Is your dog bored? Eight behaviours that may signal more than boredom

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When a dog sleeps for much of the day, it is easy to assume everything is fine. At other times, you look at a chewed sofa corner and conclude the dog must have been bored. Both assumptions may be too quick. Dogs need rest and peace just as they need movement, play and companionship. The question is whether their day also offers opportunities to behave like a dog.

Dr Karen Shaw Becker has described eight behaviours that may occur in under-stimulated pets. I have shared them before, because many dogs lead rather monotonous lives. But I would no longer call them simply “eight symptoms of boredom”. They may also result from pain, fear, separation distress or learning. None is a diagnosis on its own.

Which eight behaviours may suggest too little activity?

One possible sign is chewing furniture or carpets, especially without suitable alternatives. Another is repeatedly knocking things off tables. Third is constantly demanding attention, and fourth is restless, generally noisy behaviour. Fifth is frequent barking or other vocalisation; sixth is playing “catch me if you can” with stolen items; seventh is chasing the tail or people’s ankles; and eighth is digging in the garden.

There is an important “but”. A dog that digs in the garden is not necessarily unhappy. Digging can be natural and enjoyable for some dogs, though less enjoyable for the owner. Our recommendation is to give the dog its own sandbox and teach it to dig there. Both of you can then be satisfied.

Tail chasing can also indicate compulsive behaviour, pain or skin irritation. And a dog that destroys things only when people leave may be experiencing separation-related distress. The same visible behaviour can therefore mean very different things.

How can you distinguish boredom from another problem?

Start with the timeline. Did the behaviour begin after moving house, stopping training, losing another pet or changing the length of the working day? Does it occur only when alone, only in the evening or after a long active day? Is the dog otherwise relaxed, sleeping and eating normally? Is this new behaviour in an older dog? The answers can change how the whole situation should be approached.

For separation-related problems, a camera may help. Does the dog start vocalising in panic immediately after someone leaves, pant, drool or try to escape? A longer run alone cannot solve that situation. Sudden changes, self-injury, compulsive repetition or suspected pain warrant veterinary advice.

Movement matters, but more is not always better

I am convinced that a daily walk is much more than a quick toilet break. Dogs can sniff, explore, choose a path and spend time with us. Hiking, relaxed running with a suitable dog, play and gentle activity appropriate for seniors can all be beneficial. Sometimes variety helps more than adding another fast kilometre.

Endless ball throwing and repeated sprints do not suit every dog. Integrative veterinarian Peter Dobias has repeatedly highlighted possible back, muscle and joint injuries from repeatedly chasing balls or frisbees, abrupt stops and turns. That does not mean ball play should be forbidden. Veterinary sports medicine specialist Dr Chris Zink suggests letting the ball land before releasing the dog to fetch it, reducing the need to brake at full speed or turn sharply to catch it. Overexertion can cause pain and sometimes restlessness. In winter, skiing with some dogs may also be possible, but only in places where dogs are permitted. Activities must fit the dog’s health, preparation and surroundings.

Scent work does not require joining a club

Many dogs enjoy sniffing, and simple scent searches allow them to use one of their strongest senses. Start at home: hide a few pieces of the dog’s regular food in an easy, visible spot, then gradually make the task harder. Or set up an appropriate search game in a calm room. If the dog becomes overexcited or frustrated, simplify it.

Scent work is also used as enrichment to improve animal welfare. Research offers promising examples, but effects are not automatically identical for every dog. In a 2023 pilot study of shelter dogs, scent stimulation increased both positive and negative reactions. A new stimulus does not necessarily calm every animal immediately. Dosage and individual body language matter.

Toys and food searches

A dog does not need a whole basket of toys at once. Sometimes I leave one or two suitable toys available and rotate them. One dog likes tugging on a soft toy, another prefers a food puzzle, while a third enjoys a relaxed walk together. Avoid small parts or very hard items the dog might break or swallow.

Our dogs have retained a natural interest in searching for food. Try scattering a little of the normal daily ration on a snuffle mat or hiding a familiar bowl somewhere easy to find. Start with an achievable task, not a hungry dog searching fruitlessly around the house. In multi-dog households, consider food competition and play separately if needed. And remember that toys and puzzles need cleaning.

Do the same principles apply to cats?

Cats also need species-appropriate activity, but short play sessions, opportunities to climb and chasing prey-like toys may suit them especially well. Instead of one long play marathon, several brief sessions with rest between them often make more sense. Hiding spots, scratching posts and views through windows can be just as important as toys, depending on the environment.

What can an owner actually change right away?

Begin by observing for three days. Note when the behaviour occurs, what happened immediately before and whether the dog was alone. Add one modest activity, such as a ten-minute calm sniffing walk or easy scent game. Over the next one to two weeks, watch for changes in behaviour frequency and general wellbeing. Pleasant tiredness and relaxation afterwards are useful signs. If the dog becomes more restless, adjust the activity rather than endlessly increasing it.

A dog is not just an object kept at home

The law may call us an “owner”, but to me a dog is a family member. That means respecting its need to rest, move, interact and do interesting things. A dog cannot add a walk to its calendar or pick a book from the shelf. We can, however, give it days with more in them than waiting. This does not necessarily require expensive equipment or hours of training.

Sources

Flint et al. (2023). Long-Lasting Chews Elicit Positive Emotional States in Dogs during Short Periods of Social Isolation.

Figueira et al. (2023). Olfactory Stimulus as Environmental Enrichment for Shelter Dogs: a Pilot Study.

Fountain et al. (2025). The Value of Sniffing: a Scoping Review of Scent Activities for Canines.

Karen Shaw Becker. Boredom and pets (original discussion).

FendaF. Stress and dogs.