Is your dog happy at home?

As a pet parent is that something you’ve ever stopped to ask yourself? I know that before DOGTV started kicking off Canine Enrichment Week and we were all talking about the many ways in which our dogs need to be enriched, it was a question I asked myself.

I looked around the house and saw my dogs have:

1. A TON of toys
2. They have soft beds scattered around the house so they can choose their favorites
3. They have access to fresh water at all times
4. They can get on the couches if they want
5. They can look out the windows
6. They watch DOGTV to keep them entertained when I am on Zoom or if I have to go away for any amount of time.

How To Enhance Your Home For Your Dog’s Enrichment

Do all of those items listed above mean my dogs are happy at home? You bet! Could I do other things to make them happier, healthier, more mentally and physically enriched? I believe I can!

Steps to enhance a home for a dog's happiness

Wash their toys.

I don’t always think about doing washing my pet's toys, but if they are often being chewed on, they should be cleaned regularly.

For soft toys that don't have holes where stuffing could get in the wash, the toys can be thrown in the washing machine (check the toy's labels for washing instructions).

For toys that are a hard surface, scrub them with a brush and check for any rough edges that can cause damage to a pet's teeth or gums. Wash in warm soapy water or with a water/white vinegar mixture.

Wash their beds and blankets.

I do that regularly BUT this time once the beds were dry I sprinkled some lavender in one of the beds, a drop of coconut oil in the other, and the others I left without a scent.

I wasn’t sure which, if any would appreciate the scents or if the scents would mean they wouldn’t use the beds. My most anxious Poodle, Hazel, immediately got into the bed scented with lavender. She pulled several newly washed toys in with her and was very happy. The Goldendoodle kept licking the coconut oil — I assumed he was happy. My senior Poodle, Henrietta, chose the plain, cleaned bed or the back of the couch.

Stash toys.

I took some of the newly cleaned toys and put them away. I’d learned that if I do that and bring the toys out later on my dogs will think they are brand new because they are different and they more fully engage with them again.

I think it’s like with a toddler — they get overwhelmed with too many toys and are happier when a few. Swapping the toys in and out keeps things interesting.

Hide-and-go-seek with food & treats.

I started hiding their food in puzzle toys. My dogs all love food puzzle toys, especially Hazel. She is extremely anxious and working with a food puzzle toy or using a snuffle mat keeps her entertained and less stressed.

Hide-and-seek kept everyone busy. I put up baby gates so each dog has his or her room in which to search for a hidden food puzzle. I didn’t want them to lose the enjoyment of the hunt by feeling they had to “fight” for a treat. Once they’d all found their treats and were working the puzzles, I took down the baby gates. They all dragged their toys into the same room and worked on them for quite a while.

Let them run around.

We don’t have a fenced in yard, so my dogs are always on leashes. They don’t usually get to run around during the day, so I invested in long lengths of rope and when I take the Poodles out they are on long ropes and can run around the yard. They run, jump, chase one another and also snuffle around for the pieces of cheese I tossed in the grass.

This helps give them a jolt of activity, tires them out and gives them a chance to do some scent work. I do this a couple times a day — especially on the days when I know we won’t be getting in a long walk. See even more enrichment activities from our friends at GreatPetCare.

Have some one-on-one time.

I give each of my dogs some undivided attention. Hazel rarely allows me to simply sit with Henrietta and be alone with her. I make time, each day, to be in a room with only one dog at a time.

I play with them and their favorite toy, I give belly rubs and just snuggle with them. I do this when my husband is home because if I don’t then the dogs who aren’t with me are barking at the door — not fun for anyone! Each dog has a unique personality and each dog likes a different kind of attention and I know they benefit from that one-on-one attention.

Feed ’em right.

When it comes to dinner time, the Poodles eat the same kind of food, but the Goldendoodle gets a different one (Hen and Hazel are small and need small breed food, Murray needs food for a big dog).

Henrietta is also on a lot of medications now so I have to mix her pills in with her food then make sure she eats them all and that neither of the other dogs get to the pills. I also sit in the room with them when they are eating. At one point during every meal, they will stop eating, come over to me for a pat then go back to their meals. It’s also another bonding time.

Host healthy treat time.

Treats are plentiful BUT my dogs love fruits and veggies. When they get treats I make sure they are eating fruits and veggies that are safe for dogs.

They get small pieces of carrots, watermelon, apples, green beans, peas, squash, pumpkin, and others. If they beg at the dinner table — which they do — we give them fruits and veggies for snacks, never human food.

Setup DOGTV as their companion.

Henrietta is going deaf and blind and has honestly never been interested in television. Murray loves to look out the window, but when DOGTV is on and he hears a dog barking or a bird chirping he will turn his attention to the screen.

Hazel will stop in her tracks to watch. No matter what room she’s in or what she’s doing she will stop, grab a toy, and come in to lay on a bed and roll around in it, all while keeping her attention on the screen.