What are typical signs of overtraining in a MWD?

• A. Increased appetite and energy.
• B. Prolonged fatigue, reduced performance, chronic stiffness, irritability, poor appetite, sleep disturbances, persistent soreness.
• C. No changes.
• D. Rapid weight gain.

Answer: (B)

Overtraining in a Military Working Dog shows up as a cluster of signals from the body and behavior that linger and prevent the dog from bouncing back after training. The hallmark signs are prolonged fatigue and reduced performance, meaning the dog doesn’t rebound after workouts and stays tired longer than expected. Chronic stiffness points to ongoing muscle strain and slow repair. Irritability reflects stress and mood changes from sustained workload. Poor appetite and sleep disturbances show the body's struggle to recover and regulate energy. Persistent soreness means tissues aren’t repairing efficiently. Taken together, these indicate the dog isn’t recovering adequately and is accumulating fatigue. Other options don’t fit: increased appetite and energy would suggest good conditioning; no changes would imply stability; rapid weight gain isn’t a typical signal of overtraining in this context.