Enrichment activities are essential for your pooch to learn and grow, and we’re here to tell you why. Enrichment activities are one of the most effective methods to help your pooch develop key skills, such as problem-solving, searching, and agility, and achieve them in a positive way. Allowing your dog to experience enrichment activities also helps minimise boredom, boost confidence and is one of the best methods for monitoring their energy, promoting calm behaviour, and forming positive habits in the long term.
Daily access to enrichment is important for every pooch’s development and includes food and scent-based enrichment activities as well as games. Whatever your situation, there are various techniques, methods and products you can use to support your dog’s development. For example, if your pooch becomes overly excited or eats too quickly, try using a snuffle mat during feeding as it encourages slow feeding and helps relax fussy eaters. Alternatively, offer your pooch an enrichment toy containing some of their food to make the meal a little more fun. Not only will this achieve the task at hand safely but help them avoid chewing on inappropriate objects, like your shoes or the couch.
When choosing the best enrichment activity for your pooch, it is important to consider the following:
- Your pooch’s abilities, health, and diet for your dogs
- Their tastes and what they enjoy and dislike
- Especially if you’re leaving the dog unsupervised, be sure the enrichment item or activity is safe and non-toxic.
- Check to see if they are engaging in the enrichment activity. Are they having fun or do they seem frustrated?
This is a list of suitable enrichment activities to try with your pooch:
- Food-based enrichment – Give treats or meals by setting it down on a snuffle mat or licki mat.
- Scent-based enrichment – Give your dog lots of time and space to sniff when you’re out for a walk. Make sure to vary your path and visit several different locations. Both new experiences and fragrances will be introduced to them as a result.
- Games with toys – Your dog will benefit physically and emotionally from playing games with toys. Playing with toys also helps them become more self-assured and will help build the bond between the two of you.
It’s important always to supervise your pooch while engaging with enrichment toys or activities for their safety. If you need further advice or support in developing these enrichment activities, speak with our team today.
