GUEST COLUMNIST | ABIGAIL WITTHAUER
PROVIDING
CANINE ENRICHMENT
Do you want to keep your dog happy, or perhaps modify an unwanted behavior? Enrichment is key. It is defined as “making something more meaningful, substantial, or rewarding.” When we think about our dogs, it means finding something they would find naturally worthwhile and fulfilling. In other words, it is what your canine friend finds the most fun when left to his or her characteristic behavior. Most dogs find sniffing and smelling rewarding without the need to add an additional reinforcer like praise or food. This leads to the question: What isn’t enrichment? This is dependent on each learner. For example, if your dog is wary of people or dogs, a dog park is not enriching. A training class is not enrichment for a dog who is nervous with new situations or people. Remember, exercise is not enrichment. (And enrichment is much more important in canine behavior than exercise.) HOW MUCH ENRICHMENT IS ENOUGH? Enrichment should be provided daily and should have variety to remain novel. Enrichment can be as simple as stashing toys, food, or scents in your backyard and sending your dog on an adventure in their very own domain. HOW CAN I PROVIDE ENRICHMENT? The key factor in deciding how to enrich your dog’s life is to always remember that the learner (your dog) is the one who determines what is and is not enriching. One of my favorite ways to enrich a dog’s life is to stop feeding their regular meals out
of bowl. Get a large variety of puzzle toys, stash food inside them around the house, and let your dog search for the toys—or stash them in the backyard and let them hunt. When you first start these activities, you may need to help your dog with the hunt by encouraging and searching with them. You can help them with puzzle toys by showing them how to roll them around to release the food. It’s also good to provide special scents for your dog to sniff. A few drops of deer scent or duck scent smeared on fence posts in your backyard can provide some excellent enrichment for your canine friend. HOW CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT ENRICHMENT? Two of my favorite resources are the Facebook groups: “Canine Enrichment” and “Beyond the Bowl.” Both groups share ideas about how to make your dog’s everyday life more rewarding with things you already have in your home. The best resources in the industry right now are online courses through School of Canine Science (They have a YouTube account and website by the same name). Providing enrichment in your dog’s everyday life can be fun, simple, and have great behavioral payoffs. For instance, an enriched dog is likely to have less unwanted species-specific behavior like hyperactivity and barking. While it is not a replacement for quality training, enrichment should always be a significant part of a behavior modification plan and developed by a qualified professional.
Abigail Witthauer owns Roverchase in Pelham, Alabama, a luxury dog training, daycare, and boarding facility. She is one of the most sought after canine behavior professionals in the Southeast and has been training animals professionally for 17 years. Abigail lives in Pelham with her spouse, a service dog Macallan, a hairless cat, a ferret, a pet pig, and several pet dogs. 12 Reach your market with us — (205) 617-9609 or matthew@jbmcmedia.com
