Using 'enrichment' is the most simple way to calm stressed out and high energy breeds. Simply put, enrichment is how we ensure all of our dog’s mental and physical needs are being met on a daily basis. When it is done well, enrichment is an incredibly powerful tool and can be enough to cause a reduction in behavioural issues alone.
What will help calm my dog?
What does your dog love to do? Do they get their nose down to the ground and follow a scent trail backwards and forwards without lifting their head up on walks? If so, nose-work based enrichment would be great for them. Or do they love digging up the garden and making holes all over the place? Then a sandpit with toys hidden in it would be great for them.
Most breeds were bred to work and they gain huge enjoyment from doing so. Unfortunately pet dog homes don’t provide many outlets for working instinct so we need to use our imaginations to provide opportunities to express these innate behaviours.
Will this not make them want to perform these behaviours even more?
It is a common misconception that if dogs are encouraged to perform activities that they have drive to do that it will cause an increase in these behaviours in general.
However, this is not the case; in fact if we regularly provide our dogs with opportunities to perform these innate behaviours they are less likely to go looking for them in inappropriate places.
What can I give my dog to stimulate them?
If you feed your dog from a regular bowl, lose it! Make your dog work for their meals in any number of ways. And this doesn’t have to be two meals a day, weigh out their allowance in the morning and split it into multiple small enrichment opportunities throughout the day.
When dogs sniff, lick and find food their brain releases happy and calming hormones. The more they practice each day the calmer they become over time. In fact dogs enjoy food searches so much that it is even more rewarding to them than actually eating the food!
Kongs, snuffle mats and Lickimats are great to give when it is our mealtime as it keeps them busy and takes away the desire to beg for our food. Put them in the freezer covered in wet food, dog peanut butter or even mashed banana and they will last much longer!
Cardboard boxes and tubes filled with shredded paper and treats are great for dogs who enjoy destroying things around the house or who get frustrated easily as an outlet for their stress.
And for those that are super sniffers, scatter feeding their food in the garden or hiding it around the house, and snuffle mats or puzzle feeders provide an opportunity for scent tracking in the safety of your house and garden.
Fur or sheepskin chaser toys are a fantastic outlet for dogs with high prey drives or who grab at times when they become frustrated or excited.
Dogs who were bred to catch and kill small furries love shredding soft toys, and when they're dead you can use their carcasses as puzzle feeders!
Trick training is also great mental stimulation for dogs of all breeds and ages and is especially beneficial for dogs with low confidence levels as they get a little boost each time they learn a new trick. To get started with an easy trick, use a treat to lure your dog round in a circle, this is how you teach a spin!
And for adult dogs with particularly high energy levels agility and swimming make a change from the same exercise each day.
Finally, never underestimate the power of play! Studies show that dogs who are played with each day have lower incidences of behavioural issues than those whose owners don’t regularly incorporate playtime into their daily routine. Tug, ball and even hide and seek are fantastic enrichment activities for humans and dogs alike.
Enrichment doesn’t have to fit a mould, get creative and use your imagination to unleash it’s countless benefits!
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