Dogs have lived alongside humans for centuries, thanks to our selective breeding to encourage them to perform specific jobs. Now, our working dogs have transitioned to roles like Chief Couch Potato (CCP), and their incredible brains aren't being fully utilized. Without a job to do, your dog might just become self-employed and look for their own work—and that's not something anyone wants! Let’s provide them with full-time contracts, regular hours, great health benefits, and a fantastic paycheck (with the occasional bonus too!)
The Importance of Enrichment
Enrichment is essential for keeping our dogs happy, healthy, and mentally stimulated. While physical exercise is important, mental stimulation can be equally beneficial. This is especially true during times when long walks aren't possible, such as bad weather, crate rest, or restricted activity. Enrichment activities can help prevent boredom and reduce stress, leading to a more content and well-behaved dog.
Everyday Enrichment Ideas
Scatter Feeding and Foraging: Instead of feeding your dog from a bowl, try scatter feeding their kibble around the house or garden. You could also do it in grassy areas, or piles of leaves at the park. This encourages them to use their nose and brain to find their food. You can also hide small amounts of food in rolled-up towels or inside cardboard boxes for them to discover.
Interactive Toys: Toys like Kongs and Lickimats are excellent for mental stimulation. Stuff Kongs with a mix of kibble, wet food, and treats, then freeze them for a longer-lasting challenge. Lickimats can be spread with soft food or treats, promoting calming licking behaviour.
Puzzle Toys: Invest in some puzzle toys that require your dog to work for their treats. These can range from simple treat-dispensing balls to more complex puzzles that involve moving parts.
Training Sessions: Use a portion of your dog’s daily food allowance for training throughout the day. This not only keeps them mentally stimulated but also reinforces good behaviour and strengthens your bond.
Nose Work Games: Teach your dog to play search games. Start by hiding treats in one room and gradually extend the search area to the whole house and garden.
Breed-Specific Activities
Tailor enrichment activities to your dog’s breed. Although every dog is different and will enjoy different games, their breed can give us clues as to what they might find most enriching. Here are some ideas:
Herding Breeds (e.g., Border Collies, Australian Shepherds)
These dogs thrive on mental challenges. Setting up a Hoopers course, or a mini agility course in your backyard with obstacles like tunnels, weave poles, and jumps can be very engaging. Aim to train accuracy and precision over speed. Teaching them to herd soft toys into a specific area or to tidy up their toys can be really motivating for them. They also enjoy advanced obedience training and learning new tricks, which can help channel their energy and intelligence productively.
Bully Breeds (e.g., Rottweilers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers)
These breeds were bred for their strength and tenacity, which includes a strong bite. Providing opportunities for safe tugging games can be beneficial. Pullers are excellent toys that keep your hand away from their powerful jaws and can be used to teach an "Out" cue. Ensure the toys are durable and appropriate for their strength and size to avoid any accidents.
Working Breeds (e.g., Alaskan Malamutes, Bernese Mountain Dogs)
Engage these strong, intelligent dogs with weight-pulling exercises using a safe harness and a sled, cart, or a weighted chain. These activities cater to their natural strengths and provide a productive outlet for their energy. Be sure to train and condition them properly to avoid injuries.
Sporting Breeds (e.g., Labradors, Golden Retrievers)
These breeds love retrieving games. Incorporate water play by teaching them to retrieve floating toys from a pool or lake. Nose work games and field trials keep their minds sharp. Instead of repetitive fetch, hide the toy and ask your dog to find and retrieve it, which tires them out more effectively and reduces joint strain. This also helps with impulse control and obedience.
Terriers (e.g., Jack Russell Terriers, Bodegueros)
Terriers have a natural instinct to dig. Providing a designated digging area or sandbox where they can dig for buried toys or treats can satisfy this need (and can keep them out of your flower beds!)
Toy Breeds (e.g., Chihuahuas, Pomeranians)
Smaller breeds can enjoy scaled-down versions of puzzle toys and agility courses with items that you find around the house. These breeds often excel in trick training, which can be a fun and rewarding way to bond with your dog.
Sighthounds (e.g., Greyhounds, Whippets)
These breeds have a strong prey drive and enjoy chasing. Safe, enclosed areas where they can chase lure-coursing toys are very satisfying. A flirt pole is another way to allow them to practice breed-specific behaviours in a safe manner. Ensure the activity is controlled to prevent overexertion or injury.
Scent Hounds (e.g., Beagles, Basset Hounds)
These dogs excel at scent work. Creating scent trails with treats or toys hidden along the path can be really engaging for them. Setting up a scentwork course in your yard or home, or participating in a Mantrailing class, can provide excellent mental stimulation. Be mindful of their natural tendency to follow their nose and ensure they are in a safe, enclosed area.
Get Creative with Recycling
Cardboard Boxes: Smear paté, cream cheese or peanut butter on the inside of a cardboard box for your dog to shred. While you might have to pick up shredded cardboard afterwards, it’s giving your dog an appropriate outlet for their destructive behaviour—better than a shredded sofa!
Plastic Bottles: Fill a box or paddling pool with plastic bottles and hide treats at the bottom. This can help build confidence, especially in young puppies during their socialisation period.
Milk Cartons: Make holes in milk cartons and fill them with treats or dry food. Your dog will have fun rolling them around to get the goodies out.
Toilet Paper Rolls: Stuff a toilet paper roll with treats and fold the ends.
Preparing Enrichment Toys in Advance
Prepping food enrichment toys like Kongs in advance can save you time and ensure you always have one ready when needed. Stuff a few Kongs with your dog's favourite fillings and wrap them in cling film before storing them in the freezer. When you need one, simply take it out and give it to your dog for a cool, long-lasting treat.
Environmental Enrichment on Walks
Food enrichment toys are fantastic, but they’re not a substitute for environmental enrichment and giving your dog opportunities to just be a dog.
Here are some ways to add environmental enrichment during walks, particularly in the city:
Doggy Parkour: Encourage your dog to jump on benches and low walls, balance on logs, or weave through poles. This builds confidence and physical coordination.
Sniffing Opportunities: Allow your dog plenty of time to sniff and explore their environment. This is crucial for their mental stimulation and overall happiness.
Sprinkling Cheese: Sprinkle grated or parmesan cheese on the grass to encourage sniffing and foraging.
Variety of Smells: Introduce your dog to different smells, sights, textures, and sounds. This could be anything from walking on different surfaces (grass, gravel, sand) to encountering new objects or people.
Training: Incorporating play, and trick and obedience training on walks is a great way to generate engagement and improve your dog's focus on you.
Watching the World Go By: People-watching with your puppy is a wonderful way to teach them to just chill out and do nothing. Pick a quiet time and a quiet place, and just sit with your puppy. If your puppy or dog struggles to settle, choose a quieter time, or give them more distance from any distractions, and keep your sessions shorter.
When is the Best Time for Enrichment Activities?
After a Walk: To help calm your dog before a nap, offer a Kong, a Lickimat or a long-lasting chew in their bed or crate to encourage them to lie down and relax.
When You’re Busy: If you’re working from home or need to focus on other tasks, give your dog an interactive toy or set up a nose work game.
Before Bed: Engaging in calming activities, like licking or chewing, can help your dog wind down for the night.
Keep Your Dog Busy While You’re Out: To keep your dog entertained while you’re away, hide food around the house for them to find. Start with one room where they can see you hiding the food, then gradually make it more challenging by hiding food throughout the house and garden.
Safety First
Always ensure the toys and activities you choose are safe for your dog’s size and chewing habits. Supervise excessive chewers or dogs that tend to eat objects to prevent any accidents.
Follow Your Dog's Cue
When it comes to enrichment, it's crucial to follow your dog's cues and ensure the activities are appropriately challenging without being overly frustrating. We want our dogs to be engaged and stimulated, not discouraged. If a game or puzzle is too difficult, your dog may give up or become stressed. Start with simpler versions of the activities and gradually increase the difficulty as your dog becomes more proficient. This approach helps build their confidence and keeps the experience enjoyable. By paying attention to your dog's reactions and adjusting the level of challenge accordingly, you can create a positive and rewarding enrichment routine that keeps them motivated and happy.
Benefits for Puppies
Enrichment isn’t just for adult dogs—puppies benefit greatly too! Engaging them in mental stimulation helps with frustration tolerance, stress reduction, and keeping them busy. It also lays the foundation for a well-rounded adult dog, and encourages our puppy to work independently, reducing the chances of FOMO (fear of missing out!)
For more tips and ideas, join the Facebook groups “Canine Enrichment” and “Beyond the Bowl - Canine Enrichment.” These communities are filled with creative ways to keep your dog’s mind and body active.
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