Environment Enrichment = Mental Exercise, Learning how to learn, Confidence, & Burns Energy
When zoos have behavior issues with their animals, one of the things they do is concentrate on environment enrichment. Along with training, giving your dog other ways to use their brains, such as puzzles, etc, can not only keep them busy, it can help them build confidence and use up some energy. Use the puzzles to feed them their meals. There’s no law that says a dog has to eat from a bowl.
Take your dog on a sniffari! – Find a trail, or drive your dog to a park (Not a dog park) and take a stroll. Let your dog sniff to his hearts content. You can even let your dog’s nose chose where, and how far you go on your regular walks. How do dogs "see" with their noses? - Alexandra Horowitz
Play Find the Treat – This exercise will help dogs to have fun, doing what dogs do and getting exercise by using their nose and exploring the environment and getting rewarded for it. Initially, place the treats in a variety of “right under the nose” hiding places. Bring your dog into the room where the treats have been hidden and say the cue “Find It” and let him go around and find them. You may have to bring him around to where each of the treats are hidden to start, but he should get the hang of it relatively quickly. Then you can start hiding them in harder places such as paper lunch bags, boxes, boxes in boxes, etc.. You could also play this with him in your
back yard (click here to see video)
Get creative - Make your own puzzles. If your dog enjoys ripping apart cardboard boxes, and doesn't eat the cardboard, stuff the box with toys, an old sock with a knot in it, some treats in the bottom, close the box and let your dog go to town. When I first started this with my pup, I had part of the sock sticking out of the top so she'd have something to grab onto and figure out the box held goodies for her.
Enrichment For Fearful Dogs – Fearful dog or not, this is a great article with DIY ideas
Use an egg carton. Put some treats in it, close it, and then let them at it.
https://youtu.be/Ep_G-pz8Ixs - Egg carton puzzle J
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsAfgBSbPPw- Video - Pups N Puzzles
Snuffle Mats are a nice quiet way to keep your pup busy and stationary while you are busy, or just trying to relax. You can purchase one on Etsy, or if you are the DIY type, you can make your own
Horns, Bully Sticks, Yak Chews, NoHide RawHide – A sample of good things to chew on. And chewing helps relieve energy, boredom, and stress.
Anytime you are giving your pups something to chew a good rule of thumb is that Bigger Is Better (safer). Some pups are good chewers, others want to gulp it down quickly. It’s always best to supervise your pup when giving them chew items at least until you know how they will be with them.
Purchase all natural products like Bully Sticks from Loyal Companion or any of the smaller high quality boutique pet supply stores.
Here is a list of “puzzles” to name a few. There are many, many others. Go onto Amazon or Chewy and search “Dog Puzzles” The treat balls, Kong Wobbler, Bob-A-Lot, etc, can all be played with outside too
Easy Treat Balls or more a difficult one
Bob-A-Lot– treat dispensing toy
Kongs for beginners, Stuffed Kongs - How to get your dog interested in a Kong,
I’m not a big fan of peanut butter being fed on a regular basis due to the high fat content. There are lots of other foods you can stuff it with. Pumpkin is good for them and good to use in a kong.