Canine Enrichment

As the weather starts to get a bit rotten and the days get shorter, it can be tricky to find enough time to exercise our dogs.  Now of course, I would recommend getting in a professional dog walker to lend a hand, well I would, wouldn’t I – erm hello does anyone need a dog walker around Easingwold?!

But really, there are ways we can provide our dogs with stimulation without leaving home.  Canine enrichment activities and sniffy brain games are great for helping tire out our dogs, in a way that leaves them relaxed and fulfilled.  In fact, even after a walk, enrichment games can be a great way of bringing our dogs down and helping them settle after an action-packed outing.

What is Canine Enrichment?

“enrichment” – the action of improving or enhancing the quality or value of something

Providing our dogs with enrichment is quite simply providing them with opportunities to engage in their natural behaviours –

  • Playing
  • Chasing
  • Chewing
  • Smelling
  • Foraging/Scavenging

Enrichment games involve setting our dogs little challenges that provide them the opportunity to exercise their brains while they complete the set task. This provides mental stimulation and helps them to relax.

FUN FACT – Chewing releases chemicals in the brain that create the ‘feel good factor’ –  helping our dogs to decompress and alleviating stress.

DIY Canine Enrichment Ideas

  • Place some treats on an old tea towel and roll it up to make a parcel or roll. Leave a couple of treats poking out (sprats are good for this) so your dog easily gets the idea. Put it down for your dog to sniff and snuffle and unravel – their work is rewarded when they access the treats!
  • Take some old yogurt pots and loo rolls and hide treats inside/underneath on the floor. Let your dog sniff around the pots and work out how to lift them up or knock them over to access the treats and be rewarded for their efforts.
  • Keep your boxes from Amazon and hide treats inside amongst all the brown paper packaging for your dog to snuffle out.
  • Scatter treats in your garden and send your dog outside to ‘find it’ (you can do this with kibble and ditch the food bowl for a more interesting dinner time too).

THE IMPORTANT THING is that you make it easy enough for your dog to succeed.  Make it too hard at first and they may become frustrated.  You want your dog to feel like “Yay I’ve won” when they complete these little tasks.

These little ‘wins’ for our dogs are great for building confidence. While I’d recommend building these games into every dog’s routine, they’re particularly beneficial if your dog is fearful. They can provide a real confidence boost therefore building resilience and optimism.

Games you can buy

  • KONGS and LICKIMATS – stuff the kong or spread the lickimat with treats, dog food, dog safe peanut butter, dog pate… Your dog will need to lick, chew, roll around (the kong) to access the goodies – my dog likes to bounce hers off the ground to loosen the contents!
  • SNUFFLE MATS – fleece strips tied to a rubber mat with holes in it. The loose ends of fleece are on top and provide hiding spots for treats.. Your dog must sniff and forage them out.
  • LOTUS BALLS – a ball made up of three parts that fasten together with Velcro to make a ball. In the middle is space to hide treats. Your dog must rip the Velcro apart to open the ball and access the contents. This activity is great for satisfying their natural hunting and dissecting instinct.
  • NATURAL CHEWS – goats ears, tripe sticks, pig snouts, chicken feet (you get the idea) .. all natural treats provide opportunities to chew and wind down. They’re low fat, high protein and easy on sensitive tummies.

TOP TIP mashed sweet potato and cooked white fish makes a delicious treat to use with a lickimat or kong and it is suitable for sensitive tummies.

One of the services available at Good Karma Canines is enrichment packed Home Visits.  These are great for puppies, dogs recovering from injury and those dogs that have ‘rest days’ as part of their routine.  You can find out more about this service here.

LINKS

Natural Chews and Dog Toys available locally, in Easingwold from http://toftanimalsupplies.co.uk/

Snuffle Mats available from https://www.katieandco.org/shop

Kongs & Lotus Balls available from https://clickingwithcanines.co.uk/

Lickimats & Natural Chews available https://www.k9fun.co.uk/shop