03/25/2025
The Art of Doing Nothing: Why Teaching Our Dogs to Switch Off is Essential
In the world of dog training and ownership—especially among those who work with high-drive or working-line breeds—there’s an all-too-common oversight: we teach our dogs everything but how to do nothing.
We focus heavily on obedience, recall, agility, tracking, nose work, stimulation, enrichment, and endless exercises designed to challenge their minds and bodies. And while all of this certainly has its place, there’s a vital skill missing from most routines: the ability to switch off.
Dogs Aren’t Meant to Be On All Day
An average adult dog naturally sleeps or rests for 18 to 20 hours a day. That includes deep sleep, light dozing, and periods of general inactivity. Yet, many modern dogs—particularly those with working bloodlines—are living lives filled with overstimulation, near-constant arousal, and the mistaken belief that they must be doing something all of the time.
Where does that belief come from? Us. We’re the ones constantly throwing the ball, initiating play, offering treats for every behaviour, or unintentionally reinforcing hyperactivity with attention, even if it’s negative. We’ve created a culture of ‘busy dogs’—and in doing so, we’ve neglected one of the most critical life skills: stillness.
Switching Off is a Skill
It’s not enough to rely on exhaustion as a form of calm. A dog that is physically tired but mentally wired will not truly settle. What we want to foster is a dog that can choose to be calm. A dog that can toggle between states of arousal and relaxation, excitement and stillness, activity and peace. This isn’t natural for every dog—especially those bred to work—but it is absolutely something that can be taught.
And must be taught.
Without this skill, we’re left with dogs who pace, bark at every noise, react to the slightest movement, or constantly seek stimulation because they’ve never been shown an alternative.
Our Failure as Humans
We’re poor at doing nothing ourselves. We live fast-paced lives, filled with phones, screens, deadlines, and distractions. It’s no surprise that we impose that same lifestyle onto our dogs. But dogs thrive on predictability, routine, and calm energy. They reflect us.
When we fail to teach them how to relax, we raise dogs that become restless, reactive, anxious, and sometimes even aggressive—not because they’re bad dogs, but because their nervous system is constantly in a state of alert.
Teaching “nothing” is not a lack of training. It is training.
What Does “Doing Nothing” Training Look Like?
1. Place Training – Teach your dog to settle on a bed, mat, or designated space and remain there for extended periods without constant input from you. It’s not just about staying in one spot—it’s about learning to relax there.
2. Enforced Rest – Just as athletes need rest to recover, so do dogs. Even high-drive working dogs need time off the clock. Make rest part of your training schedule, not an afterthought.
3. Reward Calmness – Rather than constantly reinforcing action, start reinforcing inactivity. Catch your dog lying quietly and reward that state with a gentle “good” or calm praise. Over time, they learn that relaxation is not just allowed, but desired.
4. Do Nothing Sessions – Set aside time each day to simply exist with your dog. No training. No play. No stimulation. Just be. This is where true bonding happens—and where your dog learns that your presence doesn’t always mean something exciting is about to happen.
5. Avoid Creating Patterned Hyperactivity – Dogs are pattern-seeking animals. If every time you come home means a wild greeting, or every time you pick up a lead means frantic excitement, you’ve unintentionally created hyperactive habits. Break those patterns. Teach neutrality.
The Benefits of Stillness
Teaching a dog to do nothing creates a calmer, more emotionally balanced animal. It reduces anxiety, prevents burnout, and makes dogs more reliable in high-pressure situations. A dog that knows how to be still is also a dog that can choose to focus when asked. It improves impulse control, builds resilience, and fosters maturity.
For working dogs, this balance is especially important. We don’t want a dog that’s constantly “on” and unable to switch gears. We want a dog that’s steady, composed, and able to reserve its energy for when it truly counts.
Final Thoughts
Stillness is a skill—arguably one of the most important we can offer our dogs.
Whether you’re a dog owner, a trainer, or a handler, it’s your responsibility to teach your dog that life isn’t a constant rollercoaster. Teach them that it’s not only okay to do nothing—it’s healthy.
We’re not trying to switch off our dogs permanently. We’re simply teaching them that they don’t need to be switched on all the time. That doing nothing is not a void—it’s a state of peace, presence, and contentment.
And when a dog learns that, life becomes easier. For them. And for us.
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