According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the key to raising a happy, healthy dog is regular enrichment. But this might leave you asking ‘what exactly is dog enrichment?’

Well, dog enrichment centres on allowing your pooch to satisfy his or her innate behaviours, such as scavenging or foraging, chasing, chewing, sniffing and playing. By encouraging and inviting your fur pal to engage in these behaviours you help bring social, mental and physical satisfaction.

Sounds pretty cool, huh? I mean, what dog doesn’t love to scavenge for food, sniff out interesting stuff and test its agility via an obstacle course?

Why is dog enrichment important?

As responsible pet parents, it’s essential to understand the purpose of dog enrichment. Indeed, it brings many benefits to our barking buddies. Not only does it help prevent boredom and destructive behaviour, but also it allows dogs to act out their natural behaviours. Enrichment-based activities are a great way to mentally and physically stimulate your dog, which is awesome for his or her general wellbeing.

Certainly, being a pet is not a normal thing for a dog. Traditionally, dogs would roam free and run wild. They would hunt for food, always be on alert in case of predators, and problem solve.

As pets, dogs are told what to do, given their food at a certain time and expected to act in a way that fits into our human world. Without a doubt, our canine chums make great pets and do an amazing job at keeping us happy. However, if we can enrich our dog’s life and make him happy, then why wouldn’t we?

Dog enrichment: getting started

It’s part of our role, as pet owners, to create a happy and healthy environment for our furry friends; this involves regular enrichment. Thankfully, there are heaps of ways to make everyday activities challenging, interactive and fun (AKA an enriching experience). Here are a few ways to enrich your dog’s life.

Interactive and engaging toys

Kongs are king when it comes to dog enrichment. These low-cost toys are ideal for offering mental stimulation and lots of fun. Fill with peanut butter, treats, a few spoonfuls of wet dog food…the list goes on.

Interacting with the toy stimulates the dog’s brain; it also helps him burn energy while appealing to his natural instinct to scavenge for food. Another great idea for a DIY toy is to use old jeans or t-shirts. Simply cut them into big strips, knot them together and voila, you have a dog pull. You can even stick little treats in between the fabric, to make it even more exciting and interesting for your furry friend.

Make mealtimes fun

Quench your pup’s innate thirst for foraging by introducing him or her to food puzzles. Not only will food-based challenges excite and interest your dog, but also they offer mental stimulation.

Aside from buying a puzzle feeder, you can place a small amount (don’t overfeed your dog) of dry dog food into the holes of a muffin tin. Place a ball over the top, or some other sort of toy or item that will hide the food. Allow your dog to sniff our and retrieve the food.

A great idea from the RSPCA (especially for summer) is to freeze food or a dog treat in either an ice-cube tray or a small plastic container. Pop it on the grass and watch it keep your pooch busy for hours.

You can also play hide-and-seek to engage your dog’s natural instinct to hunt for food. Hide a bone in a bush or place his dinner under a box and watch him sniff it out. You could even hang some raw meat from a small tree!

Problem-solving play times

Dog enrichment is a great way to lower stress and anxiety in dogs, but it also helps them to learn more efficiently. Plus, it’s a wonderful way to bond with your dog. When it comes to creating enriching play times, try these ideas.

Fill a kid’s paddling pool or washing up bowl with plastic balls and place your four-legged friend’s favourite toy or treat underneath. He’ll love sniffing it out and eventually uncovering it.

Take three old boxes of differing sizes. Place a treat or toy in the smallest box. Put the boxes inside of each other and then invite Fido to find the treat or toy. Your barking buddy will love the challenge and his sense of smell will be working hard.

Imagine how boring life would be if you had nothing to entertain you. It’s the same for dogs. Plus, by keeping your fur pal stimulated he’s less likely to develop destructive behaviour.

 

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