Beyond the Walk: 5 Mental Games to Tire Out a High-Energy Dog Indoors

You've done the morning walk. You've done the afternoon walk. Your dog has had a good run at the park. And yet, somehow, they're still bouncing off the walls at 9 PM, staring at you with that look that says: more.

If this sounds familiar, the problem probably isn't a lack of physical exercise — it's a lack of mental stimulation. High-energy dogs don't just need to move their bodies; they need to use their brains. And the good news is that mental exercise is often more tiring than physical exercise, and you can do most of it indoors.

Here are five games that will genuinely wear out your dog — no backyard required.

1. Snuffle Mat Feeding

Instead of handing your dog their meal in a bowl, scatter it across a snuffle mat. The mat's fibres mimic grass, hiding kibble or treats in a way that forces your dog to use their nose to find every piece. This activates the same neural pathways as tracking and foraging — instincts that are deeply satisfying for dogs to exercise.

Research suggests that 15 minutes of nose work can be as mentally tiring as an hour of walking. For high-energy breeds, this is a game-changer.

The Tangy Orange™ Snuffle Mat and Challenger Bone™ Snuffle Mat are both designed with varied textures and difficulty levels to keep your dog engaged. Read more about the science in our snuffle mat guide.

2. Lick Mat Enrichment

Lick mats work differently from snuffle mats — instead of searching, your dog is focused on sustained licking, which triggers the release of endorphins and activates the parasympathetic nervous system. The result is a calm, satisfied dog rather than a wired one.

Spread a lick mat with a soft food, bone broth, or a supplement like salmon oil and let your dog work through it. The more textured the mat, the longer it takes — and the more mentally engaged your dog stays.

Try the Glazed Donut™ Lick Mat, Buttery Avocado™ Lick Mat, or Herby Pizza™ Lick Mat for varied textures that extend engagement. Our lick mat guide covers the full benefits.

3. Hide and Seek with Treats

This one requires nothing but treats and a bit of creativity. Ask your dog to sit and stay, then hide small treats around the room — under a cushion, behind a chair leg, on a low shelf. Release them with a cue like "find it" and watch them work.

Start easy and gradually increase the difficulty as they get better. This game builds impulse control, reinforces the stay command, and gives your dog a genuine foraging challenge. Use high-value, aromatic treats for best results — Freeze-Dried Salmon or Freeze-Dried Chicken work particularly well because the scent carries.

4. Training Micro-Sessions

Ten minutes of focused training is more tiring for a dog than thirty minutes of fetch. Teaching a new trick, practising impulse control exercises, or working through a sequence of known commands all require concentration that genuinely exhausts a dog's mental resources.

Keep sessions short — five to ten minutes maximum — and end on a success. Use small, high-value treats to maintain motivation without overfeeding. A treat pouch keeps things efficient, so you're not fumbling with bags mid-session. Our training treats guide covers what to use and how to structure rewards.

5. The Calm-Down Game

This one sounds counterintuitive, but teaching a high-energy dog to settle on cue is one of the most valuable skills you can build — and the process of learning it is mentally demanding.

Start by rewarding any moment of calm: four paws on the floor, lying down, soft eyes. Mark and reward with a quiet, low-energy treat delivery. Over time, you can put the behaviour on cue. Dogs that learn to self-regulate are less reactive, less anxious, and easier to live with.

For dogs that struggle with settling, the Duck Calming Aid can support the process — a natural supplement that takes the edge off without sedating. Read more in our post on duck calming aid for dogs.

Building It Into Your Routine

The most effective approach is to combine physical and mental exercise throughout the day rather than front-loading everything into one long walk. A snuffle mat at breakfast, a training session mid-morning, a lick mat in the evening — this kind of distributed enrichment keeps your dog's brain engaged and their nervous system regulated.

For a full framework, see our guide to building an enrichment routine. And if your dog's energy levels are still through the roof despite good enrichment, it may be worth looking at nutrition — specifically gut health and omega-3 intake, which both influence mood and behaviour. Our gut health guide is a good place to start.

Final Thoughts

A tired dog is a good dog — but the tiredness that comes from mental engagement is different from the tiredness that comes from physical exertion. It's deeper, calmer, and longer-lasting. Invest fifteen minutes in your dog's brain today, and you might just get a peaceful evening in return.