19/06/2026
🐾 Could your dog actually benefit from doing less? 🐾
One of the most common things we say to clients is “less is more.”
Many unwanted behaviours in dogs are not caused by a lack of exercise, but by too much stimulation, the wrong type of exercise, or a routine that never allows the dog to truly switch off.
We’re often told that dogs need longer walks, more activity and constant entertainment. Yet time and time again, we see dogs become calmer, more focused and easier to live with when the right balance is struck.
Recently, several clients have reported significant improvements simply by reducing the amount they were doing and focusing on quality rather than quantity.
One client shared this after her young dog, Bodhi, became ill and their routine changed:
“A few months ago I would have thought that if my young dog wasn’t getting long walks every day, his training would suffer. Then Bodhi became ill and, for a while, our routine changed completely. Instead of long walks, we focused on shorter walks, training at home, and allowing him time to recover.
When we returned to training after nearly two months away, I expected him to be distracted and rusty. Instead, he surprised me. At 15 months old, he completed a perfect retrieve, running straight out to collect the dummy and bringing it directly back. Throughout the session he seemed calmer, more focused, and more engaged.
It was a reminder that progress isn’t always about doing more. Sometimes recovery, consistency, and quality training can achieve far more than we realise. Bodhi taught me that stepping back doesn’t always mean going backwards.”
What a fantastic reminder that successful dog training isn’t always about adding more. Sometimes it’s about finding the right balance between exercise, rest, training and recovery.
🐶 Is your dog constantly on the go? It might be worth asking whether they need more activity… or simply a better balance.
Have you noticed positive changes when you’ve done less with your dog? We’d love to hear your experiences below.
