Enrichment. Is it really that easy?
In today’s world our canine companions often live pretty relaxed lives. Going from the dog bed to the couch with a short walk or two between and maybe some adventures on a weekend. Often this leads to under stimulation and lack of appropriate physical and mental exercise which can result in less than desirable (but totally normal) dog behaviors like barking, inappropriate chewing, digging (AKA boredom) and unfulfilled needs that humans sadly label as disobedience. But what if the answer could be much more simple? Adding in simple daily enrichment as a framework to help meet a dogs needs to reduce undesirable behaviors. Yes, it really is that easy.
As a behavior consultant who works exclusively with dogs and puppies that struggle with high levels of fear, anxiety, and stress I’m often looking at enrichment from a standpoint of helping dogs recover from or prepare for stressful events. Use mental and physical energy and help to build resilience and independence. Enrichment alone may not solve more complex behavior challenges like separation anxiety or reactive behaviors but it can lend a helping hand!
What is Enrichment?
Any activity that dogs find innately satisfying, that taps into natural desires or instincts and allows for species specific behaviors. Enrichment allows dogs the ability to use their brains & bodies the way they were intended.
In the book Canine Enrichment for the Real World, authors Allie Bender and Emily Strong have defined enrichment as “meeting all of an animal’s needs as closely as possible to how they would be met I the wild, in order to empower them to engage in species typical behaviors in healthy and appropriate ways.”
Enrichment is often less about the “what” of the activity but more about the outcome. What is the end goal? To ease boredom? Help build confidence in a new space? Aid in relaxation before or after a stressful event? Assist in learning? Once we define the goal we can understand if our enrichment was beneficial to the animal and adjust accordingly.
Why?
Enrichment provides massive, tangible benefits to animals under human care, not just dogs. Enrichment is used in zoos, aquariums, shelters and more. It goes far beyond a simple food puzzle which leaves so many opportunities and options to enrich your dog’s life daily.
Enrichment gives animals an ability to tap into their natural instincts to hunt, scavenge, explore with all their senses. It also teaches problem solving, can assist in confidence building, offers dexterity building for puppies, eases boredom, can teach appropriate chewing, assist in self-soothing and with mild separation issues as well as burn energy. Enrichment opportunities are endless.
Types
As mentioned above enrichment opportunities are endless, but we need to define our goal to decide which might be appropriate for any given day/event. Below are different categories of enrichment and some ideas for each category.
*Please note these are general recommendations. It is each dog guardian’s responsibility to know what is appropriate and safe for your dog. Reach out to a qualified trainer and your veterinarian with any questions about these activities.
Many types of enrichment can be multifaceted and meet multiple areas of a dog’s needs such as physical, sensory, mental, and social.
Here are some enrichment ideas in these categories.
Physical enrichment:
Take your dog for long walks or hikes or to run off leash
Go swimming (there are apps to rent pools these days!).
Games like tug, flirt poles, chase.
Dog sports such as Agility, Flyball, Dog diving and more.
Mental enrichment:
Hide treats around the house for your dog to find.
Give your dog a food puzzle to solve.
Play scent work games.
Teach your dog a new trick or join a positive reinforcement training class.
Take your dog to a new place to explore.
Sensory enrichment:
Give your dog a toy or chew with different textures and flavors to chew.
Save your recycling and encourage your dog to rip/shred and tear up paper or cardboard boxes
Encourage digging and chewing in appropriate places.
Put a drop of essential oil on a cotton ball and let your dog sniff it.
Play music or white noise for your dog to encourage relaxation.
Take your dog for a decompression walk in a new place and allow endless sniffing at their pace.
Social enrichment:
Take your dog to meet up with doggie friends for a play date.
Go to a dog-friendly cafe or restaurant if they enjoy that environment.
Have friends or family over to interact with your dog.
Take your dog to a doggy daycare or a dog park if that is safe and enjoyable for your dog. Talk to a positive reinforcement trainer if you are unsure!
Still need more ideas? Check out my free resources on my website
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