5 Ways To Mentally Stimulate Your Dog At Home

Mental stimulation is an all-important part of your dogs optimum wellbeing. But providing enrichment and outlets for natural doggy behaviours needn't be complicated, expensive or a chore. Small activities throughout the day can help keep your dogs engaged and make everyday life more rewarding. 

Remember that enrichment is designed to be fun, rewarding and engaging for your dog. It shouldn't be so complicated or frustrated for them that they find it too challenging. When introducing enrichment, do so with small, easy changes and gradually increase your variety and challenges if your dog is keen and engaged to do so. Enrichment should be supervised to ensure safety and so you are monitoring your dogs engagement and fulfilment.

1. Use Food Enrichment Toys

Things like lick mats, slow feeders and food dispensing puzzle toys can be great ways to satisfy your dogs natural instinct to problem solve with tasty rewards as the prize. They are a great way to turn mealtimes into an engaging activity. Meanwhile, providing things such as lick mats encourage your dog to lick which can release calming endorphins and help promote relaxation.

2. Scatter Feed

Sniffing is mental stimulating and encourages a dog to use their natural foraging instinct. It is also a great form of mental exercise. Try simply scattering kibble or tiny pieces of treats across your garden or a room for your dog to hunt out.

3. Rotate toys regularly

Keep your dogs toys fun and novel by keeping them in rotation and swapping some out for a different selection every few days to keep them engaged and interested in the toy box. If your dog has particular favourites, has a special comfort toy or is prone to phantom pregnancies then ensure they always have access to their toys. 

4. Create simple search games

Think hide and seek but for your dog! When they're out of the room, hide tasty treats around the room and then let your dog back into the room and watch them work. Start off easy and gradually increase the challenge as your dog becomes more confident. 

5. Let them sniff!

It might sound simple but let your dog sniff on walks. All too often we see dogs rushed along on their walks- not being allowed to stop, sniff or investigate. Remember who you're on the walk for- it's for them! So let them stop, sniff and check those pee-mails! Walks aren't just about physical exercise. Your dog would gain much more stimulation (and likely be much more tired!) from a 20 minute walk where they can sniff and engage with their environment rather than a 20 minute march around the block. It's often not about the pace or the distance, but more about what your dog gained from that walk- small, thoughtful changes can support happier, healthier dogs. 

Happy Mind. Happy Dog!