6 Signs Your Dog is Bored and How to Cure It

You probably think your dog has it pretty good when it comes to their daily life. They don’t have to cook for themselves, do any chores, or go to work. But while lounging around all day may sound like fun to you, it’s probably not very fun for your dog. Dogs spend a lot of time alone while their human goes to work, runs errands, and hangs with friends. Unlike humans, they can’t occupy themselves by watching TV or taking themselves for a walk. This results in a bored dog, and a bored dog is a destructive dog. Doggy boredom can lead to behavioral issues so it is important to recognize when your dog is bored ASAP. Today Im sharing 6 signs your dog is bored, and how to cure it. 

Signs Your Dog Is Bored

Barking

Are you getting complaints from your neighbors that your dog is barking all day long while you’re gone? While the barking may be a result of separation anxiety, or spotting a squirrel out the window, there’s a good chance that your dog is simply barking out of boredom. Dogs will bark and howl as a way to entertain themselves. Unfortunately, their canine concert isn’t very entertaining to your neighbors. 

Chewing

Your dog could have a collection of a thousand toys, but if they’re bored enough they’ll chew on anything within reach. This behavior can be detrimental to your shoes, furniture, and even dry wall. 

General Mischief

Besides chewing, a bored dog may get into other mischief as well. Getting in the trash, pulling stuffing from toys, or dragging pillows off your bed are all signs that your dog is bored.

Escaping

Does your dog bolt out the door at every opportunity? He’s likely bored and looking for something to entertain himself. It may start innocently with him chasing after the mail man, but once he realizes how much fun he had, it could become a bad habit.

Licking, Panting, Pacing, and Scratching

If you find that Fido can’t seem to sit still and relax that is a common sign that your dog is bored. Excessive licking and scratching of themselves could be a result of allergies, but if you’ve ruled that out, it may be boredom. 

Dogs pant for a variety of reasons, but if they didn’t just return from a long walk and it’s not super hot outside, they could just be bored. 

Like humans pace when fidgety, dogs do the same. If you notice your dog pacing back and forth they’re likely bored and not sure what else to do with themselves.

Excited Greetings

All dogs are excited to see their people when they return home. However, if you’re often greeted with lots of whining, jumping, and zooming that’s a good sign that your dog is bored when you aren’t home and is over the top excited to finally have someone to play with!

How to Cure Doggy Boredom

So you’ve come to the conclusion that your dog is in fact bored all day. But you can’t skip out on work and the grocery store! So how should you cure your dogs boredom?

Walks

A long walk in the morning before you leave will do wonders for curing your pups boredom. Get up early enough to take him around the neighborhood for a mile or two. Let him sniff and take his time exploring his surroundings so that he’s satisfied when he returns home and you leave for the day.

Provide Mental Stimulation

Leave your pup with a food puzzle or stuffed Kong to keep him entertained during the day. Mentally stimulating toys will give your dog something to do throughout the day and keep their brain working. Mental exercise is just as important as physical exercise! By the time Fido has solved his puzzle, he’ll be mentally exhausted enough for a long, mid-day nap.

Stick to a Routine

Dogs are creatures of habit and thrive on a consistent routine. Teach your dog that the middle of the day is his time to relax. Feeding them, walking them, and playing with them at the same time every day will remind them when it’s play time and when it’s calm time. 

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