Enrichment at Daycare
We all have decided to share our lives with dogs for many different reasons. And while our dogs love being a part of our world, it is important that we also give them space to have their needs fulfilled. Their physical needs, their mental needs, and their emotional needs. That’s where enrichment comes into play. The term ‘enrichment’ has exploded in the dog world in the last few years but at its base, it’s really about fulfilling our dog's needs. Providing a well-rounded space to use all of their senses through fun, simple, and unique experiences. So, what does enrichment look like? Well, it has many different faces, but let’s break it down by the senses.
SMELL
If you think enrichment that focuses on smell is only for food, you’d be mistaken. Smell is one of the most important senses our dogs have. They rely so much on it to take in their environment and gain information about the places, animals, and humans around them! Imagine a beach 1,500 feet long, 150 feet wide and 40 inches deep. On this beach, a dog can find two grains of sand that smell differently. A dog's sense of smell is INCREDIBLE!
Enrichment that focuses on smell can look like a walk in a new spot while allowing your dog unlimited sniff time. It can also include activities like nosework or barnhunt where the dogs are searching out a specific scent! It can look like letting your dog sniff and inspect any packages or new things you bring into your house. And yes, it can also include games like food puzzles or finding treats.
TASTE
Obviously, for enrichment focusing on taste, food is going to be a big factor but let’s look broader. This type of enrichment can include different kinds of chew bones and toys. It can include different flavors and textures of foods. Maybe that means switching up which protein in found in their daily meals. Or maybe it’s using different types of treats (jerky, fresh, freeze dried, crunch, chewy, etc) when training. It could mean having a unique treat occasionally, maybe changing up what goes in their Kong or getting a food topper of fruit, veggies, or other fresh food. They sky’s the limit so get creative here. But remember, some things that are safe for humans are not safe for dogs – including xylitol, grapes and raisins, and even onions. You can find an entire list of unsafe foods online – just search for unsafe foods for dogs to find a full list.
SIGHT
Enrichment that focuses on sight could be finding new places to explore. It could look like watching something stimulating, birds, tv, kids soccer game, etc. It could look like meeting lots of different people, dogs, animals (meeting meaning where they are comfortable, some dogs may want to go up to all the things, some dogs may just want to enjoy from a distance).
HEARING
When thinking about enrichment that focuses on hearing, remember that our dogs hearing is much more acute than ours. So, this could look like enjoying the sounds of nature, listening to music, or even listening to their favorite people! Have you ever tried reading out loud to your dog? Or maybe your dog perks up when they hear certain noises on the TV? Start paying attention! Your dog may be telling you what they enjoy without you even realizing it!
TOUCH
Enrichment that incorporates touch is a very large rabbit hole. I can look like exploring different surface types. It can include things like playing with other dogs or snuggling with their favorite people. It could be doing training that focuses on body awareness or precise movements. It could mean giving them an outlet the dig and roll and splash! And remember that dogs touch and interact with their worlds with their mouths as much as with their feet!
When we break it down by the senses, we can already see the different ways to enrich our dogs' lives are vast. Many times, when you are doing different enrichment activities, you are able to engage multiple senses. It’s easy to incorporate some enrichment into our dogs' lives. But sometimes it’s hard to make sure our dogs needs are all fulfilled, while also meeting all of OUR needs, while also maintaining our busy day to day schedules.
This is the why behind the Enrichment program we’ve started at daycare! Even the most social and play-loving dogs aren’t fully satisfied with only social play for 10 hours straight. On the daycare floor, we strive to provide enrichment through social games like bubbles, follow the leader, group obedience, personal massage, change of environment (inside to outside) etc. However, we wanted to do more. With our enrichment program, we are able to do more one-on-one activities with the dogs and really fine tune the activities to fit each dog’s personal preferences. We are able to challenge the dogs while keeping the activity fun and engaging. At the end of the day, enrichment is FUN. It’s fun for us, it’s fun for the dogs, and an added bonus is that it uses our dog’s brain in new ways each week!
We can help you make enrichment a priority in your dog’s life to meet their needs (physical, emotional, and mental) and leave you with a well-rounded, happy companion. The benefits of enrichment are endless and you may notice that your dog that has an easier time relaxing at home, that they have better impulse control, and that they can more easily walk with a loose leash. Contact us today about adding personalized enrichment into your dog’s daycare day!
Interested in enrichment but your dog doesn’t currently attend daycare? Contact us about private lessons to learn how to use enrichment in your dog’s daily life!