Exercise, Train, Enrich: The Daily Routine That Fixes Most Problems

If I could hand every dog owner one thing, it wouldn't be a tool or a cool party trick. It would be a dog training routine. The best dog training routine for all dogs puppies through adults is what we will be covering in this blog. Most of the problems people call me about, like jumping, barking, chewing, and pulling, get easier the minute a dog's day has the right structure.

Here's the order I use with my own dog training clients, several times a day: exercise, training, enrichment, repeat. And yes in that order.

1. Exercise first

A dog who's bursting with energy can't focus. You're asking them to learn while their body is screaming to move. So we get energy out first. This does a lot more than just create calm puppies and dogs. It helps regulate bowel movements and potty breaks. It makes your dog drink more water which is good for all types of health benefits like gut health, hydration, and more. I may do a blog on the benefits of your dog getting enough water throuhout the day.

• Flirt pole, fetch, tug, and a sniffy walk...I tend to do a combination of these.

• Match it to your dog. A young lab needs more than a senior pug. But, don't think your senior pug or tiny chi-chi doesn't need it. They do and they need it consistently.

• Stop before they're overtired. We want them loose and ready, not frantic.

2. Then train

Now your dog's body is satisfied and their brain is ready. This is the sweet spot for learning. Keep sessions short, 5 to 10 minutes. Work on 3-5 skills, mark what you like, and end on a win.

Training is mental work, and mental work tires a dog out in a way running alone never does.

3. Finish with enrichment

Enrichment is anything that lets your dog do dog things like: sniff, lick, chew, dig, forage. These activities are naturally calming. They bring your dog down from the training session and help them settle.

• A lick mat or stuffed food toy

• Scatter kibble in the grass

• A snuffle mat or a cardboard box to shred (not my favorite and definitely do not rely on this alone as the enrichment or you will create issues like destroying your stuff or new packages as they arrive at the house with expensive items in them)

• A long-lasting chew like a knuckle bone or a cheek roll

After enrichment, most dogs are ready to nap. That's the goal: a dog who knows how to switch off.

Why the order matters

Flip it around and it falls apart. Train an amped-up dog and you both get frustrated. Skip enrichment and your dog never learns to settle. Run the cycle a few times a day and you get a dog who's exercised, thinking, confident, feeling safe, happy and calm.

Build your routine

My training plans are built around this routine. The Puppy Getting Started bundle is the best place to start if you've got a young dog.

Want me to walk you through it? Book a virtual or in-home session and we'll build a plan around your dog.