Enrichment is having its moment in the dog world. Suddenly people everywhere are realizing that by making their dogs' lives more rich, they have happier dogs, who are less likely to get into boredom-induced trouble. So what is enrichment? Enrichment is a broad term - it includes anything that allows your dog to utilize her five senses, practice species-typical behaviors, and improves quality of life.

In my last post, I showed a super easy example of an enrichment activity that gives my dogs an outlet for the natural desire to forage, chew, and shred, is low cost, and requires minimal effort. Other common examples of enriching activities include puzzle toys, stuffed Kong-type toys, pupsicles, digging pits, or even just going to a meandering walk in which the dog has the opportunity follow their nose! Training games can be a great source of enrichment, too.

Novelty can be a wonderful element to include, remember that novel does not always automatically mean enriching. Challenging does not always mean enriching either - some dogs may love a challenge, whereas others may find certain puzzles frustrating. Knowing YOUR dog and reading their body language to figure out if something is bringing them enjoyment is key.

So my challenge to you this week is - try something new! Engage your dog's sense of sight, sound, smell, hearing, or touch! I'm also including some Dogly products that are great options if you want to try a new toy or puzzle! Get creative and let me know how it goes!