Enrichment activities

Frozen kongs

I stuff them with soaked kibble and a little low-fat Greek yoghurt/banana/doggy peanut butter (make sure there is no Xylitol).

These were invaluable when George was a puppy. He adored them and it was the only thing that gave me a few minutes to leave the room (very briefly) or quickly make myself something to eat. I kept a constant supply in the freezer.

Then one day, he suddenly lost interest. I wondered if he had started to associate them with me leaving the room so started only giving them to him when I stayed in the room but it made no difference.

We haven't used these for months but I plan to try again now he is a bit older. They helped keep him cool in the Summer too.

Snuffle mats/balls

These are fantastic. George loves them (I just use kibble from his daily allowance) and the sniffing helps to promote calm. I will often use these after a walk or if George is struggling to settle.

Licki-mats

Also fantastic. I mainly use wet dog food (green tripe) which George loves but sometimes use banana, yoghurt or doggy peanut butter. He has one every morning while I have a shower. He's in the bathroom with me at the moment but we'll work on that!

Licking also helps to promote calm so these are useful after a walk or if he has been over-threshold.

I have sometimes walked out of the house holding one in front of his face if I think the neighbour's kids might be around…with varying success!

You can freeze these to make them longer-lasting but George doesn't show much interest if they are frozen unfortunately.

Cardboard boxes/paper bags

I couldn't use these for a long time as George would eat the cardboard but now he is a little older he just shreds it. I hide some kibble inside and scrunch it up. Empty toilet rolls and egg cartons also work really well. He gets so excited at the sight of an empty toilet roll!

Chews

A short visit to Facebook shows that there are huge debates on which ones to use and it can be quite a controversial topic!

George was a tough chewer as a puppy but seems to be more gentle nowadays. I'm hesitant to recommend any particular chew - it depends on your dog and their chewing style. We use a small variety which he seems to like and are on the tougher, more durable chew side. He also adores carrots. 

You can get chew holders which can reduce the choking risk but I also always supervise George with a chew (the Canine Enrichment group makes the very good point that all enrichment activities should be supervised).

Chewing is both calming and tires him out.

Hol-ee Roller Ball/Magic Destuffer

George chewed through the hol-ee roller ball we got but the magic destuffer is pretty tough. I roll pieces of kibble in the fabric and stuff inside the ball. George loves shredding things so this satisfies that urge!

Kong Wobbler

This is good for using up some energy but given he is running around and chasing, it's not a particularly calming activity! It does seem to tire him out though. Again, I just use small amounts of his kibble.

Treat Dispensers/Balls

We've got a few of these and they are OK but tend to either be too easy (the treats all fall out straight away) or too hard which can lead to frustration.

Puzzles

We've got a few of these too but also struggle with the difficulty level. Some are far too easy for George now but the next level up is a little difficult. I try to make it easier and help him along.

Training

Whether trick training or playing pattern games, I try to do short training sessions (a few minutes) throughout the day. George is super smart so loves using his brain. I think training (and playing) together really helps strengthen our bond.

We'll continue to try more ideas along the way. But generally, sniffing, licking, chewing, shredding, and using his brain are hugely beneficial for George.