Pet Enrichment
Dog Enrichment
Adding to a dogs environment and lifestyle where a dog voluntarily interacts and, as a result, with enrichment it improves physical & mental health.
This might sound complex, but it is simple by adding actions or items to your dogs environment for their Benefit.
Choice
In offering the choice of how, and if, they choose to participate. Animals have the right to exercise that power;
Ignoring is also a Choice
Respect and don’t force
Environmental Enrichment
All that needs to be done is making the animals living SPACE INTERESTING AND STIMULATING. This will decrease Boredom.
- KONG
Kong-
snuffle mat
puzzle games
Bob-A-Lot
trick mad scientist
And many more……There are a lot of DIY puzzle Ideas and mats and interactive food dispensing toys.
Dogs are meant to live active lives. Dogs are meant to keep their mind busy by problem solving. With living in a captive life (if I may say) they lose or never exercise this behavior.
Other than Environmental enrichment here are a few more:
Social Enrichment
Its so important for social enrichment cause Dogs are social animals. Not only is it great for socialization for younger and older dogs but It is necessary for a dogs happiness. For a dog to be under-stimulated can cause behavior problems, possibly destructive behavior. This allows them to spend time with other animals and humans in a new and different environment.
How to help our pups:
- Pet stores
- go shopping
- going to the park or dog park
-lake or beach
Cognitive Enrichment
Give your pup learning opportunities such as teaching new commands or tricks. Some of the benefits included reduced anxiety, increased cognitive function, and a stronger bond between owner and pet
How to help our pets:
- 101 Things to Do with a Box (Dr. Sophia yin)
-Puzzle toys
-hide and seek
Play this with toys or ourselves. Tell your pup to stay walk away go into another room hid then call them see if they can find you. Start off easy then work your way up to harder and harder places)
snuffle mat
Physical Enrichment
Physical enrichment is not just about exercise. Interaction with toys is an effective way to physically enrich your dog’s world. Doing Physical exercises that allow your dog to problem solve and work is both cognitive and physical enrichment.
How to help our pets:
-fit paw cavalettis
cavalettis
fit paws
balance disc
-running
Sensory Enrichment
Dogs have a strong sense of smell that we frequently overlook. Classes focused on scent games (often termed Nose work or nose games) are a great way to expand your dog’s world through sense of smell. Music is another sensory form of enrichment. Dogs who listened to classical music CD’s for animals showed increased resting and sleeping and reduced stress levels.
How to help our pets:
-TV
-Radio
-Squeaky Toys
-Foraging devices (Rolling treats up in a towel, and getting your pups to roll the towel out for all the treats spread in the towel)
Toy Enrichment
Enrichment toys can enhance your pup's ability to learn, helping them develop new skills. It also promotes their natural behavior such as foraging, exploring and playing. Toys can help your dogs relax, making them happier. ... And the more toys they have to choose from, the more relaxed they'll feel.
How to help our pets:
-chew toys
-new toys
-put a toy in a hamper upside down and see if they can get it out
-activity toys
-soothing toys (every dog might have a different soothing toy, bed or blanket even)
-reward toys (every pup will value different rewards)
Enrichment in the form of games and activities that are of moderate to high intensity lowers stress in dogs and encourages them to learn more efficiently. It increases their problem solving abilities and leads to a more emotionally balanced and confident dog.