Enrichment is when you provide an environment that invites your dog to perform different natural behaviours and your dog then gets to choose which natural behaviour (s)he wants to perform. It is not until your dog performs the natural behaviour that we can call it enrichment.

But why is enrichment so important for our dogs?

Scientific studies have shown that by providing your dog with enrichment on a daily basis you decrease the risk of them developing problem behaviours and can even decrease current problem behaviours. Enrichment also helps boost your dog’s confidence and help him/her cope better with different challenges.

But it is not only behaviourally that enrichment is beneficial. Enrichment helps keep the brain strong, which is important both during your dog’s early development as a puppy but also to keep his/her mind sharp in his/her golden senior years. Enrichment also strengthens the bond between you and your dog and increase the feeling of happiness in the both of you.

Furthermore, you are giving your dog a choice to perform different natural behaviours and thereby giving him/her some agency over his/her life, which also can improve your dog’s overall welfare, wellbeing and self confidence. 

Enrichment can be divided into different categories and there are many ways you can enrich your dog, below you can learn more about enrichment and get some ideas on how to get started.