With regards to my GSD Luke, does anyone have a sure fire way to wear him out? I take him to the bike trail with me, ride 5 miles with him off lead, he chases rabbits along the way, has a blast, then we go to the lake and he swims, jumps off the dock a few times, and runs there too. BUT this only serves to charge him up further, literally... He will come home and be CHARGED up for the rest of the day. Should I miss a day then he is alot easier around the house, but maybe he is moping then and I just had not seen it for what it was. He needs the exercise as he has finally settled in at around 100-107 lbs, and even at that wieght I can feel ribs, and he leaps through my rear windows getting in the truck if you don't get the door open quick enough for him. He is a wonderful dog, I love him to death, he isn't going anywhere, but I have to find some activity that will take something out of him. HELP?

Can I ask what you are doing for his intellect? If the brawn and muscle workouts arent doing it, perhaps ending your workouts with training ob, tricks, etc would further "stimulate" him into relaxation. ? Does that make sense?

Find a steep hill & keep throwing his ball up it! Seriously, if you track your dog a few times a week, it will help wear him down. Tracking uses a lot of mental stimulation which is very tiring.

Good idea Michelle! He loves to figure things out, I have a few ideas. I will try messing around with some tracking stuff, I'll lay a track and put his kong at the end of it.

Maybe YOU are creating excesses. You answered your own question when you said, “Should I miss a day then he is alot easier around the house, but maybe he is moping then and I just had not seen it for what it was.” I don’t think dogs mope, they are just being dogs. If weight is a problem feed him less. Instead of trying to wear him out or taking something out of him use obedience and control to settle him down. Doesn’t sound like you are winning the other game, he loves it………………..

LOL! I am 44 years old and I can tell you that I am NOT winning that game! LOL!!!... He likes tracking, and I will start there. He does not really like the sleeve, so bitework isn't going to do it either.
In a few more weeks I'll put him in a harness and let him pull the 7 year old in the snow, and he does love to ride the sleds with her. to the point that should anyone try to go down the hill without him they get knocked off the sled.
I did see a good article on harnessing dogs to a larger scooter, I'll have to see how they did it.

thanks

Also keep in mind that in exercising him the way that you are & all dogs need exercise (to a greater or lesser degree depending on the breed, age etc) you are also creating a 'fitness level' with that exercise & that will continue to grow with each session. In other words, he is like any other athlete....the more exercise you get the more stamina that you build up & then the more exercise you need to reach that stamina level & tire. It can kinda become a viscious circle. Your dog is at a very high fitness level & it will require more & more exercise to tire him out the fitter he gets. When I used to compete my x-country horse, I would start off in the spring with a low level of exercise outside & still ride him indoors (indoor ring riding maintains a certain level of fitness but cannot duplicate the outdoor riding up & down hills & on unveven ground to build fitness)and each week I would increase the time ridden outside x-country until I had him at the level of fitness that I needed for him to be able to compete. I would maintain that level of fitness through out the year. Outside winter riding is restricted for the most part to mostly walking when riding in the deeper snow & not at all if icey. So each spring you need to build up the fitness level. It is no different with a working dog, equine athlete or any athlete. But note that once that 'level' is reached the athlete will not tire until exercised a bit above that level of fitness. I hope this helps explain where you dog is at this point. Like mentioned, you can also employ more mental exercise & this will help tire him a bit sooner, also. My dogs run in the field, but also due obedience exercising while running around. I will make them sit & then send them for their 'toy'. Do some heeling & then throw their toy to retreive, etc,etc. These mental exercises intermingled with the physical exercise of running to retrieve, do recalls, etc helps tire them out. Even my pup will do obedience (recalls, sits, downs, watch me etc) on the field intermingled with running around & playing with me. It all contributes to tireing them out. I wouldn't skip a day, necessarily, but do a little less physicall some days & more mental & see how that works. Hope this helps. Good luck, sound like a nice dog to have around.

"the more exercise you get the more stamina that you build up & then the more exercise you need to reach that stamina level & tire".

I wish it still worked that way for me still.

Kevin,

I agree with the previous posts especially increasing the mental challenges. Have you tried using a weighted backpack for Luke?
It might increase the intensity of the work you are already doing
with him. I think Leerburg sells them.