Enrichment refers to activities your dog can engage in that provide mental exercise and entertainment. It is a critical part of providing for your dog’s needs, especially if you have a “busy” dog who gets into trouble when bored. Many of these activities can be prepped ahead of time, so that you can dole them out while you’re busy with work or childcare. Read through the list and pick out what makes the most sense for your dog. I have personally tried all of the products that I have linked to!
Food Toys
Stuffing a toy with food is a classic way to provide enrichment. The most well known food toy is the Kong. I generally buy one size larger than the recommended one from the company. If you need a more durable version, try the black Kong. Other hollow toys you can easily stuff with food, thanks to the large hole at the top, are the West Paw Toppl and Planet Dog Double Tuff. Start your dog out on:
Easy Mode: Fill with dry treats/kibble, which will fall out easily as your dog paws at the toy.
Medium Difficulty: Combine the dry stuff with foods that will “glue” themselves in.
Peanut butter (make sure it does not contain xylitol)
Cream cheese
Yogurt
Canned dog or cat food
Mushed banana or cooked sweet potato
Canned pumpkin
Ground raw meat or dog food
Dehydrated dog food mixed with a little water (eg Honest Kitchen)
Hard: Put the toy in the freezer overnight, and hand to your pup still frozen. If you’re worried about the contents of a Kong spilling out, plug the bottom hole with peanut butter first, then place upside down in a cup in the freezer.
Another type of toy that you can fill with a combo of kibble and goodies is the “slow bowl,” like the Outward Hound Slo Bowl. Don’t be shy about just spreading yummy goop across the grooves with a knife - it’s dishwasher safe. This can be frozen, as well.
A variant on the food stuffable toy is the Lickimat, a rubbery mat with little “nubs” all over the surface. You can smear canned food, yogurt, peanut butter, cream cheese, or other spreadables on it, then the dog will lick, lick, lick until it’s all gone. Put into the freezer to make it last longer. The repetitive licking can have a soothing affect on anxious dogs and puppies.
For dogs that go nuts for plain kibble (lucky you!), you can feed them via kibble dispensers. Good examples are the Kong Wobbler, PetSafe Kibble Nibble, and Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball. Of course, you can mix in some small treats to make it even more interesting for them. Some brands of freeze-dried raw food may fit inside as well, such as Instinct Freeze Dried Raw Toppers or Stella & Chewy’s Freeze Dried Toppers.
Is your dog really destructive? Try a treat/kibble dispenser made of PVC from Ulti-Mutt! (You could also make your own!)
Edible Chews
This refers to anything that is safe for your dog to completely consume as he chews on it. Many of these are many of real animal parts, making them very tasty and popular among dogs.
Less durable examples - for moderate chewers: bully sticks (much cheaper when purchased in bulk, and available in thicker/longer pieces for harder chewers), Earth Animal No-Hide Chews, dried beef tendons, pig ears and cow ears, Etta Says Premium Crunchy Chews.
More durable examples - for heavy chewers*: smoked knuckle bones, cow hooves, elk antlers, water buffalo horns, Ware Gorilla Chew (very dense wood), Himalayan Hard Cheese Chews, Etta Says Long Lasting Deluxe Chews,
*Note that some of these are tough enough that they could lead to cracked teeth, especially if your dog likes to put the chew in the back of his mouth and crunch down hard with his molars. Watch your dog’s chewing style - it’s safer if he’s slowly wearing at the toy instead.
Frozen chews: freeze low sodium broth in ice cubes (try a large silicone ice cube tray) or LickiMat Wobble as a bowl; you can get creative and freeze in layers so that treats or kibble are suspended inside. You could even feed your dog’s whole meal frozen into a bowl for hot days!
Raw meaty bones: beef marrow bones are a classic treat that can be purchased from your butcher or grocery store. You can also feed necks, wings, and feet from chickens, ducks, or turkeys, or even half or whole raw chickens. Many people feed their dogs entirely via raw meat, bones, and organs. Feeling nervous about giving raw food to your dog? Here's a great podcast on the topic. Excel Pet Pantry is a local company that does monthly deliveries of raw food as well as other products.
Fresh wheat grass: eating too much is likely to make your dog throw up, but you can buy small pots of these (usually sold for cats!) and let your dog have nibbles here and there for entertainment.
Pet Food Express in Davis has a great selection of chews and good prices. They are my favorite place to shop locally!
Creative Toys
Beyond tug and fetch!
Provide items that it's okay for your dog to tear up, such as:
cardboard boxes (thin boxes from cracker/cookie packaging and tissue boxes are great for smaller dogs)
junk mail
cheap stuffed animals (as long as he won't eat the stuffing)
old t-shirts or jeans cut into strips then braided tightly together
the Hol-ee Roller (mini, small, medium, large) can be stuffed with pieces of fabric, other toys, and/or large chews for the dog to chew on and pull out ( and here’s a “tough” version for power chewers)
if you’re a sewer, you can place a squeaker or treats into a small square of fabric, then hide that within another square of fabric, and so on, like a Russian doll of fabric layers that your dog can tear apart
Create a “busy box” of all kinds of things that the dog is allowed to chew on and tear up and play with. Use a plastic bin or cardboard box. Credit to my friend Tania Lanfer for introducing me to this idea. Here is a video of her dog Pira playing with one.
If your dog likes balls, try a giant Jolly ball. For variety, here’s a heavy duty version, one with a handle for tugging or throwing, one with a rope attached, and an egg-shaped one that will roll unpredictably. I’ve found that Jolly balls tend to be popular with herding breeds, and bully breeds that like very physical play, along with the ball-obsessed.
Hide your dog’s toys so they have to hunt for them; it adds a mental challenge to your regular games.
Rather than having all your dog's toys available all the time, rotate them so that old toys feel new and exciting again.
Bring home a sturdy stick for your pup to chew on and play with.
Scent Games
Dogs have amazing noses and love using them. Intensive sniffing, as when they are hunting for something, provides not just entertainment but a good mental workout.
Snuffle mat: the dense fringes of fabric allow you to hide kibble or treats, and your dog has to hunt for them.
Create your own snuffle mat by balling up a large towel or blanket, and hiding kibble/treats in the fold.
Scatter your dog’s food in the grass outside (like a living snuffle mat!).
Plant interesting scents in the yard for your dog to find. Do you have a friend with a pet rat? Ask for a handful of its bedding in a ziplock bag, and let your dog check it out through the opening. Coworker with a horse? Have her rub a rag or towel on the horse for you. You can do this with plants, too: “hey, where did this clump of magnolia flowers or rosemary stems come from?”
Nose Work is a formal activity in which you train your dog to find a specific scent (such as birch essential oil) and tell you where it is. Here is an explanation with ways to get you started.
Field Trips
Outings to new places provide mental enrichment. A 30 minute trip to someplace new will tire your dog out more than a 30 minute walk around the neighborhood. Places that are usually dog friendly are:
Pet stores (Pet Food Express is my favorite)
Feed stores (eg, Higby’s, Western Ranch)
Hardware stores (the Lowe’s in Vacaville explicitly welcomes pet dogs, but most other hardware stores do as well)
Plant nurseries
Outdoor cafes
Many clothing and home goods stores allow pets on a store-by-store policy. Call ahead to ask.
If you’re too busy to take your dog on a field trip just for him, take him with you on errands. Walk around the parking lot of your destination for 15 minutes, then have him wait in the car (if safe to do so) while you take care of business.
Even if you’re walking in your own neighborhood, you can spice up the walk by doing some agility or parkour tricks!
Decompression Walks
For dogs that have trouble settling down, I highly recommend decompression walks. These are long walks in natural settings (a school or park lawn will do if “real” nature isn’t available). They may be done on a long line or within a fenced area so that your dog can roam instead of being restricted to 6’. Dog parks don’t count as they increase arousal instead of decreasing it - unless you’re lucky enough to find a time that it’s empty.
Here are two podcasts discussing the benefits of decompression walks: A Decompression Walk Chat, and Decompression Walk Answers. Here is an article on the topic.
“For nearly 15 years I have been recommending that my clients find ways to increase their dogs’ off leash time in nature.... Why? I knew it was best. I saw the results in every single dog. I saw the results in my own. Whether or not something is easily accessible to us is not the deciding factor in its efficacy.
letting their dogs move their bodies freely in nature improves their behavior in daily life, full stop. The list of people who have reached out to me, shared that they were initially angered or frustrated by this advice, and went on to tell me they eventually tried it and will never go back, is a long one.
For some dogs, a long sniffy meander on a long line will serve their behavioral health needs just fine, while another dog might be frustrated beyond belief by that tether and do much better in a smaller space, restricted by fences.
I have mentioned several times that experimenting, trying different iterations and observing your dog’s behavioral effects is the method to use here. This is the only way to know if we are providing “enough” and there is no right answer. Some general guidelines are: younger dogs need more than older dogs, gundogs and herders need more than seems reasonable–again, especially when they are young–and dogs with higher-stress personalities tend to have some of the biggest positive outcomes. Companion and service bred dogs of many breed varieties need the least (and this is on purpose!). “Enough” is a moving target, and constant evaluation is required. If you are a behavior professional making off leash exercise a part of your behavior change plans, measure the behaviors you are trying to reduce and take good data on the progress. Your clients will be best motivated by results. ”
Do your best to stay out long enough that your dog actually slows down and relaxes. Remember that this is easier to achieve if you are able to go frequently, even if each outing is then shorter.
On days off, drive farther away if needed, to access hiking spots or just go somewhere new. Search for dog-friendly trails on AllTrails.com.
If your dog needs a private space because he’s fearful or reactive, check out SniffSpot, which allows people to rent out their yards or land for walking. Or try posting on NextDoor, Facebook, or other social media to locate neighbors willing to lend out their yard or land.
Tricks Training
Tricks training is a great way to tire your dog mentally. Here is a YouTube playlist full of tricks tutorials.
You can also train for a specific dog sport, which gives you concrete goals and structure. Competing allows you to show off your dog’s training progress and spend time with like-minded people. But even if you never compete, structured training allows you to keep progressing, and therefore mentally challenging your pup. Examples of dog sports are:
Agility: an obstacle course with jumps, tunnels, a-frame, weave poles, and more
Competition Obedience: requires precise heeling, stays, understanding sit vs down vs stand, retrieving a dumbbell, recognizing your scent on an item, and more
Rally O: heeling, sit vs down vs stand, stays, and more as you progress around a course
Musical freestyle: choreograph a series of tricks to music of your choice
Rally-FrEe: a combination of musical freestyle and rally o; you and your dog perform tricks like spins and leg weaves as you progress around a course
Treibball: also called “urban herding,” it allows your dog to “herd” giant inflated balls into a soccer net
Herding: actually herding real animals, most commonly sheep, goats, ducks, or cattle
Tracking: your dog learns to follow a scent trail that someone walked earlier, from start to finish
Nose Work: your dog learns to hunt down an odor (usually essential oils), similar to detection dogs
Interactive/Puzzle Food Toys
These are food toys that require your dog to figure out a specific way to acquire the food inside. Unlike most of the food toys listed up top, these require close supervision to make sure that your dog doesn’t just chew through the wood or plastic instead of solving the puzzle! You may also have to help him along in the beginning.
Nina Ottosson has a number of different puzzle toys available, ranging from easy to difficult.
For more experienced dogs, Trixie Pet Products has puzzle toys that tend to be more challenging.