Simple Ways to Enrich Your Dog’s Day
There are so many different ways to provide mental enrichment for your dog. The best part about it is that it can be just as enriching for you as it is for them, all while strengthening the bond between you and both as well! Here are some ideas you can try:
Interactive Toys and Puzzles
Puzzle feeders and treat-dispensing toys challenge your dog to think and solve problems. These toys mimic the mental effort of foraging and can keep your dog entertained for hours. You can purchase puzzle toys at varying difficulty levels depending on the skill of your dog, or you can also get creative and come up with DIY puzzle toys at home!
Training Sessions
Teaching new obedience cues or improving current cues your dog already knows is an excellent way to engage their mind. Even just a few short intervals of training each day is very enriching, especially if you can challenge them to achieve something new!
If you’re working with a PAWS dog, please remember to use only the recommended PAWS cues to support their training.
Scent Games That Spark Instincts
Dogs experience the world through their noses. Hide treats or meals around the house or yard and encourage your dog to find them. This taps into their natural instincts and provides a rewarding challenge. When starting out, it works best if you place the food in a place that’s easy for them to find, so they learn what to do before you begin hiding it in more inconspicuous places.
“Sniffari” Walks
This is a personal favorite of mine, as I love being outdoors with my dogs. “Sniffaris,” or sniff walks, are essentially just like a normal walk, but with frequent stops to allow your dog to sniff around or check something out. As you’re walking, simply tell them “Free” or “Go sniff.” Allow them the length of the leash to sniff for a little while before resuming your walk.
Rotate Toys to Keep Things Fresh
Instead of leaving all of their toys out at once, rotate through them weekly. This keeps things fresh and exciting for your dog.
Interactive Play with Purpose
Games like tug-of-war or hide-and-seek are also great because they involve both physical and mental effort! You can also incorporate obedience skills into your games for added mental stimulation. For example, when playing fetch, you can practice “Sit” and “Wait” as you throw the ball before telling them “Free” to go get it.
Socialization in New Environments
Bringing your dog to a new environment is a great and easy way to provide them with enrichment. In any new environment, your dog is faced with a lot of things to process, such as a variety of new sights, smells, and sounds. Even if you are just sitting with them in a new space, they are being enriched!
Just like with people, all dogs have different things that they enjoy over others, so have fun experimenting with different ideas for enrichment!
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