Enrichment Info & Ideas
Enrichment is any activity that allows dogs the opportunity to practice natural dog behaviors (often referred to as “species-specific behaviors”) such as sniffing, licking, digging, foraging, parts of the predatory motor sequence, etc.
One of the big misunderstandings about enrichment is that it’s something we do to keep dogs occupied, but that’s not the point at all. Regularly practicing natural dog behaviors (enrichment) fulfills some of their needs, which makes the dog less likely to act out in other ways. This is how enrichment contributes to both behavior change and a better quality of life overall.
It’s only enrichment if your dog finds it enriching!
Every dog has preferences, and some enrichment activities they might not like at all. The key to enrichment is to find the activities that your dog likes.
What is the predatory motor sequence—and why do dogs have it?
The predatory motor sequence describes the physical actions of predation that dogs inherited from wolves: orient, eye, stalk, chase, grab-bite, kill-bite, dissect, and consume.
But our modern dogs aren’t wolves! Thousands of years of domestication have dimmed their urge to predate. Our modern dogs are no longer hunters—they’re scavengers and beggars. Even so, every dog retains some behaviors of the predatory motor sequence. Not all dogs enjoy or excel at all parts of the sequence, so it’s important to determine which parts are important for your dog.
If you know your dog’s breed or breed mix, that may offer a clue as to which parts of the predatory sequence they’re inclined to enjoy, and therefore which you should select for enrichment efforts. Human efforts to breed dogs for specific tasks have intentionally retained and emphasized some of these behaviors in certain breeds. For example, border collies retain the “eye.”
That said, breed is not a guarantee! Make sure you get to know your dog and discover what they enjoy most.
Ideas for enrichment
This is not an exhaustive list, but should give you some ideas to get started! Click the images to jump down to ideas for each type of enrichment.
Digging
A dig pit offers your dog an appropriate digging spot!
Digging is a natural dog behavior, therefore it’s great enrichment. When you discover that you have a dog who likes digging, a dig pit can really enhance their quality of life (and prevent digging elsewhere).
I recommend watching the reel to the right and reading the caption, and also reading the instructions below (from DogsTrust) to get some ideas on how to do this!
Chewing
Chewing is an incredible outlet for stress.
I recommend all dogs have access to items that offer long-duration chewing opportunities. Chewing a bone to relieve stress is an excellent coping mechanism that we want to encourage!
For links to recommended chews, please visit my Recommended Products page.
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Split antlers (not entirely edible; they eat the interior part over time)
I do not make a commission off of these products/links.
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I do not make a commission off of these products/links.
Shredding
Shredding is another valuable outlet for stress!
If you have a dog who is inclined to destroy stuffed toys, paper products, or anything else, then you definitely have a shredder. My advice is to lean into that and provide appropriate outlets for that very natural, normal dog behavior.
Good news: You don’t have to spend a fortune in toys just to watch them be destroyed in 10 seconds!
For dogs who like to shred, I recommend something I affectionately call “trash enrichment” using boxes slated for recycling.
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Empty package delivery boxes (Amazon, Chewy, etc)
Empty food boxes like cereal boxes, dry goods boxes, etc.
Packing paper or other paper
Toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls
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Use a series of cardboard boxes and paper products (packing paper, empty paper envelopes, paper bags, etc) to hide treats and let your dog destroy it!
(See the reel shared in this section for a detailed example.)
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Shop those clearance bins and let your dog have at it! Remember, enrichment isn’t about “keeping them occupied,” so it’s okay if it only takes 30 seconds.
Pro tip: Save the toy carcass if it’s still mostly intact and you can hide treats in it and offer it to your dog again later!
Chasing/Biting
My top recommendation for dogs who like to chase and/or catch things (grab bite/kill bite) is a flirt pole!
You know that cat toy that looks like a fishing rod with a string and toy on the end? The dog version is called a flirt pole. You hold the pole and make the “prey” run, jump, change directions, etc. The dog chases it, catches it, and then you let them celebrate their catch before starting over again.
It’s great exercise and it fulfills that natural, normal urge to go after small moving things! Plus you get to work on the “drop” cue.
I prefer this flirt pole from Outward Hound because it has a toy on the end that’s a bit more lifelike than others.
Most have a rope toy or tassel toy on the end, and I find that many dogs aren’t very interested in those.
Bonus: It’s one of the most inexpensive options!
I do not make a commission off of this product/link.
Licking
Licking can indicate very different things in specific contexts, but on the whole, it’s a very natural dog behavior.
Lick mats and Kongs/Fongs are the two most common forms of licking enrichment. Both activities include a bit of problem solving as well, which uses a bit of mental energy.
Lastly, licking is also a self-soothing behavior. I try to include some form of licking each day for dogs who are wound up and/or anxious.
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You do NOT need name-brand lick mats! They’re all the same thing, and you’ll pay a fraction of the price for the off brands.
For example, here’s a link to a 2-pack for less than $10.
You can give lick mats fresh or frozen.
I do not make a commission off of these products/links.
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Personally, I don’t purchase Kongs because they’re unnecessarily expensive and difficult to clean.
I prefer “Fongs”—my term for fake Kongs. They’re a fraction of the price, just as durable, and much easier to clean.
Toppls - West Paw makes a cup-like item called a Toppl that you can fill just like a Kong/Fong. They’re expensive and I personally don’t get the hype, but if you want to try them, you can find them here.
Off-brand Toppls - there are tons to choose from!
As with lick mats, these can be given fresh or frozen.
I do not make a commission off of these products/links.
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Good news: You don’t need to buy anything if you don’t want to.
Smear something yummy on the inside of an empty cottage cheese container, or even grab a tupperware and smear something in it. Doesn’t have to be fancy!
Food items to use:
peanut butter, mashed banana or blueberries, plain yogurt, cream cheese, spray cheese, wet dog food, pumpkin, etc.
Get creative! As long as it’s safe for your dog to consume, you can use it.
Tip: You do NOT need to fill the lick mat, Kong, etc. all the way!
Foraging
Foraging is the act of searching for food. Nearly all dogs love to forage! There are many ways you can do this, and please hear me when I say you do NOT need to buy all the food puzzles!
Read through the drop down on the right for some of my favorite foraging activities, two of which are demonstrated in the videos.
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Box foraging
Scatter kibble or treats in a box and then add an old towel on top. Scrunch up the towel a bit and sprinkle another layer of food on top. The towel acts as an obstacle as your dog works on finding the food. See this reel for a demonstration.
Toy box foraging
Drop treats or kibble in your dog’s toy box (they love this one).
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If you already have a snuffle mat, spice it up! Put a towel on top of it and scrunch up the towel for a whole new snuffle layer. See this reel for a demonstration.
Towel twist - spread out a towel, scatter kibble on it, grab the center of the towel and twist until the towel is in a spiral.
Grass is nature’s snuffle mat! Take your snuffling outside.
Scatters of kibble or treats on the floor. This is good for dogs who are hesitant to try enrichment activities.
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Food puzzles, puzzle toys, etc. can all fall under the category of foraging with some added brain work.
The towel knot
Box foraging
Sniffing & Exploring
All dogs need to sniff! If you’re not allowing your dog to stop and sniff on walks, start now. They should be getting lots of sniffing time on every single walk.
Most dogs also like to sniff novel areas, so taking them on “field trips” to new parks, hikes, neighborhoods, etc. can be very enriching for many dogs.
For example, the dog in this photo LOVES to follow his nose and explore! We often rent SniffSpots, go on new hikes, fields, parks, etc. just to give him a chance to do the thing he loves most. It’s his ultimate form of enrichment and the thing that brings him the most joy.
