My reading about raising dogs pointed to boredom as the leading cause of bad dog behavior, so we worked hard to keep Boomer busy throughout his lifetime.
Wearing him out with physical exertion was nearly impossible, especially when he was younger — he had more stamina than Morgan and I put together, and wasn’t phased by long walks, beach runs and swims, or agility practice.
Fortunately a trainer we worked with early on told us the secret to tiring a dog was to make him use his brain. We added obedience drills to his daily routine, and took up playing hide-and-seek in the house. We got him certified as a Therapy Dog so he could volunteer with Mommy as a Read-to-Rover dog in a local elementary school.
As he got older, injuries and illness prevented him from participating in agility and shortened our walks. He loved going to warm-water swimming sessions. His new “job” became going to various vets for different treatments, and practicing his physical therapy assignments at home.
We continued obedience practice and hide-and-seek, and got him some puzzles he needed to solve to liberate treats. Nosework turned out to be a great activity for his limited mobility.
