Enrichment Series Part One: What is Enrichment?
Recently, enrichment has been picking up steam across animal communities. Not even specifically for dogs, but for cats, rabbits, birds, etc. The amount of creativity that goes into some of the enrichment games that owners do for their animals and that volunteers do for rescues & shelters is so cool to see! While these games are so fun for animals (and humans - we tend to get so excited watching our pets do the thing), there is science behind why enrichment is so beneficial!
For those who are not familiar with enrichment or what it means, I will keep it short and sweet: meeting all of our animals' needs mentally, physically, and emotionally. If you are looking for something with a bit more context, "enrichment means meeting all of an animal's needs in order to empower them to perform species-typical behavior in healthy, safe, and appropriate ways" (Pet Harmony 2020). We can also accomplish this in a way that we also enjoy since not all species-specific behaviors are appealing to pet owners (i.e., digging and barking). When we think of digging and barking, while it is not appealing for us, there are ways we can exercise that desire with our dogs. However, with that being said, we should find activities that enrich our animals to ensure that we are, in fact, meeting their needs. For example - if you don't like going to the grocery store, you will not be enriched when you have to go. This is the same for animals. If they are scared of pet stores, then going shopping is not a form of enrichment for them. To determine what your animal loves, you will need to see the results. What we think our animals enjoy - they might only like, but not love. Take my dog, for example, he really likes food puzzles because he gets food and treats out of it, BUT a long sniffing walk where he can take the lead will have him mentally exhausted and wiped out the rest of the day. Therefore, his favorite form of enrichment is sniffing/scent work. Allowing our dogs the ability to use their instinctual behaviors will help them feel happy in their homes and help develop a stronger bond with you as their handler. We will dive deeper into the different types of enrichment in two weeks, so stay tuned.
One of the most essential aspects of enrichment is agency. Agency is the ability to have a choice or some level of control in what you are doing. While we aren't suggesting that we let our animals have all the control and make all the decisions for themselves since we still need to have their safety at the top of our minds, what this does mean is we should not force our dogs with things they do not enjoy. "Without agency, it isn't enrichment" (Canine Enrichment for the Real World).
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Written by: Monica Behnke
In the end, we all want our pets to be the healthiest possible and live the longest life possible, and we want to help everyone's pet stay healthy and happy! The more we study and learn of better avenues, the better their diet, their health, and their overall life will become. Have a topic you'd like us to discuss? Send an email to info@itsallaboutthepaws.org.
The information discussed here has been researched and learned from: Allie Bender at Pet Harmony Training, Canine Enrichment for the Real World, Balance Behaviour, Best Friends, and other related resources.
