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Physical enrichment for dogs is more than just giving your dog a walk around the block. Find out why your dog needs exercise and all the best ways to improve the physical activity in your dogs life.
Your furry best friend is more than just a pet – they’re family! So, just like any other member of the family, our dogs deserve to live their best lives. Lives that are filled with joy, love and adventure. One way to keep our pups happy and healthy is through physical enrichment activities that challenge them both mentally and physically. So grab let’s dive into what exactly it means to provide physical enrichment along with some fun ways to keep our four-legged friends entertained!
This post is all about how to provide physical enrichment for dogs of all ages, sizes, and breeds.
PHYSICAL ENRICHMENT FOR DOGS
What is canine enrichment?
First off, what the heck is enrichment you ask? Canine enrichment is providing stimulation to enhance your dog’s life. A good way to look at it is, what do you need in your life and then mimic that in your dogs. You probably feel your best when your brain is mentally stimulated, you are taking care of your body, and you’re having fun with friends. Guess what? Your dog does too!
There are actually 6 different areas of canine enrichment. Each area focuses on a specific aspect of your dog’s life that helps them thrive.
Different types of dog enrichment:
- Social Enrichment
- Physical Enrichment
- Cognitive Enrichment
- Sensory Enrichment
- Feeding Enrichment
- Toy Enrichment
Physical enrichment for dogs is ensuring your dog receives proper physical exercise. It’s important to consider both the amount of physical activity as well as the activity itself. The key being that you find the right mix of activities to enhance your dogs exercise time while appropriately balancing it with their age / breed / size.
Why is dog enrichment important?
There are many benefits to enriching your dog physically and mentally. But most importantly it gives your dog a chance to be a dog. They can express their natural behaviors and instincts in a positive way when they receive appropriate enrichment. Dogs have a natural curiosity of the world so it’s important for them to use their energy in all the best ways!
What your dog will gain from enrichment is dependent on the activity and their personality but some of the benefits include:
- Mental Stimulation
- Reduce Stress
- Avoid Boredom
- Challenge Your Dog
- Practice Nose Work
How do I enrich my dog’s physical activity?
You can enrich your dog’s physical activity in a number of ways.
You can get involved in physical activities with your dog! After all more often then not your dog wants to do anything with you. So set aside time to get outside and play with your pooch.
or…
If you do not have the time to personally provide more physical activity for your dog, consider hiring a dog walker or taking your dog to a doggy daycare. There is nothing wrong with asking for help, plus it’s good for your dog to socialize with other people and pups too!
Whether you provide the enrichment or you hire someone to, you’ll want to consider your dog’s age, breed, and overall heath when determining what their physical activity should look like. It’s important to keep in mind that while physical enrichment for dogs is well recommended, it may not for every dog. If your dog is recovering from surgery or has special needs – it may be better for your dog to rest.
Friendly reminder: You should always consult your own veterinarian when it comes to any changes you want to implement into your dogs routine.
Physical Dog Enrichment Ideas At Home
1. Take A Walk
No surprise here that one of the most effective ways to provide physical enrichment for dogs is to go on a walk. This is something your dog looks forward to each and every day so why not add a little enrichment on top?
If you are unable to walk your dog yourself – consider hiring a dog walker! Here are the exact questions I ask all of my dog walkers that’ll help you find the perfect fit.
How To Enrich Your Dog’s Walk:
- Change up the route – Dogs love exploring new places just as much as we do! Try switching up your usual walking route by taking a different path or visiting a new park. This will keep things interesting for both you and your pup.
- Bring some treats – Treats can be a great way to reward good behavior during walks, but they can also be used to add an extra element of fun. Try bringing along some special treats that your dog doesn’t get often and use them to play games like hide-and-seek. The stinkier the treats, the better. Here are some awesome dog treat molds if you’re up for making your own.
- Let them sniff around – Dogs see the world through their nose, so letting them sniff around during walks is important for mental stimulation. Give them plenty of time to explore and follow their nose – it’ll make the walk more enjoyable for both of you!
- Use a long leash – Using a long leash gives your pup more freedom to move around and explore while still staying safe by your side. Plus, it’ll allow you both to enjoy each other’s company without feeling too restricted. This 8ft leash with two handles offers freedom while maintaining control.
Remember, every dog is unique and may have different preferences when it comes to walks – so don’t be afraid to experiment until you find what works best for both of you!
2. Change Up Your Dog’s Environment
Your dog gets pretty used to the same surfaces (often grass and concrete) so even just small changes in their environment can make a huge impact!
If you are lucky enough to live near a beach – take your dog! It is a great way to provide physical enrichment for dogs and it’s fun for the whole family! Just be sure you’re following any beach rules as unfortunately not all beaches allow dogs. But if yours does then it’s an easy way to change up your dog’s environment and provide some fun physical activities.
If you don’t live near a beach you could try venturing out onto a new path or you could create some backyard fun for your pup. Here are some doggie backyard favorites:
Have Some Fun In The Sand
If your dog loves to dig, a sandbox is the perfect solution! Keep an eye on Facebook marketplace for a good deal on a sandbox or you can also DIY your own.
Provide extra enrichment by burying one of their favorite (easy to clean) toys. When they retrieve it reward them with extra praise.
Dachsunds, Beagles, and Jack Russell Terriers are notorious diggers so keep this in mind if your pup is one fo those breeds.
If you’re an apartment dweller, I know it can be difficult to provide physical enrichment for dogs. So if you don’t have outdoor space for a sandbox but your dog LOVES to dig, this interactive digging toy is your best alternative.
Go For A Swim
While this might not seem do-able for every dog owner, it’s probably more attainable than you think. Don’t have a pool? No problem!
You can easily create your own dog pool in your backyard for cheap. All you really need is a kiddie pool or if you really want to treat your pooch this doggie sprinkler pad.
I’ve actually been gathering inspiration to do a DIY dog pool this summer for my own pup. Here’s my Pinterest board if you need some ideas!
3. Use Interactive Toys
The West Paw Wobbly Toy is a favorite in our house! But there are plenty of toys out there that can help provide extra stimulation for your pooch.
If your dog is motivated by toys try using them to provide physical activity when you’re busy. You simply put your dogs favorite food or treats into the toy and let your dog do they rest. They will have to figure out how to get the reward out (usually one kibble at a time) which means chasing it around the house.
The use of interactive toys is a great way to also provide food based enrichment for dogs.
4. Go To A Dog Park / Agility Course
Depending on where you live – you may have access to a dog park. Many apartment complexes and cities recognize the importance of physical enrichment for dogs and therefore offer them as a way to ensure our furry friends can get plenty of exercise.
However, dog parks are certainly not for everyone and every pup. It can be super frustrating as you never know who will be at the dog park and how your dog will react. I recommend trying to go at off-peak times (cold / rainy days and early mornings are usually good bets).
Some dog training facilities also offer the ability for you to rent out their training and/or agility areas. If your dog has a doggy friend consider splitting the cost with their owner so both your pooches can run off some steam. One of the easiest ways to provide extra physical enrichment is by providing social enrichment with other dogs!
BUILD Your own OBSTACLE COURSE
If your dog doesn’t get along well with others or you’d just prefer to steer clear of the dog park – build your own! You can DIY a dog obstacle course inside with plenty of items from around the house. Anything that is fun for your dog to play around in – think pillows, cushions, cardboard boxes, cones, etc.
If you’re not really into DYI and have some outdoor space – this is an affordable and easy to set up obstacle course for beginners.
Ready to get your dog moving through enrichment activities?
Hopefully you found some ways you can implement more physical enrichment into your dog’s life. Not only will physical enrichment keep your dog happy and healthy, but it will also strengthen your bond.
Remember, every physical activity on this list may not be for every dog. Not all dogs like water or obstacle courses. And some dogs simply need more rest. Find what works for your dog!
The most important part of physical enrichment for dogs is that you do change it up! Don’t give your dog the same physical enrichment day in and day out.
This post was all about how to provide dogs with physical enrichment.
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