Overweight

The easiest sign of a dog’s lack of exercise is its weight. Overweight dogs need exercise (and possibly food reduction), and maintaining a healthy weight is very important. Just like humans, being overweight in dogs can lead to additional health risks.

Destroy things

All dogs will destroy things when they are bored. Bored dogs will take out their energy on your furniture, walls, garden, and your precious personal belongings (destroying walls may be a sign of separation anxiety, depending on the situation). If your dog is severely damaging items in your home, you need to consider whether it's simply a lack of exercise.

Excessive barking

Dogs bark when they are bored, especially when you are not home. Dogs try to communicate with their owners in many ways, and barking can immediately get the owner's attention. Often, all dogs are trying to tell us is that they want to go outside and play! Suppressed energy is often expressed through vocalizations.

Rough play

Do you have a dog that just can’t play well? Some owners are willing to wrestle their dogs. If the dog is overly excited, it is usually a way to vent excess energy. The more a dog's energy is suppressed, the less they can control themselves and play gently with their owners.

Unsettled & Anxious

Many owners find that their dogs have difficulty sleeping soundly at night, or are very aroused by movement around the house. Dogs who don’t get enough exercise will find it difficult to settle down, and if they can’t vent their energy, they will become overly anxious and start pacing. Lack of exercise takes a toll on dogs both physically and mentally.

Drag the leash

You may have a perfect, obedient dog at home, but if it is too excited or difficult to control outdoors, it means the dog is not getting enough exercise. Pulling on the leash doesn't always mean bad behavior and may be a sign that the dog is energetic and needs a run instead of a slow walk.

Seeking attention

When dogs bother their owners again and again, some dogs are too annoying and get clingy to their owners again and again. If the dog nudges you with its nose, puts toys on your lap, whines and barks, wanders around you aimlessly, and seeks your attention all day long, this must indicate the amount of exercise the dog is doing. Seriously inadequate.