Enrichment
Enrichment. Puppies need it! Enrichment means giving puppy what they need to thrive. That means satisfying their innate needs in ways that are appropriate to living in our homes, families, and society. What are puppy's needs? Barking! Biting! Chasing! Sniffing! Foraging! Burying! Digging! Licking! Rolling in stinky things! Easy to see how these needs, if not met in appropriate ways, could lead to difficulties. Check out the ideas below to help direct puppy's natural instincts in appropriate and satisfying ways! (Lots more great ideas at AKC!)
Chasing
Flirt Poles
You may be familiar with using flirt poles with cats. Well, they're great for puppies, too! Take some time before your first "flirty" session to read these guidelines and cautions. You can DIY with these instructions or buy one (here's one we like).
Sniffing
Puzzle Toys
Puzzle games encourage puppy to use their sense of smell, which enriches their lives and tires them out! Use dry kibble and treats when first starting out. These games, which we like and use, come in several levels of difficulty, but any game can be made more challenging by using soft food and putting the puzzle in the freezer!
Sniffing
Sniffari (or Decompression Walk)
Sniffaris or decompression walks allow puppy freedom of movement in nature. Use a well-fitting harness and a long lead (15’-30’) to let puppy move at their own pace, sniff, paw, and explore. Using a long lead (or long line) takes some getting used to, so try it first in your own yard. Then move into unexplored territory. Your job is to be alert to other dogs and wildlife and to manage the long lead. Puppy does the rest. Read more about decompression walks here. Looking for places to "sniff"? Read about SniffSpot, the Airbnb of dog parks.
Foraging
Ball Pit
Oh, yes. Not just for children anymore! Ball pits are for puppies!
Use crush-proof balls designed for children’s ball pits and put them in a box or in a small kiddie pool (like this one from Tractor Supply). Let puppy forage for its kibble meal or for some special treats!
You can also make your own foraging pit with a cardboard box. Fill it with torn brown paper or other safe and soft material, toss in puppy’s mealtime kibble, and have fun watching!
Foraging
Snuffle Mat
Snuffle mats are a great way to feed puppy meals and enrich their lives. There are lots of designs to choose from, and all are washable. Look for mats that are made of soft fabric, like this one or this one. Chewy, Amazon, and your local pet store are great places to look. You'll have a hard time choosing just one!
Digging
Outdoors or Indoors!
Digging is not only a natural behavior for dogs, it’s also good exercise! You may not want puppy digging up your yard (or you might! Consider having a special “it’s okay to dig here” area!), but you can having digging games indoors. See this helpful article on the AKC website. (Image by Mark Miller from Pixabay)