Dog Enrichment Activities | For Dogs Who are Limited Due to Injury or Age
Dog Enrichment
One of the best benefits of canine enrichment is that it can help create a stronger bond between you and your dog. When we think of enrichment for our dogs we usually think of physical activities like long walks and fetch, but what do we do when we have an injured or older dog who shouldn’t be doing as much physical work? There are several different ways to keep your dog active and engaged.
BRAIN GAMES
Brain games are a fun and easy way to help excite our dogs by engaging their minds. There are many DIY ideas and products you can purchase to engage your dog. Kong toys are a great example of a toy you can buy to entertain your dog and work their brains.
Adding treats or food such as peanut butter or greek yogurt is a great way to get your dog engaged (freezing the Kong toy with the treats makes for an even longer playtime).
Other options include snuffle matts and puzzle toys, which are creative ways to hide treats for your dog to find.
Don’t want to buy another toy? Make your own! There are lots of tutorials out there on YouTube to help you make DIY puzzle feeders, snuffle mats, and more. An easy idea you could probably do right away… Try placing treats in different muffin tin slots and place tennis balls over the top of the treats. You’ve just made your own interactive puzzle feeder!
SENSORY ENRICHMENT
Sensory enrichment is enrichment that stimulates any of the five senses. Nosework is a good example. Mint and cinnamon are not toxic and can be added to pet toys to encourage sniffing. Products from other animal species like fur can also be very intriguing. It doesn’t have to be a wild animal’s fur, just another neighborhood dog or a worn piece of clothing after hanging out with a new doggie friend.
Another sensory enrichment is bubbles! Wait, bubbles?... Yes, bubbles!
You can buy bacon-flavored bubbles for dogs.
Auditory stimuli may be enriching as well. Studies show that classical music reduced stress levels and increased resting and sleeping in dogs. Check out Spotify for your next relaxing doggie playlist!
PHYSICAL ENRICHMENT
Walks can be a great option for enrichment, especially if your pup is into “sniff-ari” walks - taking in all the sights & sounds that nature and neighborhood has to provide. However, for some dogs walks are all about walking as fast as possible. So if your dog is recently injured or suffering from arthritis, taking shorter and easier walks can be good to continue utilizing necessary muscles without overdoing it.
Another physical enrichment you can do for your dog is massages.
It not only promotes relaxation, healing and bonding, it feels sooooo good. There are plenty of guides online on ways to stretch and massage your pup.
Backyard “52 Pick-Up” is another way to get your dog moving but at a slower and more organized pace. Choose a favorite treat that you can cut into bite-sized pieces. Aim to get 52 small pieces you can scatter all around your yard. There's no hard and fast rule on how to do this, so anything goes! Scatter the food while your dog is around, so he knows that it's a game. Try to cover a large enough space so your dog can get in some much-needed exercise as well. Caution: Do not try this if your dog is a rock eater!
The need for enrichment doesn’t stop when our dogs get older or injured. This is the reason it is key to find new and fun ways to keep your dog entertained while also modifying to their specific needs.
