Have you heard of enrichment before? Enrichment is a crucial component to a dog’s mental and physical health. If it’s so important, why is it not a term that is in the mainstream of dog ownership?
The benefits of enrichment are largely underrepresented, which makes it an underutilized aspect of dog care. There’s also the potential that as an owner you have already implemented some enrichment practices but may not even be aware of it.
With the holidays just around the corner, let’s dive into what enrichment is, the benefits of enrichment, and some of my favorite enrichment products to gift your pup this holiday season.
What is enrichment?
Enrichment activities are those activities in which your dog utilizes their natural instincts to achieve a calm state of mind. These activities primarily involve licking, chewing, and sense of smell. These activities allow your dog to use their natural instincts in a safe way that promotes physical and psychological health.
While this may sound like your dog is only physically being stimulated, enrichment is crucial to both mental and physical health. These activities tire your dog out physically and mentally, with the benefits of the session lasting even after the activity is done!
Passive entertainment
Besides the physical, mental, and psychological benefits that we’ve already discussed, there are two main benefits to putting enrichment time into your daily routine.
One of the main benefits is to create a positive experience for your dog in their crate. When the enrichment activity takes place in the crate, the dog then has positive associations with their crate, making crate training much easier (more benefits of crate training coming up in our next blog article).
Furthermore, enrichment activities are basically passive entertainment. These activities are a great way to keep your dog entertained and stimulated while you are able to be productive in other ways, like getting work done or completing chores around the house.
How much is too much?
However, because enrichment activities do stimulate and tire out your dog, you don’t want to over do it either. Of course it will depend on the breed and even the specific dog, but the general recommendation is 20 to 40 minutes of enrichment activities per day. Overstimulation and overexercise (as well as under-stimulation and underexercise) can be stressful and detrimental to your dog so it is important to monitor this and not use it as a solution for your entire work day.
My favorite products and activities
The possibilities for enrichment products and activities as well as finding the perfect balance of what will fulfill your dog may be overwhelming at first. To save you the hours of pouring over research on the safest and most effective methods and products, take a look at some of my favorite products and activities!
Woof Pupsicle and Pupsicle Pops - One of my favorite products is the Woof Pupsicle and Pupsicle Pops! The Pupsicle Pops are long-lasting, contain natural ingredients, are pre-made in the USA, and do not require refrigeration! The Pupsicles are safer than bones that can become sharp or a choking hazard, and they last 20 - 40 minutes. After your dog has finished their enrichment, you can quickly and easily clean this product.1
Bully Sticks - Another chewing activity that I highly recommend is the use of bully sticks. Bully sticks are a great enrichment activity because they are actually good for your dog outside of just the benefits of the enrichment discussed above. Bully sticks are digestible and don’t splinter like some other treats that could cause internal injury. Furthermore, bully sticks are a great source of amino acids that benefit your dog’s muscles, brain, skin, and coat because the bully sticks are made from high protein beef muscle. Furthermore, bully sticks help to keep your dog’s teeth clean.2 One of the brands that I recommend are the Mascoti Bully Sticks.
Beef Cheek Rolls - Beef cheek rolls are another chew product that I recommend because they are similarly digestible and are safer than alternatives, such as rawhide chews. Beef cheek chews are a great source of protein, zinc, iron, and B vitamins. Similar to bully sticks, beef cheek rolls also help to keep your dog’s teeth clean.3 One of the brands that I recommend is the Barking Buddha Beef Cheek Rolls.
Collagen Rolls - Collagen rolls are another great chew product. They too are digestible, allowing the dog to quickly convert this into peptides and amino acids that come from the inner layer of the skin, called the corium, that contains significant amounts of collagen. Collagen has many benefits including reducing inflammation, increasing bone mass, and improving skin health, while also keeping your dog’s teeth clean.4
Licking Mats and Treat Dispensers - Aside from chewing, licking and exploration are other great ways to stimulate your dog. Two great methodologies for this type of enrichment are lick mats and stuffable toys to fill and freeze. For the lick mat, I recommend the Emat Jigsaw Enrichment Mat. You can place anything safe for your dog on the lick mat, such as dog-safe peanut butter, soft food (I use Titan raw), squeeze cheese, and much more. I also recommend the Mutts Kick Butt Durable Chew Toy and Treat Dispenser. Freezing the toy helps the activity to last longer while also allowing them to savor the coveted treat(s) they are working toward.
If you’re interested in any of these products for holiday gifts, I have these enrichment products available at our shop. You can give me a call at 847-409-1363 to reserve yours today.
2 “Bully Sticks: Why They Make Great Dog Treats”, American Kennel Club, https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/why-bully-sticks-are-a-great-treat-for-dogs/
3 “What Are Beef Cheek Rolls for Dogs? - Everything You Need to Know”, Barking Buddha, https://barkingbuddhapet.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-beef-cheek-rolls/
4 “What Makes Collagen Chews So Beneficial?”, Natural Farm, https://www.naturalfarmpet.com/blogs/all/what-makes-collagen-chews-so-beneficial
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