.avif)
Are self-guided enrichment toys and puzzles good for our pets? Or do they encourage modern pups to seek constant stimulation? If you've spent some time in the online dog world, you might have heard both arguments. (I know I have.)
As usual, the truth depends!
Many dogs do struggle to relax, and it's important we give them the skills they need to handle occasion boredom. But providing our pets with outlets to express natural instincts doesn't automatically mean they won't be able to self regulate. Let's dive into the nuance so you can make the right enrichment decisions for your individual pup, lifestyle, and long-term goals.
Why some trainers say enrichment toys amp dogs up
Some pet professionals eschew modern enrichment trends like designated puzzles and slow feeders. A few even go so far as to suggest pet parents don't use them at all—I recently saw a social media post comparing snuffle mats to screen time for young children. (Yikes!)
While that claim is clearly extreme, it is possible to rely on enrichment puzzles too much or set them up in unproductive ways.
Our dogs benefit from learning how to “do nothing”
Down time is a vital part of any healthy creature's day. If we’re constantly giving our dogs activity after activity—especially if we start at a young age and never work on their self-regulation skills in tandem—we can create problems down the line.
There’s a difference between a dog who enjoys enrichment puzzles as part of a larger fulfillment plan (and who can relax on their own once they’ve finished!) and a dog who’s always hyped up searching for the next thing.
Some well-intended enrichment toys can be frustrating more than fulfilling
Just because a dog appears busy doesn’t mean they’re having a good time.
This concept is especially important when it comes to meal enrichment. Some food puzzles are marketed with the message to “just put this in front of your pup and your work for the day is done!” But throwing our dogs into an unfamiliar challenge, especially to earn their daily rations, can be frustrating without our support.
Different dogs have their own predispositions and frustration tolerances that affect how they experience certain enrichment activities. We should be careful not to inadvertently add stress to our pets’ lives when what we mean to do is provide decompression!
Why enrichment toys can have huge benefits
So enrichment puzzles aren't a magic cure all. There are great reasons these toys are increasingly popular with modern pet parents, though, from additional fulfillment to confidence building to training aids and more.
Enrichment can be a substitute for other activities that aren’t possible
One of the strongest points made by trainers who aren’t sold on trendy, modern enrichment toys is this: Very little is more fulfilling to a dog than spending time outside. We shouldn't sacrifice outdoor adventures for artificial activities.
This is a lovely idea. But it's not as simple as "just go be in nature"!
- Some dogs are nervous. In the early days with my blue heeler, Scout, she became extremely stressed in unfamiliar (or remotely busy) spots. She often wouldn’t sniff on walks because she was too overwhelmed. That meant it was far more productive for us to enjoy some at-home enrichment toys—while building her confidence to better navigate the larger world—than to try to meet all her needs outside.
- Some pet parents don’t have safe, consistent access to natural environments. Where we live affects our training, management, and fulfillment opportunities. City and suburb dogs in particular can benefit a lot from thoughtful enrichment puzzles!
- Some dogs are injured or sick. A few years ago I fostered a dog on medically mandated crate rest as she recovered from a broken leg. She had no training history coupled with weeks’ worth of pent up energy… which meant we couldn’t safely fulfill her by going outside. Giving her various types of indoor enrichment—including some classic plastic food puzzles—made an inevitably difficult experience a little better for everyone.
Sniffing can lower heart rate and blood pressure
One of the greatest benefits of being outside—that we can replicate pretty nicely with enrichment toys like a snuffle mat—is sniffing. When our dogs use their noses, their heart rate and blood pressure decrease. This is especially beneficial if they’ve recently been stressed!
Overcoming challenges can help build confidence
Remember how some enrichment toys can be more frustrating than fulfilling? It’s easy to see how that’s a potential negative—but with a little thought, we can spin it into a growth experience. When we support our dogs through challenges, multiple great things happen:
- Our pets become more resilient and optimistic
- Our dog-human relationship grows stronger
- We become better prepared to handle future struggles
Enrichment puzzles can take the edge off a stressful environment
When we fostered shelter dogs in our home, we gave Scout a lot more enrichment toys and puzzles than normal. This was because the first few minutes of being left alone in her own space—while she could hear us interacting with another dog not far away—were really tough on her. By providing something to channel her arousal into up front? We made it easier for her to relax in the long term!
What’s a Rich Text element?
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
Static and dynamic content editing
Static and dynamic content editing
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
How to customize formatting for each rich text
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
How to thoughtfully approach enrichment puzzles with your dog
Remember that "enrichment" is a broad umbrella term
This specific mythbusters article is focused mainly on modern enrichment toys and puzzles—but it's important to think of “enrichment” roughly the same as “fulfillment”. Try viewing it in a broad sense. What ways can you boost your dog's overall quality of life? You don't have to box yourself into a short list of activities.
Enrichment expert Taylor Finton, author of The Happiest Dog on The Block, is a great resource for a holistic canine enrichment approach.
Pay attention to your dog's mood before and after enrichment
Enrichment toys and puzzles should be about letting our pups safely engage in natural behaviors in our current environments—not hyping them up or making them feel like they're taking a test!
In my perfect world, every enrichment toy or puzzle I give helps my dog feel more relaxed after the fact. If that isn’t the case? Something needs to change in our approach. Maybe we’re doing too much of the same activity. Maybe it’s too challenging. Maybe we’re lacking fulfillment in other areas. We can tweak all sorts of variables for the best results!
In short...
- Enrichment toys are not a cure all. Stuffing a kong, filling a snuffle mat, or buying the next popular gadget won’t be enough, on their own, to solve behavior problems or make up for a larger lack of fulfillment.
- Puzzles are valuable substitutes when other activities aren’t possible, supplements to existing routines, management in tough situations, and confidence building opportunities!
- If your dog loves some puzzles? Great! If your dog is satisfied in other ways without them? Also great! What matters is that we fulfill our pets in the ways that work for us.
Don't miss part one of our enrichment mythbusters series!
Does enrichment make dogs destructive? Probably not—but here's what to watch for.
