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Delightfully so, enrichment is a hot topic right now among dog trainers and owners.
I’m enrolled in a dog training group called Uniquely Paws-able through Your Inner Dog. It’s a group specifically for blind, deaf, and deaf/blind dogs. I’m enjoying it and learning so much. As an added bonus, the trainer, Deb Bauer, leads a monthly read-along of dog-centric, positive training texts. This month? We’re reading:
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And, holy moly, have I had some light bulb moments reading this book! I’ve listened to a bunch of podcasts, too, that I’ll share below, and I’ve read some other blog posts and books that encompass enrichment, but none have been as thorough or complete as this one. Let’s get into it, and I’ll share the ah-ha moments that have changed quite a few things around our house.
What is enrichment?
The definition offered in the book:
… enrichment can be defined as meeting all of an animal’s needs as closely as possible to how they would be met in the wild, in order to empower them to engage in species-typical behaviors in healthy and appropriate ways. Enrichment is not definitely solely by what we do, but more significantly by the outcomes of what we do. It can only be enrichment if the result is a physically and behaviorally healthy animal.
One important note, of course, is that we humans have domesticated dogs; therefore, we are responsible for their welfare. And we have domesticated and bread dogs for incredibly different traits, so what is “species-typical” behavior, per the definition above, might vary widely based on your specific dog.
In the case of our domesticated pups, behavior needs to be considered at the individual level rather than the species level since there is so much variation.
Think: dachshund vs bulldog vs malinois.
The enrichment needs of each dog are incredibly distinct. Which leads to our next question…
How can you tell if you’re choosing the right enrichment for your dog?
One thought that keeps circling for me is that a lot of behavior we consider to be “naughty” is simply just a dog trying to meet his or her own needs.
Penny LOVES to dig. This results in torn sheets, holes in the backyard, and ripped up dog beds. She also loves to forage, and our kitchen trash can is the frequent victim.
Stola needs to chew. She’s the mouthiest dog I’ve ever known. This has resulted in destroyed furniture, pillows, cushions, and many, many other household objects.
So, how can you tell if you’re choosing the right enrichment for your dog?
Well, going back to that definition, is your dog physically and behaviorally healthy?
No amount of stuffed Kongs or off-leash play will lead Penny to less foraging because those aren’t comparable enrichments. Yes, stuffed Kongs and off-leash play are great, but they don’t meet her need for foraging.
Likewise, Stola can solve puzzles all day long, and while that is enriching and educational, those puzzles aren’t meeting her chewing needs.
The right enrichment choice is the one that meets your specific dog’s specific needs.
Have you ever heard of an ethogram?
As an anthropology student, we discussed ethograms often in the study of behavior and culture. My junior year primate behavior capstone was to prepare an ethogram of the baboons at the Indianapolis Zoo.
Yet, until I read this book, it never occurred to me to craft an ethogram for my dogs!
So, what is an ethogram?
The study of animal behavior begins with a library of behaviors, called an ethogram. An ethogram is a list of species-specific behaviors describing the elements and function of each behavior. Normally, the best ethograms are functional; they are organized into categories that reflect meaningful distinctions to the animal.
Clearly we don’t need super detailed data collection, like number of repetitions or time of day per rep. However, it’s helpful to think through and jot a list of what you’re seeing for each of your dogs.
What kind of physical activity does your dog enjoy?
What type of games does your dog like to play independently? And how about with you?
Indoors or outdoors?
Is there a specific type of food your dog gravitates toward? What treats are the highest reward for your pup?
And this is where I realized I’d made a big mistake.
The enrichment mistake I made–and how I’m correcting it
Once I contemplated the ethograms for Stola and Penny, I realized I was making a big, huge mistake.
I’ve been giving them both the same enrichment at the same time.
I suppose it was in service of “fairness,” but if I made a Kong for Stola, I made a Kong for Penny. If I filled a puzzle toy for Penny, I made sure to have one for Stola, too.
But, once I thought through their individual ethograms, I realized how different and unique their needs were, and I wasn’t meeting them equitably as I tried to be fair.
When it comes to stuffed puzzles, Penny much prefers to lick. She thrives with a licky mat (which, funny enough, I initially bought that set for the cats’ wet food). While Stola enjoys licking, chewing is more satisfying for her. So, while I prep a peanut butter licky mat for Penny, I toss Stola a bully stick.
Sure, sometimes Penny gets a bully stick or Stola gets a licky mat–variety is hugely important, too–but I’m more cognizant of meeting their individual needs.
I’ve also picked up a few more puzzles, thanks to some gift cards I had on hand. I got this for our enrichment zone games and this for mealtimes for Stola or an epic licky mat for Penny (although they can be interchangeable), and these blankets for Penny to have something to dig in her crate. (Plus, she’s so pretty in pink!)
I’m continuing to build out our ethogram as I observe which tools are working well and which aren’t!
Of course, enrichment also includes other facets, like physical exercise, visual and auditory stimulation (less important for my deaf dogs and Penny doesn’t see super great, but still), and brain games.
What would be on YOUR dog’s ethogram? Have you ever considered what types of enrichment are more (or less!) satisfying for your dog? I’d love to hear in the comments!
Enrichment Resources
Dogs That podcast, episodes 314 and 315 in particular
Dog Enrichment podcast with Tori Mistick
Canine Enrichment for the Real World on Amazon or Bookshop.org
Mealtime Enrichment for Your Dogs <– a blog post on the topic from last year
