With the popularity of discussions of ‘enrichment’ in dog-care, it’s really become very trendy to talk about it and ‘enrichment’ has become a bit of a buzz word.
That has led to some misuse and misapplication of this term, describing activities that are not truly enriching for the individual animal.
And in turn, as is the way within the animal care industries, there has been backlash.
Sigh.
The popularity and awareness of enrichment for dogs is a good thing, but, it’s important that it is implemented correctly to actually help dogs, rather than contribute to harm.
Just giving a dog some puzzle or food dispensing toy doesn’t necessarily equate to enrichment – the only way we can ascertain how enriching enrichment is, is by asking the dog.
Enrichment must be goal oriented (the main goal being, that enrichment must be enriching) and the dog’s behaviour should be observed to ensure…
We gotta talk about health and safety in all our enrichment endeavours. An awareness of what might go wrong will help us keep our pets safe, because, let’s face it, they don’t always look to keep themselves safe!
Dogs will injure themselves in all sorts of ways, especially when it comes to edibles or things they think should be edible…
What follows are general tips but there may be more specific guidelines appropriate to your pet. There will also be more specific safety tips with particular challenges. But, the bottom line is, you need to know your dog and their tendencies.
Always supervise pets with puzzles. Again, knowing your pet is important here – there are some things that can be given to some dogs to keep them busy when alone. Choosing appropriate toys or devices will need to be appropriate to the dog’s size and chewing/play style. Toys or…
The first week of #100daysofenrichment is just around the corner and as it’s the first week, we are going to keep it pretty simple and straightforward.
Keep up with all the resources and challenges relating to #100daysofenrichment here
and join our Facebook group too!
All challenges are presented with multiple options so you won’t lose out if you don’t have some of the items.
Any of these toys, just like the classic red Kong, can be used as stuffables for appropriate pets!
For Week 1 you will need:
a range of foods suitable for stuffing such as your pet’s regular food, spreadable yummies, chews and treats, higher value foods such as meats and fish (for dogs and cats) (more detail here)
toys that can be stuffed which basically means any toys that are somewhat durable (appropriate to your pet) and have two holes (two holes are better for safety).
The 100 Day Project has been running for a number of years, specifically in relation to IT/tech stuff, creativity and the arts, and on social media #100day challenges have been applied to various areas, including dog training.
We started our first run through of #100daysofenrichment in January 2019 and it was so successful that we run it again at the end of 2019 too, to round out the year.
We had RUN3 last year, to help with some of the first rounds of COVID-19 lockdown to help us all have some fun and distraction. Corona related lockdown and distress continues so here we are, with RUN4!
Cutting down on social contact, isolation, staying put, along with the stress of health fears, financial responsibilities, can have massive impacts on mental health.
I am hoping that #100days will facilitate increased positive interactions with pets, providing a valuable social outlet for both species.
I think we’re all pretty enthusiastic for 2020 to come to an end but New Year’s Eve can bring fireworks, causing distress for many dogs.
Fireworks fear among dogs is pretty normalised but that shouldn’t mean we are helpless to do anything about it!
Even though we have next to no time before the midnight celebrations, by planning, being proactive and preparing now, we might be able to help our pets experience less distress.
2020 has been a tough year all round, and small Irish businesses have been particularly hard-hit.
AniEd is a small business and most of our graduates run their own small businesses too. Plus we are all Irish, through and through. We don’t outsource any part of our products or services outside of Ireland – all home grown talent!
With Brexit ahead of us, Irish pet care businesses may be particularly hit next year and in general 2021 is still lining up to present challenges.
We have lots of favourite Irish pet businesses along with ourselves and our awesome graduates.
Check ‘em out and support them in any way you can.
Christmas and this season is all about giving! Here’s some of our favourite dog-products that Santa Paws might bring!
These are tried-and-true and things we use and recommend every day.
The Boring Necessities
To your dog, these are probably pretty run-of-the-mill, but they can be essentials!
In general, when it comes to products in almost all categories, manufacturers will add some gimmick, marketing trick, or notion in an attempt to stand out with their own USP. But, that doesn’t make it better for you and your pet 😉
We like to understand that mechanisms behind the workings and how that applies to your pet’s behaviour, and to your wallet.
Harnesses
While it’s great that there is such a range of harnesses available in every petshop and stockist, that can make choosing one that is safe and comfortable all the more difficult.
Look for harnesses that don’t restrict your pet’s movement, especially the front assembly (straps that cross the shoulder), when fitted properly. Make sure that straps behind the elbow don’t ride up into the arm pit too.
Harnesses, that have become very popular, with large panels that sit on the dog’s shoulders and back, make it more comfortable for the dog to pull, and most worryingly, are very easy for dogs to learn to escape from. I know they’re popular, but we don’t like them, and many dogs find them unpleasant to fit.
We recommend a simple H or Y-front harness that’s properly fitted; like this one from Zooplus.
These harnesses tend to be the best tolerated in terms of fitting them.
Here’s a simple fitting routine for these simple harnesses:
This clip shows you how to fit one using a stuffable toy so that, from the first time, the dog associates having their harness fitted with yummies:
If you feel you need more control in preventing pulling, you attach your lead, or add a second lead, to the ring at the front. Show here in this clip:
My favourite of the modern harnesses is the Blue9 Balance Harness for its versatility and fit, but recognise that they are expensive and difficult to get here.
Collars
Hands up, I have a total collar addiction and my dog has so many collars from all sorts of places that serve all sorts of functions, but really, most just look pretty!
Dogs in Ireland must be microchipped and wear a collar, with their owner’s details, in public.
My absolute favourite ID tags are the plastic tags from Identi-tag – you can fit lots of info on there, they come in teeny sizes and big, they are super hard-wearing (most of Decker’s are almost 8 years old and are as good as new) and very reasonably priced. Love them!
Collars that dogs wear for ID and that they wear most of the time should not be tightening, and just with regular buckles. When dogs are unsupervised, playing in groups, or confined, it’s best to use safety break-away collars or no collars at all.
Take care when using collars with snap buckles if you are attaching a lead and check how secure the buckle on your collar is regularly.
Some collars come with safety adjustments, like this in this clip here, with instructions for use and fit:
Martingale or limited slip collars are best for dogs with lots of coat, with narrow heads and with wide necks to prevent slipping. This is one of Decker’s martingales:
Or using a collar, like a Sighthound collar, with a wider side, which also helps to prevent slipping or the collar coming over the dog’s head. This is one of Decker’s:
In general, the wider the collar band, the more comfortable it will be, so choose the widest band you can find.
Lots of collars, to suit your dog and specifications, can be found in stores and online. Measure your dog’s neck with a string at the point you want them to wear their collar, and then measure that.
Go for the simplest lead you can find – generally, you don’t need all the bells and whistles. I like a plain five or six foot nylon or leather lead, with a safe trigger hook. Nothing more, nothing less.
I don’t like poo-bag carriers attached to the lead because they weigh them down and fall/hit the dog. But, choose biodegradable bags and always dispose of them appropriately; do not leave them on the street, hanging on a tree, in a ditch or anywhere livestock or wildlife might access them.
Swaggles do matching leads too!
Long Lines
I am a big fan of long lines but careful, safe use is required. More in this clip:
Long lines are just really long leads and most people do well with a 5m or 10m line – longer than that, becomes harder to manage.
You can get long lines in lots of places including online, e.g. Zooplus and in stores; I particularly like the Maxi Zoo range of long lines.
I much prefer long lines over extendable leads, but recognise that people love their Flexis! Here’s more on how to use them appropriately and safely:
Before we go any further with this one, it’s important to note that LOTS of dogs don’t like to wear coats, clothing and for some, even harnesses.
Clips that are often shared online, showing dogs freezing, having difficulty walking, refusing to walk or struggling to get away when a coat or clothing is being fitted or worn, actually depict a dog experiencing high distress levels.
Unless your dog needs a coat or clothing, it might be better to skip it, unless you can be sure they are comfortable with fitting and wearing.
Clothing that opens so that the dog doesn’t need to put their head through it might be tolerated better; these coats from Petstop open at the front so can be placed on the dog, rather than them having to pass through an opening, are reasonably priced and really good quality.
Confinement
For safety and for training, some form of safe confinement will likely be required at some point in a dog’s life. The best way to prepare them for that, and help with other training exercises, is to confinement train. This means to make being behind a barrier a pleasant experience for a dog and to use confinement, particularly in crates, appropriately.
Wire crates are often most convenient as they can fold away flat and are sturdy. To reduce the noise, wrap the tray in a towel or blanket and then add the dog’s bedding. Savic crates are great, long-lasting and sturdy; you can get them and a more budget friendly line from Jeb Tools.
Plastic travel crates are required for airline travel and can be handy, if you have the space. Zooplus offer a variety but if you are travelling, check the requirements before you purchase.
Soft-sided crates are great because they fold flat, are lightweight and quiet, but a dog who chews or is looking to escape will not be safe with this crate.
Crates are not for every owner or dog so where confinement, management and safety are required, gates and pens are a great addition.
Regardless, when confinement is expected, the dog will need help to learn to settle comfortably behind a barrier so spend some time on that too.
Beds
Before you splash out on a new bed for your dog, do some research and ask your dog about their sleeping and resting preferences. See Day 10 of #100daysofenrichment for more!
There is a lot of variety in beds available for dogs, with lots of choices. I really like the Beddies range in Equipet and we have several, but there are lots and lots of awesome beds to suit every budget and every pet.
Don’t invest in expensive soft bedding if you have a chewer or a young dog but getting some VetBed will tie you over until you can splash out.
For fun and brain games
Now we get to have some fun!
We talk a lot about Kong toys and the Kong range, so of course Kong toys will feature here too! They are available from all sorts of outlets and have toys that offer all sorts of different challenges. The full Kong range can be viewed here.
There are lots of stuffable options out there, and not just Kongs! Try K9 Connectables to offer different challenges and enrichment outlets with these versatile toys.
One of my current favourites is the Toppl; it’s pretty durable and is a straight forward solve for dogs who experience frustration or are new to puzzle feeding.
It can be transformed into a more challenging feeder by combining a small and a large size, but it’s still a great stuffable toy on its own.
My other favourite is the Qwizl – as a straight forward puzzle toy it’s great for kibble or wet foods, can be lined or frozen. I use it with dogs who have a tendency to gulp and swallow the last bits of long chews, like pizzles, so that it’s safer and easier to grip.
There is a wonderful variety of chews, both edible and non-edible, available and we have a whole LONG list here for Day 11 Chewing of #100daysofenrichment.
Stuffables can be some of the most versatile toys so investing in a couple of different types.
While I love to use my dog’s regular foods in stuffable toys, treat foods feature too. I prefer to use real meats as treats like chicken, turkey or cheese. But, you gotta have some special treats too and I love these dried meats from RiRaw:
When it comes to choosing toys, think what your dog might get out of it; what sort of behaviours will these toys provide outlets for? Toys are enriching for dogs when they allow them to practice natural dog behaviours like chasing, biting, catching, chewing, dissection, tracking; play allows for practicing these behaviours.
Having a range of toys for your dog will allow them to try out different behaviours – your dog can’t be wrong, what behaviours they decide to use in toy or item manipulation is what they find enriching.
Tug toys from Tug-E-Nuff offer a wide range to tempt most dogs, providing lots of opportunities for tracking, chasing, tugging and even dissecting. Decker LOVES an oversized ball to chase and bite like Jolly Balls:
For literally hundreds of ideas and a ton of inspiration for choosing entertainment and fun for your dog, check out #100daysofenrichment and pick from challenges that you think you and your pet will enjoy.
All your dog wants for Christmas is YOU!
Certainly buy your pet gifts and items that make their life more comfortable and enjoyable, but, don’t forget that YOU are the most important part of your dog’s life.
Take time, lots of time, to just be and hang out with your dog, especially over the holidays when the chaos is swirling all around.
If you are taking some time off from work and your normal routine this holiday season, maintain your dog’s comfort by trying to keep some features of normality in their day to day. It’s especially important to keep a little separation and alone time throughout the holidays so that when everything goes back to normal and you leave again, the bottom of their world doesn’t fall out.
Prioritise time to just be with your dog and make sure to go for lots of SNIFFS! rather than walks – making sniffing possible is the biggest gift you can give your dog.
Run through the Sniffing Saturdays from #100daysofenrichment and try to include a little sniffing everyday for your dog.
With so many tempting but out of bounds bits and pieces hanging around during the holidays, it’s easy to understand how challenging this might be for most dogs.
While some dogs can be concerned by new and elaborate decorations cropping up all over, most dogs will be interested in investigating novel items. This usually means that they will approach them, sniff them, taste and chew them – that’s how dogs explore their world!
Make it easy to get it right!
Management is very much the name of the game, particularly if you have a puppy or a dog who is interested and interactive. Make it really easy for them to stay successful thinking carefully about how and where you arrange decorations, presents, party-food and other temptations.
keep things out of reach, remembering that dogs can jump and climb
take care with storing and disposing of foods and presents
use management, like baby gates and leashes, to prevent your dog accessing forbidden items
confine your dog safely when temptations are in play
consider decorating only limited areas elaborately
Check out this gorgeous scene, carefully managing puppy Tucker’s access to that tempting tree!
This fantastic management example is from Linda Adams Brennan of Canine Coach, starring the adorable Tucker!
More on holiday hazards here and more on management during the holidays here.
Uh-Oh! Management Fail!
Sometimes management can fail; the door was left open, the baby gate removed, the dog wasn’t being watched. It’s easy. You are human and your dog is canine – mistakes happen.
Now the dog has got something we would prefer he didn’t have. What now?
First, consider the situation: is the item harmful to your dog, will they damage it? If, the answers are, no, let it go and don’t worry about it. Next time, step up your management to do a better prevention job.
If you need to reclaim the item, do so carefully…
STOP! Don’t pursue the dog. Going after them serves to convince them that what they took must be wonderful (because everyone wants it!), which may lead them to ingest it quickly (so nobody else can have it) or guard it (use distance increasing signaling to keep every else away).
Some dogs might even take stuff to get that attention and chase, as it works every time!
Instead, move away from your dog. Sounds counterintuitive, but moving away will attract the dog to you.
Move away and pretend to engage with something really interesting, with lots of oohs and aaahs for effect. For example, scurry toward the kitchen counters and tap it, move things, wiggle things. Keep oooh-ing and aaah-ing until your dog approaches to check out what you are up to.
Even if you must get the item back more urgently, don’t pursue the dog. Instead move away and create a diversion by, for example, opening the fridge and rustling packaging, getting the dog’s lead and pretending to prepare for a walk, or tossing food rewards away from your dog.
We don’t want to rely on this strategy too much, it’s for emergencies only. Otherwise, we might have the dog taking things to get you to play this game!
This is the important part:
Continue with your diversion tactics until your dog moves away from the item. Don’t make this interaction about the item or about getting it back.
When the dog discards the item, continue to redirect them. For example, encourage them to follow you into another room by moving and talking to them excitedly, jollying them along with you. You might even toss a toy or food rewards into another room to help your dog move away.
Close the door behind them – they don’t need to be present when you recover the item. Remember, we are not making it about the item!
Step up your management to prevent repeats of this!
There is absolutely no point in attempting to punish scavening behaviour – scolding and reprimanding won’t help you here. Once the dog has taken the item, they have had their fun and the behaviour is reinforced to happen the next time.
Step up management and start teaching them the behaviours you would rather they do when temptation is available.
The Floor is Magic
Food on counters, tables, and on low coffee-tables, during the celebrations can be difficult for dogs to resist.
Scavenging behaviour is normal, natural, necessary dog behaviour; behaviour that we humans go out of our way to suppress.
Making sure to practice settling and working on some canine entertainment in set-ups where food will be available tantalisingly close to your dog will go along way to helping prevent your dog taking food that’s out of bounds.
Plan ahead!
Where will food be most tempting during your gathering? At the dinner table, on the kitchen counters, in the living room low-down?
Introduce the Floor is Magic game in those places and start practicing now.
Work with some pretty yummy food rewards and let your dog see you place one treat on the counter or table. Immediately toss a couple of treats on the floor.
LOOK!, as a reorientation exercise and cue, is a valuable skill to have in your arsenal for all sorts of situations.
LOOK! means that your dog orients toward you, away from a distraction for reward. They never get access to the thing they have been cued away from. You can use any word that you like, such as “Leave It!”.
Check out these puppies learning to leave tissue, a puppy-destruction-favourite:
The key here, as always, is to make sure that you set your dog up for success. We need to use leads and barriers, along with space and distance from the distraction to effectively teach the dog to respond to you when close to temptation.
You can use anything as your distraction such as food, decorations, gifts or the Christmas tree. In the following tutorials, food in a bowl on the floor, is used as the distraction:
Each time your dog looks toward the distraction, cue “LOOK!” (or whatever cue word you like) and wait for your dog to reorient to you. Reward well and repeat.
Very soon, your dog will focus on you because the distraction tells them that focus is the most rewarding thing to do!
Holiday celebrations can have everyone somewhat wound up and it can take a food coma to help with relaxation. For the most part, we will want our pets to chill out too, especially when the family are hanging out or eating, and this is of course made even more difficult given the activity and festivities.
You know what I am going to say….start practicing now!
All is calm
So that they feel comfortable on the day, start practicing chilling out today. This can be easily supported by using some pacifying activities entertainment ideas.
Establish your dog’s safe zone – a comfortable place they can go, spend time, without anyone approaching or interacting. Easy to do by giving your dog a yummy stuffable or an irresistible chew there every day, and leaving the dog to it. (For more see here.)
This helps to reduce your dog’s intensity about all the yummy stuff all the humans have!
Most dogs will benefit from some comfortable confinement during the celebrations, and all dogs will enjoy a break away from the action, even occasionally. (More on preparing for there here.)
To make sure that confinement is a viable option during your party or gathering, and that your dog will be comfortable there, start practicing now! Every day, prepare the most wonderful puzzle, stuffable or chew for your dog – with your dog’s absolute favourites. Give him his treat in confinement and let him out before he becomes upset.
A little bit of alone time, away from the action and social pressure, will benefit most dogs (and people!), while making it easier to maintain safety and reduce unwanted behaviour.
The key to this is practice, every day, so that when you need confinement, your pet will cope better, be more comfortable and you will be at ease.
Calm Context
Dogs learn what emotional response to expect, and therefore, which behaviours will be required in a given context. That might include the room they’re in, the people or other animals present, the time of day, what’s just happened, what comes next, the activities that go on there, whether good things, scary things or neutral things happen or can be expected.
During our celebrations, we might expect our dog to be calm and chilled, so we need to set up contexts that allow that to happen. Of course, seasonal festivities are anything but calm so, you’ve guessed it, we need to start practicing now!
Plan ahead
Think where you will like your dog to be calm and chilled out during the celebrations. That’s where we start practicing by setting up a Calm Context there.
practice at times that your dog might normally be calmer
the house is quiet, no comings and goings, nobody expected to come home or call in
all their needs are met – they have toileted, they have eaten, they have been exercised, they have had lots of attention, interaction and company
you can practice with them on lead, if you like, to help reduce their moving around and getting themselves excited again
make less exciting chew toys, chews or toys available to minimise excitement but to give him something to do should he need that
It’s important that you start setting up this calm idea for your dog – no more active or raucous play in that location from now on. Make this place about being chilled out.
And it’s best that your dog has access to this room, only when it’s easy for him to be calm and chilled out.
While I don’t really like to use lots of treats for this particular exercise, that can be helpful to get you started and begin to build value in settling behaviour, for your dog:
Parking is a valuable exercise to practice, for both ends of the lead. This can help your dog learn to chill out in the house and when out and about, meaning you can take your dog lots of places.
Parking is a particularly great for when you are eating or relaxing, and you want to help your dog relax, but also not have to pay them too much attention. This can help to prevent or reduce so-called begging behaviour at the dinner table too.
Park your Pup with their lead on and with a delicious stuffable toy, chew or treat to work on. Hold the toy or chew under one foot, while you are sitting down, and the dog’s lead under your other foot. Give your dog just enough lead that they can comfortably lie down or turn, but not so much that they can jump up or get into mischief.
Start practicing some Parking today! It’s great to practice this exercise as you might use it on the day. For example, Park your Pup while you are eating a meal or relaxing in front of the TV.
Every time you practice calmness and settling in your calm contexts, the easier it will be for your dog to do this, in these contexts, during the celebrations.
Make time for crazy too!
All this settling and being calm is fine, but is tricky for dogs, particularly at exciting times. Always thinking in rollercoasters, regularly interrupt your dog’s settling and calm-time with some fidget and crazy breaks.
Help your dog to become familiar with this routine, by practicing settling and then crazy, settling and then crazy, ending with a little more settling. Not only will this prepare your dog for calmer, more settled behaviour in those Calm Contexts, but also help your dog develop better self-calming skills which will help him calm himself more efficiently after excitement.
Any of these toys, just like the classic red Kong, can be used as stuffables for appropriate pets! 
AniEd Ireland 