Pet Enrichments – Keeping Your Pet Happy and Sane

We all love our pets and we try very hard to make their lives as happy and comfortable as possible.  Sometimes this means purchasing a very expensive dog bed or putting him up at a luxurious pet resort while you are on vacation, and sometimes this simply means making sure your dog is fed well and gets taken on regular walks.  But something may still be missing from your pet’s life.

Many pet owners fail to realize that pets need not only physical but also mental stimulation.  Some pet owners think that a walk can be no more than walking a dog briskly up and down the street a few times.  What many of these pets lack is that essential mental stimulation where they are allowed to use not only their muscles but also their brain.

This does not necessarily mean that you should present your pet with complicated puzzles all the time.  While puzzle toys (often with food rewards) are an excellent form of stimulation, not all pets will be interested in them.  There are a great deal of other, simple ways to give your pet the stimulation he deserves.

Things to do on walks

Walking is a great way to give your pup exercise, but it can also be a great way to stimulate him mentally as well.  Do you keep your pet from sniffing around or exploring?  Taking a pet on the same walking route gets just as boring for your pet as it does for you.  Try a new route and let your pet sniff around.  Sniffing is the number one way that a dog is able to learn what’s going on in your neighborhood.  While you may want to discourage marking behavior, let your dog discover what dogs have gone before and what sorts of excitement have happened recently.

Things to give your dog

As stated before, puzzle toys are a great way to stimulate a dog.  You must also realize that dogs are a direct line ancestor to the grey wolf and many needs are holdovers from these.  Giving your dog a bone, even one that is not real, provides essential chewing and tearing actions that dogs crave.  Left only with kibble, a dog may grow listless and you may see behavioral problems.

Treats are also a good method, but be sure to include some training.  Obedience and even agility training are fantastic ways to give your pet great mental exercise as well as some physical exercise.