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Is A Tired Dog Really A “Happy Dog”?

Resources from positive trainer Emily Larlham




“We know that eating too little or too much can be unhealthy. Well the same can be true for exercise and mental stimulation. It is common knowledge that too little exercise and mental stimulation can be harmful, but it is not commonly understood that too much can also affect a dog’s physical and mental health."


"....after excessive exercise the dog is then laying on his side not moving in the living room. The owners are happy as the dog looks calm. But what is really happening is the dog is actually exhausted. Exercise disrupts the body’s homeostasis or in other words equilibrium."


“….the more exercise that is provided the more physically fit the dog becomes requiring more and more exercise to reach a state where he will flop down exhausted and look calm. The excessive exercise can start to increase the stress in the dog’s life, as their body is working harder to achieve homeostasis.”


“Exercising a dog to the point where they lay down will not address the real problem, it will just cause the dog to need to rest from the exercise. Instead, exercise should be done in moderation along with following a plan to address other existing behavior problems and temporarily reduce other stressors in the dog’s life during the training.”


Click on the link below to check out Emily Larlham full article "Too Much of A Good Thing" ⬇️



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