Does Your Dog Have Too Much Energy?

Living with what feels like the canine equivalent of Sonic the Hedgehog can be exhausting, frustrating, and sometimes even defeating. This is especially true when you’re doing all the things, and your dog still seems to have an endless supply of energy. 

It’s easy to worry that something is wrong or that your dog is being difficult on purpose. But the truth is that high-energy dogs aren’t bad dogs — they’re just dogs who need better outlets. These dogs are often smart, motivated, and enthusiastic about life. But without the right balance of physical activity, mental stimulation, and rest, that energy can spill out in ways that leave both of you overwhelmed.

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Understanding high-energy dogs

High-energy dogs aren’t all the same, and their behavior is shaped by a mix of genetics, age, personality, life experiences, and environment. Understanding the why behind your dog’s behavior matters. 

Breed-type

Some breed types (such as herding dogs, sporting dogs, terriers, and many working breeds) were bred to perform physically demanding jobs for hours at a time. And as companions, those instincts don’t disappear.

Age

Puppies and adolescent dogs — especially during their “teenage phase,” which often occurs between six months and two years — naturally have higher energy levels, lower impulse control, and a stronger drive to explore their world. During this stage, dogs may appear extra wild, impulsive, or unable to settle, even if they were previously calmer. This doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong or that your dog will always be this intense. It’s a normal part of physical and neurological development.

Signs your dog is high energy

If your dog seems more relaxed after engaging both their body and brain, that’s a strong sign you’re working with a high-energy dog (or a dog in a high-energy life stage) who is simply asking for their needs to be met.

You might have a high-energy dog if you notice difficulty settling indoors, pacing, shadowing you from room to room, vocalization, or grabbing toys, leashes, or household items when they’re understimulated. They may become mouthy, jumpy, or overly excited during everyday interactions. This is not out of disobedience, but because their energy and arousal levels are still developing — and they need guidance.

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Tips to deal with a dog who has too much energy

Living with a dog who seems to have endless energy can be overwhelming. The good news is that having an energetic dog doesn’t have to be a bad thing. 

Physical exercise

Physical exercise should be tailored to your dog’s age, breed tendencies, and current fitness level. The goal isn’t to run dogs into the ground, but to provide appropriate, meaningful movement that meets their physical needs without chronically elevating arousal. 

A few things to note: 

• Puppies need shorter, age-appropriate sessions. 

• Healthy adult dogs, on the other hand, should have one or two exercise sessions per day. 

• Meanwhile, seniors do best with lower-intensity, low-impact exercise.

Mental exercise

Mental exercise helps channel energy productively, but works best in short, focused doses. For most dogs, five to 15 minute sessions of training, puzzle-solving, or scent work are plenty — especially for puppies and adolescents whose impulse control and frustration tolerance are still developing. Longer mental enrichment can sometimes increase excitement rather than calm them. 

Calming enrichment

Calming enrichment plays a critical role in helping high-energy dogs regulate their nervous systems. Activities such as sniff-focused walks, scatter feeding, lick mats, frozen food toys, long-lasting chews, and safe shredding give dogs a way to slow down, self-soothe, and naturally lower their heart rate.

These types of enrichment are especially valuable for dogs who struggle to settle indoors or become overstimulated easily. The other benefit of calming enrichment is that it’s useful for rest days, recovery periods, or evenings when physical exercise has already been met. Teaching dogs how to relax is just as important as giving them ways to burn energy.

Avoiding overexercise

One common trap with high-energy dogs is constantly increasing exercise, because this can actually backfire. Overexercise can condition dogs for higher stamina and higher baseline arousal without providing them any tools on how to calm down. 

Instead, aim to build tolerance gradually, pair exercise with recovery and calming enrichment, and intentionally practice rest as a skill. Teaching dogs to pause, disengage, and relax helps create balance and prevents burnout both for dogs and their people.

Be consistent

Dogs, especially high-energy or adolescent dogs, do best with predictable routines that balance movement, mental engagement, calming enrichment, and rest. Over time, consistent routines help dogs feel secure, regulate their energy more effectively, and settle more easily.

PIC Femke Ketelaar / Shutterstock/

Using training to channel energy

Training helps high-energy dogs learn how to regulate their excitement, and not just burn it off. Here are a few tips.

• Use short training periods: When training, use short but consistent sessions to teach your dog to pause, think, and make choices calmly. This is essential in helping them manage their energy throughout the day.

• Practice impulse control: Impulse control exercises like “sit,” “stay,” “wait,” and “settle” guide dogs towards what calm behavior looks like. An example of what that might look like is asking for brief moments of stillness before meals, in doorways, or before play. This will help them practice self-control when they’re excited.

• Calm reinforcement: Reward their calm behavior throughout the day. Rather than offering big, excited reinforcement, quietly reinforcing relaxation teaches dogs that calmness is valuable.

• Use play to your advantage: Try structured (rather than chaotic) play, with clear beginning and ending cues and breaks. Doing this helps your dog enjoy that proprioceptive movement they need without becoming overaroused.

• Keep a consistent routine: A predictable daily routine can make a big difference for high-energy dogs. Regular times for walks, meals, training, play, and rest help dogs know what to expect, which reduces anxiety and prevents energy from spilling over into frustration.

• It’s OK to ask for help: High-energy dogs can be demanding, and meeting their needs doesn’t have to fall on one person alone. Sharing responsibilities with family members, hiring a dog walker, putting them in doggy daycare, or enrolling them in appropriate enrichment or training classes can prevent burnout.

• Set up a dedicated rest space: Dedicating a space for rest is just as important as providing outlets for energy. A crate, bed, or quiet corner gives your dog a clear signal that it’s OK to switch off.

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When to get professional help from a trainer

Sometimes, even with thoughtful routines, enrichment, and training, a high-energy dog may still struggle to settle or cope. That doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. Sometimes it simply means your dog may need more support. Working with a qualified, force-free, positive reinforcement trainer can help identify what’s driving your dog’s behavior and create a plan that’s realistic, humane, and effective for your household. (There are also plenty of free dog training options, too.)

It’s a good idea to seek professional help if:

• Your dog’s behaviors feel unmanageable or unsafe, such as intense jumping, mouthing, nipping, leash pulling, biting, destruction, or difficulty calming down after activity. 

• Your dog becomes more reactive, anxious, or easily overstimulated despite consistent effort.

A good trainer will help you balance exercise, enrichment, rest, and skill-building, while teaching your dog how to recover from excitement. Getting help early can prevent frustration from escalating and make life with a high-energy dog more enjoyable for everyone involved.

Commonly asked questions

At what age do dogs mellow out?

Many dogs begin to mellow out after adolescence, which typically happens between one-and-a-half and three years of age, depending on breed, size, and the individual dog’s development. Larger and working breeds often mature more slowly than smaller breeds. That said, this doesn’t mean the dog will be low energy, but they may be more able to settle and make calmer choices. Consistent routines, training, and appropriate enrichment play a big role in helping dogs reach that point.

How can I tire out a dog without walking them?

In addition to regular physical exercise, you can tire out your dog with short indoor training sessions, scent games (such as hiding treats or scatter-feeding), food puzzles, trick-training, tug with rules, and calming enrichment (like licking or chewing). These all help them burn their energy productively. The goal isn’t exhaustion, but engagement followed by rest.

Why is my dog so energetic all of a sudden?

If your dog has a sudden burst of energy, this could be linked to their developmental stage (especially adolescence), changes in routine, seasonal shifts, or improved physical fitness from increased activity. Stress, frustration, or unmet needs can also show up as restlessness or hyper behavior. If the change is abrupt, intense, or accompanied by other concerning signs (such as sleep changes or weight loss), it’s a good idea to check in with your veterinarian to rule out medical causes.

How can I keep a high-energy dog entertained?

High-energy dogs do best with a balance of physical exercise, mental challenges, calming enrichment, and predictable downtime. This might include daily walks or play, short training sessions, scent work, food enrichment, and structured play with built-in breaks. Rotating activities keeps dogs engaged without pushing them into overarousal.

Will getting a second dog make the first dog easier?

Although some dogs enjoy having a companion, adding another dog to your household doesn’t simply make the first dog easier to handle. Changes in households often increase energy, management needs, and training demands. Dogs don’t automatically teach each other how to settle, and mismatched energy levels can actually create more stress. It’s usually best to address the first dog’s needs, routines, and training before adding another dog to the household.

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