“Tired dog is a good dog” - oh-so-well-known motto that you hear from people all the time.
Generic phrases like that are open to a multitude of interpretations. Even though these words are true to some extent, most people interpret this saying literally and completely wrong - they try to make their dog tired.
When someone refers to a tired dog being a good dog, they actually refer to an emotionally satisfied dog being a good dog.
I mean, why wouldn’t a happy dog be good? After all, an emotional satisfaction descends upon a life being once they participated in doing something that felt good, and that “good” might or might not be actually tiring.
Here I will say something that will sound insane for a moment, but let it sink in.
Despite what people like to believe, there aren’t dogs out there who actually need hours of exercise - not unless you train them to participate in a competition.
However, all the dogs out there need interaction with you. That’s how they were made, that’s why you got a dog in a first place, isn’t it?
This also means that this interaction needs to happen every day, and that it must be meaningful and satisfying to a dog, whether you feel like it or not - this is where dogs are actually similar to human children.
The definition of “meaningful” and, therefore, emotionally satisfying, will vary between dogs, but not as drastically as you might think.
Despite common belief, running dogs for hours will not lead to emotional satisfaction. Dog park interactions will not do that. Interactive toys will not do that as well. All these things are short-lasting cheats that are like a bag of chips - fun and tasty but cannot sustain you for long.
However, training a dog for a few minutes will lead to their emotional satisfaction if you consistently end on a positive note. A short play session will “tire” your dog out in that they will be left feeling important and seen. A structured walk will make your dog happy and proud of themselves and, therefore, “good” inside your house.
In other words, a physically tired dog is simply a tired dog, not a “good” dog. An emotionally satisfied dog, however, is a dog who has a great time living and, therefore, has no accumulated frustration that leads to “bad” behaviours inside.
Do not tire your dog out. Instead, figure out what their emotional needs are and how to satisfy them in a way that is enjoyable for the both of you.