The Importance of Enrichment

What is enrichment?

Enrichment is the satisfaction of a dog's emotional, physical, or mental needs. Enrichment allows a dog to use natural instincts such as fo

raging, sniffing, chewing, or chasing. A dog's natural instincts are derived from their species and breed traits. Australian shepherds were bred to herd livestock, golden retrievers to retrieve birds, Yorkshire terriers to hunt vermin, and bloodhounds to track game just to name a few examples. Even mixed breed dogs have traits from the breeds they were mixed with.

Why is enrichment necessary?

Most dogs need some form of enrichment to tap into what they were bred to do. For example, dachshunds were bred to flush badgers out from their boroughs and bark to alert their owners. Although many people get dachshunds without the intention of hunting with them, the instincts will still be prominent. Expression of these instincts may look like digging holes, barking, or sniffing excessively. Many dog owners view digging holes and barking as negative traits and will try to prevent these activities. What they do not realize is that preventing this may cause boredom, frustration, and/or anxiety. How do these emotions show up? Often, they result in other destructive behaviors and pent-up energy. One perceived problem has now lead to more problems with no improvement in sight.

How do we fix these "problems"?

Improvement in behavior will only happen if we address the root cause. For this dachshund, he has a need to dig, bark, and sniff. We can allow him to do these activities in a controlled manner through enrichment. Instead of letting him dig more holes, we can have a sandpit we train him to dig in. His need to bark may show up when he hears a noise outside. Instead of letting him bark repeatedly, we can train a cue to tell him to stop. Lastly, sniffing is useful for all dogs to gain information about their environment. If your dog, like this dachshund, loves to sniff then implement a sniff-only walk into your routine. On these walks you can teach a cue to your dog that means "go sniff" and another that means "lets keep walking." Now you will have created a controlled outlet for your dog to be a dog through clear expectations and communication. Not only that, your dogs needs are fulfilled and they are happier than ever.

How do I know if my dog needs enrichment?

All dogs can benefit from enrichment. Snuffle mats can be used to tap into your dog's foraging capabilities. These are mats with pieces of fleece, flaps, or pockets. When you sprinkle kibble or treats inside and hide it between the fabric, your dog needs to use its nose to push around and find the food. This activity is surprisingly mentally stimulating and can give a bored dog a task.

Fully edible chews such as bully sticks, cow ears, or braided esophagus allow a dog to chew. Antlers and bones are very hard and require a lot of time to finish because the dog becomes bored. Chews can be finished over 1-2 sessions because the dog can make notable progress and thoroughly enjoy their snack. The chew also becomes softer as the dog chews, allowing it to clean their teeth better than a hard, inflexible alternative. Chewing is a natural way for a dog to distress as well. Be aware that the ends of these tasty snacks may seem easy to swallow to a dog, creating a choking hazard. Always monitor them while they have their snack.

Lastly, licking is also a natural way for a dog to de-stress. Enrichment toys such as Kongs, Topples, and lick mats encourage this natural behavior. Topples are my favorite because you can use it as a way to feed them a meal. I like to hydrate my dog's kibble with water or broth and top it with some left-over fruit or vegetables then freeze it. This keeps her busy while she enjoys her food.

No matter what the breed or mix, allowing a dog to indulge on natural behaviors is imperative for their wellbeing. There are many creative and simple ways to create these outlets. I encourage you to research your dog's breed(s) to discover what enrichment activity they might enjoy!