Turid Rugaas on exercise

Here's another view of exercise by Turid Rugaas (of calming signals fame) [as expressed by Jennifer Ng at Pos-4-ReactiveDogs]

I'm not convinced dogs require a lot of physical exercise. I realize that many trainers use the phrase "a tired dog is a good dog" but I don't agree with this. A tired dog "behaves" simply because he is exhausted - this is temporary and doesn't teach the dog to truly be calm or relaxed, or how to cope with triggers.

And in fact, over time, excessive exercise can create a dog who is very fit and needs more and more exercise to get worn out enough to be tired. But the underlying causes of any behavior problems are not addressed at all, and the physical exercise (especially fast-paced chase games like fetch) actually increases chronic stress and adds to the problem.

I attended the Turid Rugaas seminar that Beth mentioned in her reply. One topic she discussed that really made me think was regarding exercise. I've known that Turid feels that repetitive, fast-paced chase games (like fetch with a ball or frisbee) are unnecessary and detrimental, contributing to chronic stress.

However, she took the concept a step further, indicating that physical exercise really isn't necessary at all. She commented that there is no need to walk a dog strictly for exercise, that such walks are "meaningless." She feels that all walks should be leisurely walks where the dog is allowed to sniff and explore the surroundings. Turid stated that there is no such thing as a high energy or hyper dog - those dogs are stressed. And that dogs are "very good at doing nothing" and don't get bored.

Turid used the example of observing wolves in a naturalistic setting at Wolf Park, where there is very little activity for the majority of the day. There are short periods of activity at dawn and dusk, most of which is slow-paced exploring. And in the wild as well, the majority of time that wolves are active is spent tracking and searching for food, which is not stressful.

The actual chase to catch prey once it is found is pretty much the only fast-paced activity wolves do, and it only lasts for a short period and may only happen at intervals of a week or more. Once the prey is caught, there are many days of low stress recovery, spent eating and resting.

Another example Turid used was border collies, which she says is the most misunderstood breed. Most people seem to believe that BCs need hours of activity every day to keep them happy and satisfied. Turid said that those people should take a trip to Yorkshire and see how BCs really work and live on farms. The actual work of herding sheep is only for short periods at certain times of day, and they spend the majority of the day just hanging out on the farm.

I thought this view of physical activity was very interesting. I have always accepted the fact that a certain amount of physical exercise is necessary, and what that minimum amount is depends on the individual dog. I've also thought that if a dog doesn't get his required minimum amount of physical exercise, it can lead to boredom and unwanted behavior.

However, Turid seems to be saying that this is not true. That dogs don't require exercise beyond normal everyday interactions, and enjoying the mental stimulation from occasional exploratory walk. I would have to say that my experience with my own dogs supports what Turid is saying, but I'd always assumed that my hounds just have lower exercise needs than a lot of other breeds.

Perhaps the traditional assumptions about exercise are wrong. Turid believes that behavior problems in dogs with limited activity are due to other factors, not too little activity. And especially as I think about it more, I think it makes a lot of sense.

Jennifer