Enrichment

Enrichment is a big topic for me I’m always looking for fun things to do with my dogs. I thought I would share some of the ways that I stimulate my dogs both mentally and physically.of course going to training class is my favorite. I alternate taking my dogs to obedience training and some of them are at the advanced level. It’s always good to practice no matter how well they know their commands and I only take one or two at a time which means someone is always left at home and they all seem to enjoy going to obedience class. I had a negative experience with someone in school to be a dog trainer or just studying, but the one good thing this person taught me was, hiding treats around the house in corners and under things to get them working with their nose, moving about and stimulating their mind. All my dogs love that game and it keeps them occupied for a very long time. The funniest part is after it’s all said and done all the treats have been eaten and there’s nothing more to find they still go looking in the same spot hoping to find another treat that they have missed. I guess their noses are so strong they still smell The food even though it’s long gone. I use cheese, blueberries, or some homemade treats.

One of the other fun games my dogs and I do together is the fact that I have an agility tunnel that you can fold up and stick in a closet or under a bed. Sometimes I set it up in a doorway and they have to go through the tunnel to get into another room or sometimes I just set it up in the middle of the kitchen. I entice them with treats, or sometimes just laugh and encourage them. Sometimes I put a chair at the end of the tunnel so they have to tunnel or I put an elevated dog bed at the beginning or the end. They like it. Of course when there’s food involved they like it even more.

I also try to take my dogs to the dog park as often as possible. In a perfect world I would take them once a week, but that does not always happen.It’s a good time for all and the smaller dogs and Carly my anxious sheltie seem to like the park a little bit better than Sarah my other sheltie. Sarah enjoys riding in the car so of course she likes going to the park.The dog park has a tunnel on the small dog side so they all get practice doing that as well. The big dog side has sand and a lot more open space and sometimes they go over there if they’re the only dogs in the park. All my dogs do well with other dogs which is essential when going to the dog park so that’s never a problem.

I’m not an outdoorsy person but I try when it comes to my dogs. The other thing I have done a little bit of in the last year or so is taking them to a public park and practicing leash walking. They actually enjoy that as well. Probably not Sarah, my sheltie with arthritis but the others really like going for walks in the park. I guess some people would call them hikes, but we don’t walk that far. It’s mostly just exercise stimulation and getting out of the house and getting into the fresh air for all of us. Again they really like it. Anytime they can go on a car ride they’re all for it.

Something that I have discovered recently our activity puzzle toys where you hide treats and they have to move treats in compartments under latches and they have to do a series of activities to get to the treat. I get them from chewie.com. There are multiple brands that I have tried but,Trixie activity mat my absolute favorite. My shelties are better at it than my smaller dogs. My sheltie Sarah is super smart and loves them she gets so excited when I bring them out. The other dogs enjoy them but they’re not nearly as good at figuring them out. There are different levels so if your dog has not done them before I suggest it starting at level one or two. Levels three and four are quite challenging.

Of course we’ve gone on road trips. Most of my dogs love being in the car and love traveling. I have Doggy seatbelts to ensure their safety and off we go. They get so excited. My smaller dogs jump in the car any time they can. Even when they’re not invited on the trip. They love riding in the car. I’m not sure why. My anxious sheltie Carly does not enjoy going on trips in the car as much but the others are in love with the car. Probably because they do not get to go places in the car very often. I do the normal things like taking them to Home Depot, pet stores and things like that. I’m not so sure that it’s exciting for them the car is the most exciting part.of course we go to Dunkin’ Donuts and get pup cups. They’re all happy to do that. Starbucks also has pup cups but we don’t have one in my town so we’ve never gone there before.