Happy September!

For this month’s blog we will be learning about canine enrichment. For those of you who may not know, canine enrichment encourages pups to use their natural instincts. Through implementing canine enrichment into your dog’s routine, it can build their confidence, prevent boredom and many more benefits.

Enrichment is so important for all dogs to manage their energy levels and behaviour, and to encourage various skills, such as problem solving and agility. Particularly for pawrents of highly active dogs like Border Collies and German Shepherds, canine enrichment is essential for your pup's routine.

There are many different forms of enrichment to implement, which we will be discussing below.

Enrichment Games

The first and most obvious form of enrichment is through games. It is so important to set aside time every day to play with your pup and to have fun, and there are hundreds of different ways to play.

To keep things interesting, you can try rotating your dog's toys on a regular basis. Whether this be weekly, biweekly or every day. Doing this will bring an energy of excitement for your pup and will get them more interested in playing.

For some examples of toys to implement to improve canine enrichment, you could introduce snuffle mats or puzzle toys with hidden compartments for your pup. With puzzle toys, there are so many out there with varying difficulty levels – which is perfect if you have a pup that gets bored easily!

Every dog is different, so it’s a good idea to try a few different ones to see which one your pup prefers more.

Environmental Enrichment

This one may not be as obvious, however environmental enrichment is such a good way to keep things interesting. It’s very easy to get stuck in the same routine with your pup and it can be difficult to figure out how to switch things up.

In terms of environmental enrichment, something as simple as taking your dog on a new walking trail can make such a difference. Allowing your dog to see new things and get new scents can increase their engagement hugely.

Other ideas for environmental enrichment can be taking your pup to a dog park. Especially if your pup doesn’t have any siblings, giving them the opportunity to interact with other dogs will be so beneficial to their well-being.

However, it is important to be aware of your pup's behaviour with other dogs before deciding to implement this specific advice.

Food Enrichment

Mealtimes can get very boring very quickly for some dogs. Particularly if you have a highly intelligent, high-energy breed – mealtimes need to be interesting.

Brandy strives to make sure that every pup is fuelled for their day, no matter what they get up to. All our products are made with 100% traceable Irish meat and contain added vitamins and minerals for all-round health and vitality.

Brandy is the ideal choice for incorporating food enrichment for your canine. Some ways to include food enrichment with your pup is using Lickimats, slow feeders and puzzle feeders.

For incorporating Brandy into food enrichment, you can spread some Brandy Dog Food onto a Lickimat or into a Kong chew. Alternatively, you can place Brandy into slow or puzzle feeders. These methods can encourage dogs to use their brains to work for their food – following their natural instincts which was previously mentioned. It also slows down their eating, which is ideal if your pup doesn’t waste any time eating their food!

Overall, canine enrichment is an amazing idea to incorporate new things and a different routine into your dog's life. Before deciding to implement any of the above ideas, it is important to cater these specifically to your dog. Each pup is different, and what works for some canines may not work for others.

Do you have any canine enrichment tips? Let us know by sending us a message on our Facebook or Instagram which is @BrandyDogFood