Tails of Tranquility
Doggy Day Care Glasgow
Enrichment activity ideas
All dogs need daily enrichment to help them be as happy and fulfilled as they can be.
Here are some ideas of different activities you can try at home with your dog
Engage your dog's 5 senses
Sight, Smell, Sound, Touch and Taste, just like us our dogs senses are extremely important to how they explore the world.
Finding ways to engage their senses helps dogs
The main things to always remember are when you are trying out new enrichment activities are
Activities you can do with your dog covering their 5 senses
1. Sensory enrichment
Sight - Finding activities that let our dogs natural ability track and find are great fun.
Sound - Letting our dogs listen to dog tv or the radio give our dogs a chance to experience new sounds and vibrations. Remember to keep the volume low and
Smell - Scent games like 'Go Find', 'Muffin Tin Game', 'Box Hunt'
- Create your dogs very own Sensory Garden by adding some dog safe herbs in places your dog can reach to sniff.
- Scent Work - these games are great for dogs who were bread from their heightened sense of smell
Taste - there are so many dogs safe foods that we can share with our dogs in small amounts to see what they like and expose them to new flavours and textures.
Touch - Some dogs love snuggling in a soft blanket, some enjoy a gentle massage in the evening, and my little Daisy loves getting her paws rubbed before she goes to bed.
Our dogs are different, and while some want as much physical contact they can get, for others just sitting next to you is enough.
Tellington TTouch can help dogs relax, reduces muscle tension and can help lower stress levels in dogs. Check out our Tellington TTouch guide
2. Nutritional enrichment - the food!
There are LOADS of food games and puzzles available in pet shops and online, but one thing to remember is that not all dogs like the same things. Some love a Kong, where they have to hold the rubber toy in their paws and pick the tasty filling out. Others prefer 'spill' toys, like the Busy Buddy Twist and treat that they have to knock around with their paws to get the treat/ dry food to fall out.
Nutritional enrichment ideas- these are food based activities and games, and as well all know most dogs LOVE food!
Our favourites are -
These are just a few of our favourites that we use here daily. As we try more out with our own dog and the day care crew I will add them to the list.
3. Physical enrichment
Depending on your dogs age and physical health and personality will determine what kinds of physical activities they enjoy.
Some dogs love a run around a field, a swim, or agility.
Others may prefer playing with toys, enjoying a 'Sniffari' walk, a massage or Tellington TTouch
4. Social enrichment
Dogs are generally social creatures and enjoy spending time with other dogs of similar temperaments and energy levels.
Letting them socialise at the park (closely supervised), going out with a group on a dog walk or joining a day care can be great fun for a lot of dogs.
Other prefer their own company and their owner. Always listen to your dog when in social situations and observe how they are feeling. See our Dog Body Language Guide
Taking your dog to visit friends and family can also be an enjoyable experience for them. But remember - this isn't the case for every dog.
5. Occupational enrichment
This means tapping into your dogs breed characteristics and giving them a 'job' to do.
6. Cognitive enrichment
These activities involve problem solving, thinking and learning. This could be learning new puzzle games together or joining a trick or training class.
Please remember that all enrichment activities should be rewarding for our dogs, either through tasty treats, or enjoyment and satisfaction for them.