10/01/2026
Why Tired Dogs Aren’t Necessarily Calm Dogs
“Tire them out” sounds sensible, but it’s one of the most misunderstood bits of dog advice out there.
A tired dog is not automatically a calm dog.
Many exhausted dogs are:
• Wired
• Restless
• Snappy
• Unable to switch off
Why?
Because fatigue without fulfilment lowers impulse control.
The body may be empty, but the brain is still asking,
“What was the point of all that?”
Calm isn’t the absence of energy.
Calm is emotional regulation, predictability, and security.
That doesn’t come from endless walks.
It comes from structured effort followed by taught rest.
Many owners fall into the arousal spiral:
Dog unsettled → more exercise → fitter dog → higher arousal → worse settling → even more exercise.
Result?
A dog that can run ten miles… and can’t lie down for five minutes.
Walks matter, but most have no clear objective or endpoint, so the nervous system never gets the signal to stand down.
Mental work does:
• It creates focus, not frenzy
• It has a clear finish
• It allows the brain to switch off
Stimulation raises arousal.
Satisfaction lowers it.
Dogs don’t need to be entertained.
They need to feel useful.
If your dog can’t settle, stop asking:
“How far should I walk them?”
Start asking:
“What did I give their brain to do today and did I show them when it was finished?”
That’s where calm actually lives.
