As a positive dog trainer and reward based dog trainer my main goal is to-to will be small treats to reward dogs for offering a skill or progressing to another stage. Treats and food are easy to use and we can do quick repetitions and give treats each time to help dogs understand the exact moment they did the skill asked for and reduce confusion.
However in over 20 years working with dogs I have also worked with dogs with diabetes, pancreas issues, dogs who are overweight and also dogs like my own dog Pepper who are very fussy on what they eat out of the home.
So in these cases giving lots of extra treats can be damaging to the dog or just not useful when they are picky.
I also use and recommend a lot of enrichment games, toys etc including home made ones. They pretty much all require treats / kibble to be put inside and the idea is the dogs work out how to get the food and their reward is having the food they accessed. These are a great way to provide dogs with some additional mental stimulation working out how to move parts of the toy and reveal the prize!
I have some amazing recommendations for enrichment and mental stimulation:
No Fuss Fill – ways to create enrichment games for your dog that are easier for us caregivers! Also lots of awesome enrichment toys. Visit No Fuss Fill
Nina Ottosson – the original interactive toys with 4 different levels. Work with your dog at first to show them the skills needed and build up to them doing puzzles on their own. Visit Nina Ottosson
Trixie – a very different range of treat puzzles including a new one we just got Merlin which is focused on paw target! More puzzles with levers compared to Nina’s which have a lot of sliding elements. Visit Trixie
Pet Remedy – Not only do Pet Remedy have a wonderful calming spray that can be used in the home, car, when out etc but they also have a snuffle fleece blanket with extra pockets and pieces of fleece to use for nervous dogs to help them feel calmer working on a puzzle. Visit Pet Remedy
Calm Dog Games – a range of beautiful interactive toys as well as the home of the Dog Training Cards to give you ideas on what to work on with your dog each time you have a session. Visit Calm Dog Games
Interactive toy and enrichment games can really help dogs who need a chance to unwind after a stimulus filled day or before their family leave the house with them in it. Home made versions with packaging in boxes and treats sprinkled inside can help nervous dog gain confidence as well as using toys with treats inside to help dogs focus with nearby distractions.
However most interactive toys, enrichment games etc use treats and pieces of food inside them which for majority of dogs works great – but for dogs who have to avoid additional sugar levels, cheaper ingredients that cause digestive issues, additional treats etc this isn’t a viable option so how can they join in with additional enrichment?
Toys, Scent, Touch …
Enrichment for Dogs without piles of treats
There are options that don’t require treats so all dogs are able to take part!
- Find the Toy
If your dog has a favourite toy have a quick game with them and the toy then ask someone to hold their lead, pop them behind a baby gate or use a stay if they have one. Take the toy and hide it somewhere easy for your dog to find and get to, then call them to come and find (or open the baby gate etc).
- Tuggy – Toys
If your dog like tuggy games then this can be a great way to provide stimulation without adding food. What you use will depend on your dog but if you haven’t tried Tug-e-Nuff toys before then take a look at this link!
- Tuggy Toys:
You can go a step further with a flirt pole – attach a toy to a flirt pole (extending pole with long line attached to tie toy to, flick the pole left and right to move the toy about for dogs to chase.
Ripley also likes cat toys with the strong and strict so I’ll move the toy and she pounces, captures it then does tuggy with it!
- Fetch Games – Toys
For dogs who like to pick up toys you can try some fetch as brain work! Have a little game with your dog moving the toy for them to follow then throw a short distance and encourage your dog to get it! It doesn’t need to be perfect, so if your dog starts bringing it back to you and drops the toy part way
- Sound and Sensory Toys –
Some dogs are very tactile and love different textures. These toys are more than a fluffy toy or something with a squeak as they provide several types of stimulus such as sound and texture.
- Self Selection – Scent
With Self Selection (Zoopharmacognosy) we offer our dogs natural scent which they interact with and if they instinctively know they need it they will sniff it more, ingest via yawning or lip licking, roll on it if it’s powdered herbs or flower buds. This then becomes something for your dog to enjoy doing but also something that helps them.
Take a look at the My Animal Matters website via this link to find out more about self selection: https://myanimalmatters.co.uk/mamshop/
- Toy Puzzle Games – just like the Nina Ottosson Treat Toys you can get puzzles with toys in. These include a plastic puzzle that dogs open up revealing a hidden tennis ball in the middle. There’s also toys like a soft tree trunk with holes in and several toy squirrels inside for your dog to pull out of the tree. So we have snuffling, scent, toy play and a bit of tuggy all in one!
- Scentwork Games – Scent
You can work on scent again with other items. This may be different toys, other items like a purse, bag, hankerchief etc. Jave your scent on it by rolling it inside your hands before hiding while your dog is with a family member or behind a baby gate. Ask your dog to find and help them work out what they are looking for at first by standing hear where you’ve hidden the item. When your dog finds it call them to you, praise them, have a game of tuggy etc.
- Massage – Touch
Learning basic massage for your dog means you can use this as something calming for them while spending time with them too. The massage can be calming for us while doing it for our dogs as well. There are lots of online and in person courses, as well as wonderful canine massage practitioners who come to you as regularly as you need.
- Canine Flow – Touch
Canine Flow was created by Caroline Griffith (The Spiritual Dog Trainer) and involves both hands on and hands off interaction, calming, quality time with your dog using a co ‘spirals’ technique. There is a lot of training with Caroline online for this, but there is also Canine Flow that focuses on breathing, relaxation and wellbeing.
- Galen Myotherapy – Touch
Galen Myotherapy can help dogs who have some known discomfort or pain as well as being calming and relaxing for all dogs. Again GM practitioners come to the home, there are in person courses and online training to learn foundations for your own dog.
- Tricks Training – can be with food or toys – Tricks Training can be as simple or complex as you want and as calm or exciting as you intend it to be! With hundreds and hundreds of tricks available to be taught and then multiple versions to suit each dog there is something your dog would enjoy. It can be able food / treats but you can also teach your dog tricks for a toy at the end, for fusses, cuddles, a game etc.
Check out our Online Monthly Dog Tricks Club
Having ways of providing stimulation for your dog means having something for different days and situations. Warm sunny days you may be outside playing find the toys. On a rainy day inside with a Self Selection session. With a dog that is recovering from surgery or been unwell you might do Canine Flow or some light Trick Training with chin target or snoot so not much movement and more brain work.
So while food and treats are incredibly helpful and work brilliantly for most dogs, there are ways of introducing enrichment into your dog’s world without needing to fill them with extra food if they shouldn’t have it.
You can also create enrichment yourself – consider what your dog enjoys and work with that!
Enjoy your dogs!
Joe Nutkins
Royal Kennel Club Accredited Dog Trainer
