Dog Enrichment

What makes dogs happy? Enrichment! As we discussed here, enrichment keeps your pup interested, encourages natural behaviors, and is the key to keeping them fulfilled.

Understand Your Breed

Understanding your dog’s personality as well as their breed is a good way to know what enrichment is best for them. There are seven main dog groups as classified by the American Kennel Club, so the first step is knowing to which of these groups your pup belongs.

Sporting Group: Consisting of breeds like labradors who were bred to assist hunters, these dogs will play fetch all day long.

Hound Group: Hounds were bred to track prey and love to use their noses, so nose work is a great activity for them.

Working Group: These are strong dogs who were bred to pull carts and guard and protect. They’ll enjoy games like tug of war and solving problems.

Terrier Group: Terriers were bred to hunt rodents and snakes. They have endless energy and like to dig, run, and sniff.

Herding Group: Herders are pretty self-explanatory. Shepherds, cattle dogs, and collies are similar to the working and sporting groups and love to have tasks. They also love to RUN!

Toy Group: These pups were bred to be pocket-sized companions, but don’t let their petite statures fool you! These pups love to be snuggled AND solve puzzles.v

Non-Sporting Group: This is a catch-all for everyone else, but like the toy group, the pups in this group were mainly bred to be companion animals. They generally love to socialize with people and other dogs.

Treat Dispensers

A great way to keep your pup busy is by giving them kibble or treats in a toy. There are hollow balls that you can fill with kibble that dispenses as your pup rolls the toy around. We love to slather the inside of a Kong with peanut butter and toss it in the fridge overnight. The cold means dogs have to work just a little hard to retrieve the gooey treat (freezing peanut butter makes it brittle, which means that with one good chew, the peanut butter will break and fall out.) Increase the challenge by stuffing a few hard treats into the peanut butter!

Puzzle Toys

Puzzle toys are a great way to exercise your dog’s mind. Pups have to figure how to retrieve the treats, keeping them occupied and interested. They love having to use their noses to hunt down every last morsel. For a homemade version, roll treats or kibble in an old towel and tie it or secure with wide ribbon. We recommend having a rotation of puzzle-type enrichment so that your dog doesn’t quickly get bored of doing the same game over and over.

All dogs need exercise, though some require more than others. Keep walks interesting by varying your route. Allow your pup to sniff so they can collect the neighborhood gossip. This is when your dog’s group really is important, because some breeds are content with a walk, while others enjoy more adventurous activities. For those pups, consider taking them hiking or swimming at dog-friendly locations. Check out different organizations near you based on your pup’s needs like the Windy City Mushers who offer dog sledding, or Wagging Rights Dog Training who offer nose work classes.

Snuffle Mats and Sand Boxes

For Floofins who love to dig, snuffle mats are a great way for them to display this natural behavior. Scatter kibble throughout to encourage your pup’s love of digging! And if your dog is a voracious digger outside, consider installing a pups-only sandbox with coarse sand where you can bury bones or other outdoor-appropriate toys that they need to sniff out and dig up. Not only will your dog have fun, you’ll save your yard from looking like a scene from the movie Holes. 

Socialization

Dogs are pack animals and benefit from socializing with people and other animals. Supervised play dates with dogs you know or even a trip to doggy daycare will give your pup a chance to interact with their peers. Talk to your vet to make sure your pup has all the recommended or required vaccinations to protect your pup against communicable canine diseases like kennel cough and giardia.

Find It!

One of our favorite games is Find It! This involves scattering treats and asking your pup to hunt them down. They have to use their nose for this game, and not only is it great enrichment for them, it also can redirect their energy if they get overstimulated by guests or other dogs. It’s also a quick form of enrichment if you don’t have time to put together a Kong or snuffle mat.

Obstacle Courses

Even old dogs love to learn new tricks! By using simple commands like “stay” and “here,” you can teach virtually any pup to go through a tunnel, hop over a jump, or walk a balance beam. Once the basics are mastered, you can arrange them in different ways and work your pup through a fully obstacle course! You don’t even need fancy equipment – you can make simple jumps with a few pieces of PVC and a beam with a two by four. You can even find “natural” obstacles while out on walks or at the park.

Training

Denning

Dogs instinctually like to den, so provide areas where your dog can feel secure. Whether you crate train or provide a dog bed with supportive sides, make sure your pup has a spot all its own where they can cuddle up and be cozy.

Final Thoughts

A fulfilled pup is a happy pup, so be sure you’re providing your dog with various types of enrichment!