Enrichment Ideas For Your Dog
26th March 2020
Probably for the first time ever, you and your dog are pretty much restricted to the house, apart from your one walk a day. So what can you do to keep him/her from getting bored and possibly tearing up the furniture?
The answer? Canine Enrichment
The National Animal Welfare Trust says,
‘Canine enrichment improves and enhances your dog’s mental state using a range of activities designed to challenge and exercise their brains. These activities encourage your dog to problem solve, learn new skills and become more confident’ https://www.nawt.org.uk/blog/7-diy-canine-enrichment-ideas-nawt
There are hundreds of websites on the internet, filled with great ideas for DIY canine enrichment and over the next few days we’ll be sharing some simple ideas of things you can do with your dogs and of courses, we’ll give you links to the websites as well. Don’t forget that these ‘treats’ need to come from their daily dietary intake, not extra. Some of the easiest we’ve read on the NAWT site above are:
- DIY Snuffle Mats – you’ll need a rubber door mat and a fleece blanket or two cut into strips. A few snips later and your pets will be snuffling for their supper with the best of them. Click on link above for full instructions.
- Plastic Bottles – simply put some of their dry food in a large plastic bottle (lid off) and let them work out how to get the tasty treats out the end – make sure you keep an eye on big dogs with big chewy jaws.
- Toilet rolls – filled with treats and scrunched up newspapers – squeeze the ends together and let them work out how to get the food out of it.
- Flower Pots – hide their treats under various upturned flower pots and watch as they tip them over to get their supper out.
We’d love to hear what activities keep your dog happy and see pictures/videos if you have them.
Keep safe and well from everyone at Petpals x
