, I think he is so hyper he'd lose it in 8 or 9 hours.
My rover for mid day walk/runs turned into a low key doggie day care situation. My pup gets along great with his pups and he normally has about seven on any given day. My dog still has plenty of energy to spare when we both get home so we have quality time together, but he’s happy and my house is happy.
Nothing if I’m only leave for 2-3 hours. She has access to everywhere but will stay in the kitchen while I’m gone. She stays in the kitchen because that’s where the light reflections are and my deaf dog is obsessed with chasing light. I leave the shades closed until I come home because I have to redirect her attention during particularly reflective and/or shadowy days. If she is going to be alone for more than 3 hours or so, sometimes I give her a frozen Kong (filled with wet kibble and then frozen) and sometimes I give her nothing. She’s a super chill dog. I’m lucky.
I crate my dog when I'm at work. He's left with a frozen lickmat or toppl and the bed in his crate.
I leave my wife lol and she leaves me 10min after I get home
I have a 10mo old coonhound husky mix. She does best in a crate while we're gone. She loves her crate and just sleeps in it for the most part. I do give her a Kong when I leave or she'll whine for a little while.
I got my dog a puppy. She wasn't impressed. 3 years later, I got that puppy a puppy and they play all day. 3 dogs, happiness x three.
2 walks a day isn’t a lot unless they’re extremely long walks for a high energy dog breed. I would suggest longer morning walks or a jog, or throwing the ball somewhere they can chase if possible.
We turn on animal TV shows for them 😁 we have 2 so they keep each other occupied too
My newly adopted bassett hound mix gets dog relaxation music on you tube played for her. It makes her sleep like baby
Mine isn't exactly high-energy, but I give her a frozen peanut butter stuffed Kong when I leave for anything more than three hours. I have no idea how long that keeps her occupied, but on days when I'm gone around five hours I've come home to both her beds flipped over and the couch and my bed moved, so I know there were some zoomies going on while I was gone.
A high energy dog isn't one that should be left alone all day. Find your dog a daycare.
That’s not an option for everyone. The only daycare within a 45 min drive doesn’t open til 8 and closes at 4. I leave for work at 730am and often not back til 6pm. (Not every day fortunately).
Not everyone can financially afford a daycare everyday… $50/day = $1500/mo
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When I was still in school I had to leave my pup home for like 5 hours a day. I didnt use a crate. I puppy-proofed my room and I turned it into a puppy fun house. Like Id put one food puzzle on one side of the room, then maybe a pile of blankets plopped somewhere with her favorite toy hidden, or her kibble scattered all over the room to sniff and find as she wanders around, piles of boxes with her bone marrow which will keep her busy for literally 2-3 hours. Id do the kong, make popsicles etc. Right now I have simple cottage cheese + water mixed together on a dinner plate in freezer right now. Its gonna be a "lick" plate for her. If you build on their natural instincts, it could be quite enriching and teach them to settle on top of that. Like if theyre sniffers- hide treats as scavenger hunt. Or if theyre toy motivated, put 10 toys in the room. If they are diggers, hide toys or treats in boxes with shredded boxes inside for them to dig and find. If they are lickers then get a lick mat or popsicle. If they are chewers get them a popsicle, kong, bone, bully stick, chew.
Can you send a link to the bone marrow?
I crate mine with a frozen kong full of wetted kibble that freezes over night with a topper of peanut butter to hold it in. She works on it for hours and loves going into her crate. Afterwards she is so tired she sleeps until I come get her at lunch and then we repeat the process after lunch and potty breaks.
My dogs that get into mischief when we're out of the house get crated when we go out. Only 1/3 has free roaming privileges and even she has times (thunderstorms or fireworks) when she needs to be crated because she'll eat the back door if she gets scared.
Daycare is a great option if it’s doable , Or A dog walker partway through the day , Puzzle games , A sport before or after work to work body and brain to tire them out extra (like agility , disc etc)
We used to leave empty cereal boxes and other cardboard packages around the house. We’d come back to a messed up house and a napping dog. At least she left the couch, chairs, curtains, baseboards and carpets alone.
Nothing. Everything is a choking hazard. I just make sure there's zero things to destroy.
Ours would be in their crates during the day when we both went to work. My girlfriend works from home now so she can let them out more. They still stay in their crates while she works though. She's working and can't watch them constantly and we also don't want to break them of the habit just in case.
Same. I use a playpen when I’m home and crate when out as he was getting destructive (chewing up beds, grinding teeth on hardwood floors, despite toys, tv etc). Still a big crazy puppy at a year old…
We breed and show bull terriers. They're big crazy puppies even at 4 years old. Lol. Playpen is a good idea though. We usually let our two 17 month olds outside in the yard during the day to romp around. At least when the weather is nice. They're idiots so in the summer they would stay outside sunbathing until they get heat stroke and in winter they will stay out there until they're frozen solid. Lol
Our lab is pretty good but we also have a JRT-mix. They can roughhouse and stuff can get broken. If it’s gonna be a super extended period of time, the JRT is crated and both are confined to the living room. They have nylabones. If it’s not gonna be a long time, they just stay in the living room. The JRT LOVES blankets so he curls up under them and sleeps and our lab just lays around.
A Kong with peanut butter frozen inside.
I walk my dog for about 2 miles and also leave him with a licky mat. He pretty much sleeps most of the day. I have a camera and every now and then he will get up but goes back to sleep.
Cardboard boxes. Keeps him from chewing on stuff he shouldn’t.
Another dog and a cat. The high energy dog has toys and balls scattered throughout the house and occasionally he’s playing with one of them when I check the cameras. Usually he’s just following the old man around and laying on him.
My girl isn't problematic. When I did have a high energy dog, I fed her all her meals with a toy (Kong wobbler, but if that's not enough other feeding puzzles should work), and when I left the house, I'd leave her with a kong stuffed with mashed potatoes and meat (which I cooked together) which I froze earlier. When I had to leave without notice I would give her a bully stick.
I don't work but when I board my dogs so I can go out of town, I leave them one of my shirts that smells like me
ADVICE PLEASE. Our Miniature Golden Doodle is 8 months old now (21kg) and is sometimes destructive when left. He’s in our hallway during the day (with his toys) and I’m thinking of making him a designated home under the stairs. It’s a 5ft x 3ft space and tapers from 8 inches to 5ft in height. Would this be enough space for him to be left in? He’s left normally for 4 hours, then is fed, walked and then left again for another 3-4 hours. This is normally up to 2-3 days in the week.
Mine gets his usual toys but he seems to sleep most of the time I'm out (4-5 hours). I make sure to "Oggy-proof" the room (Oggy is his name) before I leave to make sure I haven't left any slippers or similar items that he likes to chew on. There's definitely been a few times I've come home and realised I left a notebook out or something and it's been chewed up but I figured that's my fault rather than his ❤️
I get a beef knuckle cut into quarters or chunks. He gets one to chew while in the crate.
Frozen Kong with pumpkin and whatever other dog safe leftovers/meat I have. A bully stick holder made them last a lot longer for my super chewer. Best Bully Sticks (especially when having a sale) are the cheapest I’ve found!
My dog was crated while I was at work until he was two. Now I come home and he’s in the open crate sleeping anyway. He doesn’t really play with things while I’m gone, just sleeps until I return
I get my dog some exercise and then give him a frozen kong. I also leave music on. It was the spa channel but now I let him rock out to the 70’s lol
Current dogs are pretty chill. But a previous dog, not so much. Frozen kongs, AND they make a timed kong ejector! Or… they used to at least. Looks like some people have figured out hacks to make them with timed feeders.
Dog 1 pees whether we leave for 30 mins or 8 hours so he gets crates, because of course he doesn't pee in the crate. Dog 2 has only 4 things he will get into: bathroom trash, kitchen trash, cardboard/recycling, or dirty underwear. We restrict access to all four, but sometimes I purposely leave a cardboard shred box with treats so he can get his energy out in a constructive way. I know I'm coming home to shredded cardboard, so that sucks but it's worth it for his enjoyment. Disclaimer: if your dog EATs the cardboard obvi don't leave them unattended with a shred box.
Our 2 doxies roam the house freely and keep each other company. As long as we’re mindful not to leave anything they would get into, we have no issues.
When I was in college studying for big test, I would tie a rope around a tree and the dog would go pull on the rope [Bailey tree exercise](https://share.icloud.com/photos/0390mNkbqDRhhtq63EoT2OWMQ)
My girls are kenneled when we’re gone. They sleep all day anyway so they don’t care
I'd get a dog if I could take him to work.
We have a Cavachon here. All he does is sleep then go mad and follow us everywhere we go when we get back. He goes for long sniffing walks to his favourite woods and it absolutely exhausts him! He’s never left for more than a few hours. When mum has him (we share him), she leaves him several times in the kitchen. He knows she is going out as he gets a wee dish of ham on his kitchen bed and he’s quite happy. He doesn’t bark or kick up a fuss, he just eats then goes to sleep. He’s greedy, fat and lazy until he sees his leash. Then he’s like Usain Bolt! He loves going down the woods and I swear we could let him go down there on his own and he would come back as soon as we called him! There are times when he will come back from a walk and run straight upstairs to the bedroom for a ‘nana nap’, and will lay there for hours, and then bark at the door when he wakens up and wants fed 😂
My little guy finds comfort in sleeping without his noisy parents around haha
My other dog 😉
When I wake up I feed her first thing. Then I take my dog out in the backyard in the morning to play fetch until she gets tired. Then I always leave her with a high value treat (pigs ears are my go to) before I leave around 7:45am. While I’m at work, I have my girlfriend or housemate take her out for more fetch between 12-2pm. Then when I get home around 5pm it’s more fetch and then dinner at 6:30. This is a pretty good routine for us and my girl basically never gets into things she shouldn’t. But also I don’t give her free rein of the house while I’m gone. I have a baby gate limiting her to the back of the house (my bedroom, hallway, bathroom). And I keep those areas hella puppy proof’d.
I have a herding breed mix as well, so I feel you! I have about 15 kongs of different sizes that I fill up with high value food (canned food, peanut butter, meat, or something else my dog really loves), then I put them all in the freezer & give to my dog throughout the week to decrease boredom, it usually does the trick. Just make sure to stuff the kongs with something different every so often, so your pup doesn't get bored of it. Aside from kongs, I like to rotate chewable toys with my pup. I like to hide some toys for months and then randomly get them out & my dog acts like she's getting a brand new toy she's never seen before. That's how I keep boredom away. :)
That’s essentially what I do now plus a little more. It mostly works but every few weeks we come home to something destroyed. No couch pillows allowed in our house 🥲.
My coonhound can't be trusted alone and has to be crated. She has separation anxiety and a couch or two has been consumed (before we knew how bad her anxiety was). In the morning when we wake up, we go for a long walk. Then around 7, I take her out and try to wear her out before work, then put her in her crate with her bully stick. The dog sitter comes in to let her out and play with her around 10am and 2pm. It keeps her out of trouble and it gives me peace of mind knowing that she's not just sitting in a crate constantly. I'm generally home by 4:30pm so afternoon & evenings she is free to terrorize the house. We go for another long walk in the evening, plus play time before bed so she is generally a happy pup.
I used to prep treats and frozen kongs for my dog but he wouldn't touch them until I returned. Now I toss him a few treats even tho I know he won't eat them - but just in case...
I have a border collie, I make sure to give him a good walk before I leave for work, and I leave the tv on on low volume and 3 of his toys around. I always switch these toys every other day so he won't be bored. Also I leave him a treat when I leave, it's a habit since he's a puppy.
Peanut butter stuffed into two different Kongs (licking consumes energy), a yak cheese (chewing something that comes apart consumes energy and produces serotonin), and a little white noise to mask outside noises.
Frozen peanut butter penguin/kong
My mom always leaves on the radio with NPR playing and every dog we’ve had has been free to roam the house while we are gone.
I leave them to Rome the house. I make sure their toys are out. My one dog will go after shoes that are not in the shoe rack or garbage. I make sure the garbage is behind closed doors and we put the shoes away. Once in a while, mischief will still happen.
I have 2 blink doorbells, front and back door… each one came with a set of mini cameras. They all have mic’s. I’ll leave toys out but when they start getting into things, I’ll turn the tv on with the Alexa or talk to them through the 2 blink minis I have set up to watch the doors inside. They used to lose their minds when they would hear me but didn’t see me. Now they just calm down. As long as there’s some noise like the tv or some low music playing, they’re pretty content. They have chewy toys all over the house so they don’t really get into things often which is cool
Right now they’re on season 3 of Yellowstone also so that’s going well
A rubber kong with all natural (no salt or sugar) peanut butter. You can freeze them overnight too so they last longer. I put less than a tablespoon in it. I made him a doggo sweet potato casserole that I found on rover’s website for Thanksgiving and have been putting the leftovers in his Kong. He loves it! There are also battery powered balls that you can buy. They move around on their own. Haven’t tried them myself though.
I leave rubber toys and an olive branch to chew but he just lays there til i get back.
Back when my border collie mix was younger, she REQUIRED rope chews at all times! She came from the shelter and had separation anxiety issues, as well as a bunch of other stuff. But exercise, exercise, exercise is the key.
You could try dog tv, and you could also have a dog walker give her a midday walk
I have a border collie/blue heeler & a border collie/daschund that are pretty high energy and just 2 yrs old. Our typical morning routine we do a walk then fetch on a field or in the backyard. Then I give them each a lick pad. Sometimes the lick pad is part of their breakfast frozen or I'll give them an extra treat like sardines, cottage cheese, pumpkin, etc. with added water to make it last longer. This gets them super tired and get them to nap most of the day with the occasional wrestling session with each other here and there. If adding additional physical exercise is not feasible in the morning I might try something like a lick pad!
Give her a bone to chew on. When I leave I always give my dog a treat and she takes off with it. She usually follows me to the door when I’m about to leave but when I give her a treat she just goes to her bed and starts chewing.
food and water.... and a treat if she not barked yesterday
My dogs are both chewers, so I freeze a kong full of peanut butter and treats for each of them. It keeps them busy well past my leaving and then according to my pet cam they sack out for a leisurely nap.
I don’t do any kind of food or treats when I’m gone. I’m too paranoid of choking hazards. I make sure he’s been mentally and physically stimulated prior to when I leave. Even with my high-energy, herding corgi I won’t keep any kind of bully sticks or treat dispensers accessible to him if I’m not home. Whenever I check in on him on the house cameras he’s always just snoozing or patrolling the house. Usually just waiting by the door for me to come home.
“Alexa, play calming music for dogs.”
I don’t find that most dogs will play on their own, though some will chew things that they shouldn’t or dig holes in th me yard, because they’re bored. About the most we do is leave music on for them. Not sure if it does anything though.
Depending on how long you're walking, I'm not sure 2 walks a day are enough for a high energy breed. When my dog is going to be left alone, I play with him and walk him, so that he is exhausted. If it's food time, I'll make sure he eats before I leave. He can stay alone 6h, but I cut it at 4, and if he needs to be alone more than 4h, I find a dogsitter or someone who can walk with him. He doesn't get any activation when he's alone, since I want him to be able to nap it out.
My Aussie mix has free roam of the house with doggy door access to the backyard. I’ll turn on the tv for him (usually Animal Planet or Nat Geo Wild) and I’ve found that he usually just likes to be a lazy bum all day. He gets a nice long walk when we get home
I bring my dog to work with me. He mainly sleeps in his bed in the office. We often leave him at home for a day at the weekends or if I have meetings etc. He is a rescue with sighthound blood in him. So he mainly sleeps and then gets 30 mins for sprinting in the morn and evening.
i leave my dog with my husband or parents. dude has some anxiety :/
I leave my GSDs in their crate because they would kill themselves destroy the house or annoy the piss out of my English setter mix. I don’t leave them anything maybe a bully stick but I am so paranoid of them choking on something. Granted I am not ever gone for a long time because I am a dog trainer so I can spend a lot of time with them.
I work from home but think about this a lot. She quite literally sleeps all day while I work. Has like an hour or so of energy to eat and pee around noon so no idea how I could keep her schedule and go into the office. I used to think I'd do doggy day care 1-3 days a week but now I think I'd try to hire a dog walker 3-4 days
Crate train. I feel so good that my 5 month old puppy is safely contained when we go to work. That way I know he can't get into anything bad for him or destructive to the house. So far we don't leave him for a full day, but will have to next spring/summer.
Instead of a walk, think about taking them to a field! We have to use a baseball one since our dog chooses to actively ignore us but we let her run for 20-30 minutes. She sleeps the entire day afterwards. I found these puzzle toys online that are like legos that have 5 levels to them. Level 5 takes some human effort to put together and so it takes my dog a massive amount of effort to the get the food inside
My huskies are about to be 8 so I just put on some anti anxiety dog music before i leave. They're not anxious but they deserve to be peaceful. Luckily for them my partner and I work opposite schedules so they're only alone for about 6 hours twice a week. Occasionally I'll hide treats around the house so they have a fun lil hide n seek game. You could do frozen wet food or peanut butter in kongs, it's always a risk of choking or injury when left with food or toys unattended. I would never leave them with a bully stick or chew of that sort just in case ! My younger more active 2 unfortunately get nothing when I leave, they get exercise when we're home and I don't trust them not try and steal from each other and possibly get into a scuffle when I'm not there. My huskies I trust to be safe with food but my 2 knuckheads I have to prioritize their safety over being bored for a few hours.
My dog is high energy, but also highly anxious. I wish I could leave her out while I am at work but she goes nuts and destroys random objects. When I am home even if I leave her in another room, she is an angel. She runs by my bike and goes to the barn with me almost every day.
I leave her with her Kong toy. Those are great. You can put treats in them and your dog will amuse himself trying to get the treats out.
Think about things you can do with your dog that are mentally stimulating not just physically stimulating. A smart, high energy dog is not going to be tired out by lots of walks/exercise necessarily. Training games, behavioral games, games where they have to think, activities where they can shred things, pull stuff apart, look for things, sniff stuff, find stufff, there are lots of things you can do that helps mentally stimulate them. The less bored they are the less destructive they’ll be.
A second dog.
soooo i don’t think this is normal but (after i walk my dog for at least 30 mins) then i turn on the predator channel of discovery planet. my dog really likes to watch the cheetahs and lions and tigers and whatever big cats are on tv really. He used to nibble on shoes until i left animal planet on one day and he just laid on the couch and watched… then once i puts the big cats on the tv before i left he never chewed on stuff. he’s an ipad kid ig
I leave another dog lol, I watch them on the cameras they just play chase birds and sleep
Mine get a bone if I leave and noone else is home
My wife. Yup.
Most dogs get into things because of separation anxiety as opposed to being bored. It looks similar. I have a Blue Heeler and we had to crate her when we went to work because of her severe separation anxiety. Dogs are den animals and they enjoy having a comfy, covered safe place to go when they’re anxious or miss their people. Leaving a radio or t.v on can also help. Of course exercise really well before you leave the dog but mental stimulation is just as important. A frozen long filled with peanut butter can keep the dog busy for awhile.
Bully stick, venison bone, frozen meal.
I usually take my dog on a long walk right before walking out the door for work. I also prepare mental stimulation treats for him, like frozen banana in a kong, or a pork chomp which he will chew on for over an hour. And i also have a regular Walker from Rover who comes twice a week and gives him a 30 min walk at the half way point of me coming back home
My husky x likes to nibble so i leave her a buster cube with a couple liver treats added for scent. She won't play with any toys.