Canine Enrichment, What is it and why dogs need it
Canine Enrichment
By Christen Cupler/Smarty Paws K9 University LLC
Today I am going to talk about Canine Enrichment. What it means, how to accomplish it, why it is important and some examples of it.
Dogs were not intended to live a sedentary life; dogs originally were wild animals. Through domestication they were breed with the purpose of specific jobs in mind to help make our lives easier. Nowadays, we have ample machines and gadgets to help us accomplish most the tasks they were used for. By default, dogs have become pets, companions and even replacement children for some of us. There is nothing wrong with any of that, but we need to remember all those things we geared then to be are still in there. One of my favorite questions to ask a client is
what their dogs exercise routine is. I cannot tell you the amount of times I hear a walk, or they run in the back yard. Not that any of that is bad but the issue is, it is not enough. When you are confined to one area or space, no matter what you are doing in it eventually that spot loses its appeal.
This is where Canine enrichment comes into play. In addition to physical and mental stimulation, like exercise of walks, dock diving or agility and training exercises. Canine Enrichment helps to cover a more natural behavior for them such as sniffing things out, foraging, chewing, ripping, scavenging for things. All things they would have done many moons ago when they were on their own.
So, when I speak of enrichment, it does not have to be expensive activities or clubs. Enrichment activities comes in many
forms. There are many available for sale in retail locations. There are Puzzles, treat balls, food bowl mazes, lick mats, snuffle mats, Kong toys, etc. The list goes on and on. You can also put together your own enrichment games with stuff laying around your house and your dog’s meal or treats.
Dogs were never intended to be feed from a bowl and have it made for them and set in front of them. Dogs would have been out hunting, scavenging, and foraging for food. An excellent way to enrich your dog’s mealtime is to make them work for it. This eliminates the infamous food vacuum behavior that is so dangerous for our dogs, as well as turning feeding time into a fun activity.
Food Enrichment
(these can be meals or treats, vary as you would like)
🐾 Snuffle Mats: Scatter your dog’s meal
into it and watch them work to get it out.
🐾 Kong’s: Regular or Wobblers, either one
they must put some effort into getting
their food out.
🐾 Scatter it: On your floor or in your yard
and watch them have a blast retrieving
it all
🐾 Treat find: Show your dog a treat, toss
it and have them go find it. You will find
this game extra helpful for getting your
dog to focus on and always come back
to you. Add, some fun to it as they
increase their skill. Have them sit,
smell, and wait while you toss, then
release to go find it.
🐾 Boxes & paper: Wrap treats or kibble
inside paper and put into boxes. Allow
the dog to sift through and unwrap.
🐾 Puzzles: Store bought or homemade,
put kibble or treats in. Let them have
fun with it
🐾 Bottle Games: Put treats/kibble inside
a bottle on a stick, let them figure out
how to get the food out
Walking Enrichment:
🐾 Sniff walks: Let them have an entire walk of sniffing. Sniffing is the most stimulating activity a dog can have. Take them out somewhere, use either a long training lead or if you’re in an off-leash place and you have full distance control of your dog, allow them to walk along and sniff and explore their world.
Tip: If you would like to make this a good learning exercise as well, use every time they come back to you as an opportunity to reward coming to you. if you would like to make it more fun and they lag, continue walking ahead. Leave a trail of treats leading to you, then jackpot when they get to you.
🐾 Explore new areas: Hike, fish, parks,
beaches, whatever you have available to
you and dogs are allowed.
Tip: Follow the rules if dogs are
required on lead, Keep them on lead
Enrichment Games
🐾 Flirt Poles: Use a flirt pole to stimulate their natural instincts
to chase and catch
Canine enrichment takes your dog to the next level of happiness and will increase the bond between you. Dogs who get enough mental and physical exercise and lead an enriched lifestyle are happy and content dogs. Happy and content dogs are far less likely to have undesirable behavioral issues such as destructive chewing, excessive barking, hyperactive personalities etc. Enrichment is equally as important as remembering to feed, walk and take in general care of them.
Remember, they are a part of our life…. we are all of theirs. We need to help
make it the best possible life for them to have by providing for ALL their needs, not just the essentials.
Happy Training!
