How to Make Your Dog’s Life Better with Canine Enrichment
Enrich your dog’s life by doing what comes naturally.
Share Article
These days, most dogs enjoy a pretty chill life — lying on the couch and then a walk around the neighborhood — but that understimulation can result in the boredom that is the enemy of the happy, well-behaved dog.
And while some pups may get enough physical activity, many don't have many opportunities to exercise their minds. That's where enrichment for dogs come in. Making dogs work to get treats (or even all of their food) by solving the puzzlesopens in a new tab offered by enrichment toys is a natural fusion.
What is Enrichment for Dogs?
Enrichment provides massive benefits to animals under human care, whether those animals are in zoos, aquaria, shelters or sleeping on our couch. What is far less well known is exactly what “enrichment” means beyond feeding animals in a way that presents challenges to acquiring food or giving them puzzle toys or regular toys to amuse them.
Enrichment for dogs has often been defined narrowly: enrichment is a variety of playopens in a new tab, toysopens in a new tab and exercise opens in a new tabto make dogs’ lives richer and more interesting. But enrichment is also so much more than that.
Providing enrichment to dogs (or to any animal under your careopens in a new tab) requires recognizing the importance of natural behaviors to animals’ well-being and placing value on creating opportunities for those natural behaviors to be performed.
Cognitive Enrichment
In the book Canine Enrichment for the Real World, authors Allie Bender and Emily Strong note that enrichment can be defined as “meeting all of an animal’s needs as closely as possible to how they would be met in the wild, in order to empower them to engage in species-typical behaviors in healthy and appropriate ways.”
The emphasis on eliciting natural behaviors adds to the concept — and to your dogs’ quality of life — substantially. Dogs have an extensive range of natural behaviors, and many of the items on the list are familiar to us: physical exerciseopens in a new tab of sufficient quantity and intensity; mental stimulation, such as problem-solving and exploring; diggingopens in a new tab; barking; chewingopens in a new tab; social interactions with both people and other dogs; and sufficient sleepopens in a new tab.
Enrichment Ideas for Dogs
Each dog has their own interests. it’s up to the individual person and their dog to determine whether or not any of these activities are especially satisfying for their dog.
1. Kong
Kongs are a wonderful way to provide problem solving opportunities, mental exercise, and the ability for dogs to use their mouths in the physical way that so many dogs need.
Why Your Dog Needs a Frozen Kongopens in a new tab
Two words: Endless entertainment.
2. Nose work
The nose work training process encourages dogs to refine their innate hunting and scenting skills providing constructive physical exercise and intense mental enrichment.
K9 Nose Work Let’s You See The World Through Your Dog’s Noseopens in a new tab
The latest training activity develops your dog’s natural scenting abilities through fun and games.
3. Fetch
Fetch is fun and interactive, it enhances the relationship between you and your pup and provides plenty of enrichment through skill building and physical exercise.
How to Teach a Dog to Fetchopens in a new tab
For some dogs, it’s not as simple as just throwing a ball.
4. Treat-dispensing toys
Treat dispensing toys provide plent of mental enrichment. Playing and chewing releases feel-good chemicals in the brain, which keeps dogs happy, busy, and using up energy.
18 Best Interactive Dog Puzzle Toysopens in a new tab
Let the games begin.
5. Puzzle toys
Treat-puzzle games are a fun and easy way to stimulate the dog’s senses — think of them like a enrichment “tool” for the dog to use its natural instincts.
6 Genius Interactive Dog Toys From Nina Ottossonopens in a new tab
These puzzle toys are made to help you bond with your pup.
6. Tug
Tugopens in a new tab is a great enrichment game for most dogs. Dogs learn lessons such as impulse control, mouth control and cooperation as well as skills like “take it” and “drop it.”
Playing Tug With Your Dog Is Good Exercise For Both Of Youopens in a new tab
Basics of the tug game and how to troubleshoot common problems.
7. Agility
Agilityopens in a new tab works for pretty much every dog, no matter the breed, size or age. It’s an enriching sport that provides both physical and mental exercise and skill building.
A Crash Course on Dog Agility Trainingopens in a new tab
5 reasons to get your dog in the agility game, from burning energy to building confidence.
8. Herding
Herding and treibball provide dogs with enrichment through problem-solving the process of tending to a flock.
“Urban Herding” Can Burn Your Dog’s Energyopens in a new tab
If your dog needs a job, trainers recommend Treibball.
9. Training new behaviors and tricks
Training your dog with tricks can boost their confidence, enhance their abilities, and give them a good amount of mental and physical stimulation.
Training Your Dog to Do Tricks Gives You More Than Bragging Rightsopens in a new tab
Trick training increases their focus and gives your relationship a boost.
10. Scent Walks
Dogs are equipped with an amazing sniffer. Allowing your dog to explore different scentsopens in a new tab can enhance their well-being and provide them with the opportunity to engage in their natural instincts.
On Your Next Walk, Let Your Pup Follow Their Noseopens in a new tab
A “sniffari” gives your dog a chance to be the boss.
11. Games
By switching between the excitement of playing and the discipline of responding to a cue, training games can provide dogs with an enriching experience.
7 Games That Can Actually Teach Your Dog Somethingopens in a new tab
Cue the Schoolhouse Rock! because learning can be fun.
Other enrichment ideas include snuffle matsopens in a new tab, lure coursing, Frisbee and running gamesopens in a new tab.
Just because you don’t have an working dog doesn’t mean your dog doesn’t love to be busy. No matter their age, breed or size, all dogs have a natural desire to engage in enriching mental and physical activities. Leave them to their own devices and they’ll likely find activities that have the potential to create havoc in your home!
Tips on Dog Enrichment Ideas
The following general tips are essential for working toward providing the best enrichment possible for your dog.
Ideal enrichment varies by individual as well as by breed.
Dogs have different needs in terms of what they enjoy and how much time they want to spend on such activities, including how much time they spend in social contact with others.
Providing choices to a dog is a great form of enrichment.
Whether those choices are about which way to walk, what to sniff, or whether or not to approach a person — choice provides enrichment. Having some control over their environment and what happens to them prevents dogs from feeling powerless, which in turn can lead to all kinds of negative emotions.
Physical exercise affects the whole body. While exercise affects the brain, mood, digestion, memory, appetite, sleep, learning, stress, impulse behavior, depression and anxiety, not just any physical exercise will do. Some dogs require hard exerciseopens in a new tab for considerable amounts of time each day while others thrive with shorter, gentler bouts of physical activity. (Interestingly, the many benefits of exercise are not achieved through forced treadmill exercise.)
Safety and security are critical elements of enrichment.
Providing a spot for refuge that may be used by a dog who needs to relax in a busy household can make a huge difference to many dogs.
Mental stimulation can take many forms.
Mental stimulation isn’t just enrichment games. Dog sports, play, training, foraging and walks all offer dogs an opportunity to use their brains in beneficial ways.
Let them be dogs.
Dogs typically have a need to engage in activities that they enjoy whether that’s digging, barking, going on sniffariopens in a new tab, sleeping a lot, chewing, foraging or playing. Allowing them opportunities to engage in what comes naturally is a major goal of enrichment.
Of course, some behaviors that dogs enjoy — such as digging, barking and chewing — are problematic for pet parents (and neighbors!) and can even indicate a dog in distress if they are being done to excess. The goal of enrichment is not unlimited chances to engage in such behaviors, but to create enjoyable and appropriate opportunities to do so.
Karen B. London, PhD, CAAB, CPDT-KA
Karen B. London, Ph.D., is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and Certified Professional Dog Trainer who specializes in working with dogs with serious behavioral issues, including aggression, and has also trained other animals including cats, birds, snakes, and insects. She writes the animal column for the Arizona Daily Sun and is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Northern Arizona University. She is the author of six books about training and behavior, including her most recent, Treat Everyone Like a Dog: How a Dog Trainer’s World View Can Improve Your Lifeopens in a new tab.
Related articles
![A man with long brown hair playing tug -of-war with his Golden Retriever dog outside on a wet tennis court]()
opens in a new tabPlay-Training Can Be Your Solution to Dog Aggression
Behavior correction, Mary Poppins style: Turn a job into a game.
![Golden Retrieve dog running in the grass outside, playfully chasing a flirt pole held by a man in blue jeans]()
opens in a new tabYour Dog Is Bored. Here’s How to Solve That
Get out the toys and puzzles.
![woman gives small black dog treat for sitting]()
opens in a new tabYour Dog Should Do This 30-Day Training Challenge
It’s like your 30-day yoga challenge — except with way more training treats.
![illustration of multi-colored dogs]()
opens in a new tabIs Your Dog Tricky to Train? Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Feel Guilty
It’s important to remember that dogs are individuals, so training isn’t one-size-fits-all.
![A dog reaching up to grab a blue ball out of a woman's hand.]()
opens in a new tabPlaying With Dogs Improves Their Training Success
Post-training play may extend a dog’s memory of previously learned behaviors by up to a year.
![Woman laying on the grass smiling at her dog]()
opens in a new tabHow to Make Your Dog’s Life Better
Number 6 will probably surprise you.
