Energy is fundamental to the survival of any living thing, be that the fastest cheater or the most slovenly sloth. All creatures process their energy in different ways, ways that are best for the type of life they lead. Dogs are quite high on the scale when it comes to the most energetic animals, and certain dogs are much higher on that scale than others.

The reason that dogs such as Dalmatians, Jack Russells, Border Collies and Retrievers are so abundant with energy is because they all have a high metabolic rate. Which means they process nutrients into energy very efficiently. The metabolic rate dictates how quickly or slowly nutrients such as fat and carbohydrates are processed into energy.

The metabolic rate also controls the body heat of the dog, it maintains it at a constant 101.5-102 degrees. At it’s slowest, the metabolic rate will enable the body to perform basal functions such as heart repair and digestion, if the metabolic rate slips below this rate for any reason, the dog will begin to die.

As a rule, the certain breeds of dog which are notoriously high in energy are difficult to train and are constantly testing the patience of their owner. This does not have to be the case. Given the right amount of training and attention these dogs can prove to be the most effective working dog and the most loyal companion.

Regular exercise is a must for these dogs, otherwise they will take it upon themselves to exercise inside the house or worse, fail to burn of any of the energy and become obese. Mental stimulation is also essential to prevent boredom. Always have a good supply of strong, long lasting chewy toys to avoid constant trips to the shoe shop. If you have a retriever, then encourage him to retrieve things when you play.

If you have a high energy dog of any kind encourage him to do what he was bred for, this is a good combination of mental and physical stimulation.

A good diet is essential for these dogs. Presumably the owners of such dogs would consider the high energy factor an asset rather than a hindrance and therefore would want to nurture this. Although they seem to have enough, a high energy diet is essential to their good health, they need the energy to burn of the fats. They need lots of carbohydrates and protein to store as energy and animal fats to use as quick energy.

Given the right exercise, training and diet the high energy dog will be the ideal companion for the high energy family, or even an averagely active family.