Enrichment is about providing an outlet for enjoyable mental activity and stimulation. The lack of appropriate stimulation can be a very large contributing factor to a range of behaviour problems in dogs.
All behaviour has an underlying emotion driving it. Rather than focusing entirely
on changing behaviour, we need to change and improve the underlying emotional
state of the dog first. This way we can be much more successful in changing any behaviour struggles.
Enrichment changes and improves emotional states therefore making behaviour change easier.
If your dog has no behaviour issues at all, enrichment still improves the well-being and quality of life of your dog. Active and busy dogs e.g. need enrichment for fulfilment and to prevent behaviour issues from developing.
Dogs areconstantly looking for good stuff to happen whilst trying to avoid bad stuff from happening. This is the point of most of their behaviour. We can fill much of their need to behave with appropriate stimulation, which in turn can prevent behaviour problems due to a lack of fulfilment.
Enrichment activities differ from training because there is no pressure put on the animal during these activities. There is no attempt at getting the dog to comply with anything and they always have a choice to engage with the activity or not. This, in turn, can be great for the dog-human relationship. Other benefits of enrichment activities are that it can improve learning ability and can also help reduce anxiety and boost confidence.
As scent is the most dominant of the senses in dogs, enrichment activities that use scent
is also likely to provide the greatest benefit.
There are also going to be some breed differences. So knowing the breed's original use can
give you valuable clues to enrichment activities that suit your dog.
Food-foraging for enrichment
Most dogs actually prefer the activity of seeking food to the end result of finding the food. This is because evolution has produced animals that were highly motivated to find food. Foraging for food releases the all-important neurotransmitter Dopamine into the brain. Dopamine is associated with feelings of pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation. It also has a role to play in mood, sleep,
learning, and concentration.
Modern zoos now go to great lengths trying to feed their animals in a manner that closely
resembles how they would feed naturally in the wild. This is done because we have come to realise just how important it is to feed an animal the most natural way for the species.
When we feed our dogs from a bowl, we are denying them their natural drive and urge for food
foraging. Feeding for enrichment is simply an alternative way of feeding your dog's daily allowance of food, not feeding extra. It's about making food more interesting by making it an event.
Below are some examples of alternative ways to feed dogs to increase daily enrichment.
- Scatter feeding. Simply grab a handful of your dog's kibble and throw it out across the floor or, even better, in the garden on short grass.
- Throwing or flicking pieces of food across the floor for your dog to chase.
- Setting up a trail of food for your dog to follow. Walk along in the garden (or house) and drop pieces of food for your dog to follow. Make is short and easy to start with, then gradually make more complex trails.
- Putting food into empty boxes of various sizes and types for your dog to rip open.
- Wrapping food into a towel
- Snuffle mats
- Lick mat
- Various other enrichment toys such as puzzle feeders etc.
- Putting food into an empty plastic bottle (cap must be removed).
- Hiding food inside kitchen roll or toilet roll tubes.
Give it a go! It is easy and fun to do. My dog Dudley foraging for food