Canine Enrichment - What's It All About?

Nov 20 / Jay Gurden

Canine enrichment has become a popular term in recent times with many articles, Facebook groups, and books available on the subject, detailing various enrichment activities we can buy or make for our dogs. But what actually is canine enrichment, and what is its purpose? In the simplest of terms, canine enrichment is about letting dogs be dogs.

Modern domestic dogs frequently receive little in the way of choice about how their lives are lived. Often they receive their food in a bowl on the floor two or more times a day, hoovering it up within a couple of minutes with little or no effort involved. Playing, whether in the garden or out on a walk, might involve chasing a ball endlessly which, done to extreme, results in an over-aroused dog who is turning into an athlete, requiring even more exercise to tire them out and risks injury.

Canine enrichment means finding ways for dogs to exhibit natural canine behaviours. The most common way that people discover canine enrichment activities is the use of food toys and games. Making mealtime fun and encouraging the use of natural behaviours as the dog works to find or gain access to their food is massively enriching. A dog that hoovers their food from a bowl in a couple of minutes will find the process of consuming their dinner much less entertaining than the dog who has twenty of thirty minutes of engaging their brain and their nose while they work out how to get to their food. There is a whole range of options, both to buy and homemade, for food enrichment games and puzzles so this form of enrichment can be catered for on any budget. One very simple food game that really gets the canine nose working is scattering or hiding treats around the house or garden for the dog to find, creating a self-rewarding form of scent work.

Food is not the only form of canine enrichment that we can provide for our dogs. Interactive games, such as using a flirt pole to let the dog display their natural chase and pouncing behaviours can be fun for dog and human, as can setting up some homemade agility obstacles – always ensuring that the equipment is safe and appropriate for the size, age, and fitness of the dog. Providing an area for digging such as a sand pit in which dog toys can be hidden encourages a natural behaviour, particularly prevalent in terriers but often seen in other dogs, while saving the rest of the garden from destruction.

One very simple form of canine enrichment costs nothing. It is something to which we all have access every single day. When out walking with our dogs, give them time to sniff and explore their environment. Sniffing is the main way dogs process their world, and for many dogs a twenty minute ‘sniffari’ can be more satisfying than a longer walk in which they are marched along on the lead with little chance to interact with the world around them. Give them the chance to decide where they go and what they want to smell and explore, and make use of the great method of canine enrichment that costs us nothing but a little time.

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Join the Canine Principles CPD Skill-Hub today and invest in the growth and success of your team. Your clients and their furry friends will appreciate the knowledge and expertise that you bring to the table!

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Get Some Exercise
In 2014, A University of Illinois Study, led by Dr. Chuck Hillman, found that as little as 20 minutes of exercise can lead to better cognition and memory, and higher scores on tests and examinations. This is great news for dog owners and something that you can definitely take advantage of as a daily walker.

Limit Distractions
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Read Out Loud
In 2015, Professor Victor Boucher of the University of Montreal completed research that suggested you are 50% more likely to remember information that has been read aloud than reading to yourself. You can either find a quiet place to read aloud to yourself or read directly to a friend or family member.

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A step beyond reading aloud is to describe the lesson to somebody else. Try and make the subject understood and invite questions. If you don’t have the answer to the question, you have a new area of understanding to explore and study which will help to further your knowledge in a given subject.

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External research is a great way to improve your knowledge on any subject. Often, a course subject will be focused on the specific area that is relevant to the type of course. A course that covers the topic of scentwork may describe the scenting ability of a dog in great detail, whereas a course that covers dog training in general may only include a foundation knowledge of the same subject. For this reason, external research can provide an invaluable way of expanding on specific course subjects.

When you choose to include external research as part of your assessment, it is important that the work is clearly referenced. If you have previously studied at a higher level, you will be aware that there are many ways to reference your research. For the purpose of Canine Principles assessments, we are happy for you to include your references at the end of each answer.

References from online research can be included as a link to the source of the information:

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...During a stressful experience, the canine immune system will begin to shut off nonessential functions in order to maximise the chances of survival. “The body sees no point in digesting food when danger is upon it. Neither does it place emphasis on fighting disease, for it is putting all that effort into fighting the threat on life itself, so the immune system shuts down.”...

(https://canineprinciples.com/fear-dog-physical-illness/ accessed online Feb 2018)

References from printed publications can be included in the following format:

Example:

A common mistake made by dog owners is to misinterpret canine communication in a way that suits our own style of communication and body language. “Anthropomorphism, the attribution of Human characteristics to non-human creatures – to phenomena such as weather, and even inanimate objects like rivers and mountains – is an intrinsic part of human nature.”

(John Bradshaw, In Defence of Dogs P.148)

In both examples, the external research is highlighted as a quotation and clearly referenced.

The following section includes 3 different answers to the same question. All of these answers are correct, however they will each vary in the level of demonstrated understanding.

Question: Describe how you would apply an emergency improvised muzzle to a dog, for the purpose of performing first aid safely.

i. Create a large loop in a bandage and slowly slip it over the dog’s muzzle. Tighten the loop so the dog’s mouth remains closed and he can’t open it. Pass the ends under the chin, knot again and then tie behind the ears to secure it.

This answer describes the correct process of applying an emergency muzzle. The method is correct; however, no consideration has been given to safety. To improve on this, and answer the full question, we can include more detail...

ii. Slowly approach the dog, talking gently. Create a large loop in the gauze bandage and slowly slip it over the dog’s muzzle. At this point, it is best to stand behind the dog. Tighten the loop so the dog’s mouth remains closed and he can’t open it, not so tight as to cause pain. Pass the ends under the chin, knot again and then tie behind the ears to secure it.

This answer has improved and includes personal safety advice. We now have a correct answer that covers the whole question. To demonstrate our understanding of the subject, we can go one step further and cover the whole subject in greater detail.

iii. Any injured dog, no matter how gentle they are normally, can bite when painful or panicked. Unfortunately, an injured animal is highly likely to bite, even if you are trying to help them. You may also be in a situation where you need to help a strange dog during an emergency. It is a useful and important skill to be able to muzzle a dog in an emergency situation. Some people will carry a muzzle in their car for emergency situations. However, you can also use a shoelace or gauze bandage. Slowly approach the dog side on, talking gently to reassure them. Be mindful of the dog’s body language and communication efforts while he is experiencing pain. Create a large loop in the gauze bandage and slowly slip it over the dog’s muzzle. At this point it is best to stand behind the dog to prevent direct eye contact. Tighten the loop so the dog’s mouth remains closed and he can’t open it, not so tight as to cause pain. Pass the ends under the chin, knot again and then tie behind the ears to secure it. NEVER apply a muzzle if the dog is struggling to breathe or vomiting.

This final version is an excellent demonstration of the whole subject. We have added information about the subject of emergency muzzles and included advice for keeping the dog free from additional pain or suffering.

You will receive positive, personal feedback from tutors who are always available to answer any questions and guide you through your learning experience. If you ever have any questions about course material or assessments, you can contact us here via email or through the study group.

Students are also encouraged to support each other, through access to a private study group where discussions and new information are shared daily.

Canine Principles offers both self-paced and time sensitive courses.

Self-paced - All CPD Diploma Courses, CPD Certificate Courses, Workshops, Webinars and Self Study Courses are completely self-paced learning with no deadlines for assessments or completion.

Qualifications - All regulated qualifications inherit a 2 year registration period. The cost of registration is included with initial enrolment. When the 2 year registration period expires, students may re-register for an additional registration fee. Fees vary by course, please contact us for details.

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Upon successful completion of your course, you will receive 2 certificates. The first certificate is supplied by Canine Principles and the second is supplied by the CPD Standards Office. All Certificates are available to download on successful completion and marking of the final exercise.

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Upon successful completion of your course, you will receive 2 certificates. The first certificate is supplied by Canine Principles and the second is supplied by AIM Qualifications, an independent awarding body. Both certificates will be available as a digital downloads only.

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You will receive positive, personal feedback from Tutors who are always available to answers any questions and guide you through your learning experience. Tutors will respond to assessments within 48 hours (72 hours during weekends)

Students are also encouraged to support each other through built in student community and private Facebook Study Group. where discussions and new information are shared daily.

Thank you!

Canine Enrichment - What's It All About?

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Canine Enrichment - What's It All About?

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A Huge Library Of Self-Study Online Dog Courses, Workshops & Resources.

Worth Over £1500 + VAT

When Sold Separately

Your CPD Skill-Hub Subscription includes the following courses:

Latest From Our Blog

4 Dog Behaviour Problems - & the fun fix most people miss

Running an Ethical (and Professional) Dog Business

Follow Us

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Canine Principles#Dog Skills For Humans

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