As a professional dog trainer, I often find that many dogs are lacking proper mental stimulation. Dog owners often understand the importance of getting their dog physical exercise, but they forget to consider the importance of mental exercise as well. I understand that life is busy and sometimes it is just hard to make the time. That is why I am such a strong supporter of enrichment feeding. You feed your dog everyday already, so changing to enrichment feeding doesn’t take much more effort on your part.
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First Things First, what is Enrichment Feeding?
Enrichment is defined as the action of improving or enhancing the quality or value of something. Enrichment feeding generally refers to making mealtime interactive and challenging rather than just feeding out of a bowl.
Benefits of Enrichment Feeding
The obvious benefit of enrichment feeding is that it provides mental stimulation which prevents boredom. But did you know that it also fulfills your dog’s natural hunting and foraging behaviors which leads to less problem behaviors. Enrichment feeding also has several health benefits, including slower eating which aids in digestion. It can also help with weight management by encouraging your dog to burn more calories and prevent obesity. Enrichment feeding can also be used as a training aid to alleviate stress and anxiety when crated or left alone.
Types of Enrichment Feeding
The sky’s the limit when it comes to enrichment feeding. Every dog is different, so choose an enrichment type that fits your dog’s energy level, chewing habits and ability. Some enrichment feeders are better suited to dry kibble and others work best with wet food. When you are first starting out with enrichment feeding, it is best to start easy and work your way up to more challenging feeding styles so that your dog does not become frustrated.
Scatter Feeding: Scatter feeding is exactly what it sounds like. You scatter food around an area and allow your dog to find it. It works best outdoors in grass where your dog has to use their nose to find the food. It is also an easy way to slow down fast eaters.
Snuffle Mats: Snuffle mats also encourage sniffing and finding food. They are a great beginner enrichment activity. Snuffle mats are perfect for dogs who are recovering from surgery or aren’t as active, or dogs that are shy and don’t have the confidence to work on puzzles yet.
Lick mats/bowls: Lick mats and lick bowls are great for dogs who eat wet food rather than kibble. The mats can even be frozen to prolong use.
Slow Feeder Bowls: Slow feeder bowls are great for fast eaters and a good introduction to enrichment feeding. They are not my favorite enrichment method because they do not require much thought or action on the dog’s part. I still think they have their place and are great to use, but they won’t provide enough mental stimulation to tire out your dog, so another method will need to be used as well.
Puzzle toys: Puzzle toys are by far my favorite way to practice enrichment feeding. You can find puzzles ranging in difficulty from easy to challenging. It is fun to challenge your dog to harder puzzles after they master the easier levels.
Treat balls: Treat dispensing balls are great for getting your dog up and active while also providing mental stimulation.
I have tried tons of styles of enrichment feeders with my own dogs and with the puppies in my training camp. All training camp puppies eat at least one meal per day out of some style of enrichment feeder. I find that giving them their morning breakfast in a puzzle toy keeps them entertained while I am getting ready for the day. Here are a few of our favorites:
Level 1 Puppy Puzzle: This is a great starter puzzle for puppies. It is easy to fill and can be used with a mixture of kibble and treats. Because it has loose pieces, it is not best for heavy chewers.
Tornado Puzzle: This is my go-to puzzle, it is quick and easy to fill, and the pups all love it. Even though it is technically a level 2 puzzle, it is great for beginners as well.
Smart Puzzle Remote Treat Dispenser: I love this puzzle for getting the pups some exercise on rainy days while they get their brains working. The remote can be moved up to 80 feet from the dispenser. I move the button around the house to make it more challenging for them to go between the base and the remote. It is so fun to watch the dogs figure this one out!
Treat Dispensing Ball: This ball is the dog’s favorite, but it is very loud when used indoors. I prefer this softer style ball for indoor use. The downfall of both of these balls is that the kibble or treats have to be filled through the same small hole they come out of, so it is more time consuming. This Kibble Nibble ball can be opened for easy filling. The egg shape makes it harder to use though, so not for the dog who gives up easily. S
Snuffle Mat: I love this style of snuffle mat for ease of filling and transporting. I also use this stuffed animal style often, my only complaint is that some puppies will pick it up and shake all the food out rather than sniffing for the food.
Don’t Forget the Cat!
Enrichment feeding isn’t just for dogs! Cats can also benefit from enrichment feeding. Here are a few of my favorite enrichment feeding items for cats!
Catit Digger Interactive Feeder: This interactive slow feeder requires your cat to fish their food out and keeps them busy for a while!
Catstages Puzzle: Treat puzzle by the leader in puzzle toys, Nina Ottosson.
Give Enrichment Feeding a Try Today with your Dog!
Did you know that 15 minutes of “nosework” with a snuffle mat or foraging style puzzle toy can burn as much energy as one hour of exercise? Give it a try today and see what a difference it can make in your dog’s behavior!
Great advice!
Love these tips! Enrichment feeding is a complete new concept for me.