Enrichment

Written By Valarie Ross

When a trainer talks about adding enrichment to your dog’s life it means your dog needs more things to think about. Our beloved family members were created by us in a time we needed not only the companionship they provide but a willing and intelligent co-worker. But in today’s society, many of our furry friends no longer have jobs to do. Because of this we are seeing an increase in anxiety, reactivity, and destructive behaviors. We have practices to combat types of problem behaviors and it is called “Enrichment”.

There are several activities you and your dog can do for enrichment. The Fabulous Four are Chewing, Licking, Foraging, and Sniffing. We’ll explore some ideas below. You may need to experiment to find what your dog really enjoys. Watch for signs of stress, anxiety, or fear, especially for activities outside the home.


The first step in Enrichment is getting rid of your dog’s food bowl, or at least using it as a second water bowl instead. Dogs and their ancestors are scavengers, they search for food throughout the day. They use their ears, eyes, and nose to find things to eat. When dogs do this they are using their brains to solve problems that are stopping them from getting their meals. By offering food in a bowl, we take away this important mental and physical stimulation. By taking away the bowl we have turned a 1 - 5 minute activity into a 10-15 minute exercise!

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES:

  • Chewing:

    • Natural Chews such as: soup bones, antlers, bully sticks, trachea, ears, and noses

    • Artificial Chews such as: Nylabone, Benebone, No Hides, Smart Bones

    • **We do not suggest rawhides

  • Licking:

    • Stuffing Toys such as: Kongs, Toppls, Starmark, and hollow marrow bones

    • Licking Toys such as: lick mats, lick bowls

    • Find stuffing ideas and recipes HERE

  • Foraging:

    • Snuffling Toys such as: Snufflemat, snufflebox, packing paper or TP rolls in a box

    • Scatter Feeding: throw food into your yard, use a Wobbler, Snoop, Mazee, or Bob-o-lot

      • Snoops and Mazees are excellent for dogs and humans that are sound sensitive

    • Puzzle Toys such as: Nina Ottosson, Outward Hound, and Ethical Pet

  • Sniffing:

    • Decompression/Nature Walks: allowing your dog to sniff along their walk, going to a quiet unpopulated area and use a long line to give them more freedom of movement

    • Nosework: Take a nosework class, hide food or cotton balls of safe essential oils around your home or yard

    • Car Ride: Take your dog with you, buckle them in, and open a window, and drive through the Metroparks, CVNP, or farm country

    • Go to the Store: Some stores allow dogs, allow them to sniff as you walk the store

  • Physical Enrichment

    • Visit a Sniffspot

    • Play fetch, tug, or wrestle with your pup

    • Try bike, scooter, or ski joring

    • Herding balls or flirt poles can be a lot of fun

  • Other Ideas:

    • Have dinner on a dog-friendly patio, if your dog is comfortable with it

    • Group walks at parks with friends, if your dog is comfortable with it

    • Trick Training: Sign up for a trick class online

    • Play music 

    • Visit the Dognition website and complete the games they suggest and report back, you’ll be aiding in animal behavior science advances!

    • Try dog sports such as Fly Ball, Agility, Happy Ratters or Parkour

    • Check out the Canine Enrichment or Beyond the Bowl groups on Facebook or the hashtag #canineenrichment on Instagram or TikTok for more ideas.

Valarie Ross
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