 Considering dogs holistically and enrichment
Enrichment is a beautiful and wonderful thing we can do for our dogs and ensure that we meet biological needs in meeting their needs as a species and ensuring that they have mental stimulation. But enrichment like anything in dog training can be misunderstood. This is because every dog is individual and unique and not all dogs will enjoy the same benefits from any one type of enrichment. A recent study found that stuffed food enrichment wasn't as impactful for military working dogs on changing their behaviour or meeting their welfare needs when it came to behaviour. Gaines, S.A, et al (2008). Studies have also found that for some dogs food enrichment does help with reductions in barking and stress and other studies have found that social interaction when the human is involved in the enrichment shows that dogs had greater sociability, decreased cortisol concentrations and increased relaxation. Belpedio, C, et al. (2010). Researchers looked into Assistance dog's within an office setting and how enrichment affected their behaviour following different types of enrichment. The behaviours that they wanted to examine was a reduction in stress and barking and if enrichment provided relaxation and less anxious behaviour such as waiting for a noise to alert to. This included stuffed food items, human involved enrichment, and a bubble machine. The findings were that although the dogs are and appeared to enjoy the stuffed food items, the greatest changes in the behaviour were from the bubbles which also included scent as the bubbles were bacon flavoured and human interaction enrichment such as tug or enrichment games played with the human. Hunt, R.L., Whiteside et al, 2022 So it's much better to engage in a variety of enrichment activities to help a dog to meet their biological needs and as a dog owner (guardian) see marked changes in behaviour over all. I have worked with many people who share that their dog doesn't like food stuffed enrichment or isn't food motivated and this is completely valid and understandable. Many times a dog isn't food motivated in 9 out of 10 of these cases because the dog has separation anxiety and is simply too anxious and stressed to eat when in this state, just like us,or there are visitors in the home or there are noises that are causing the dog to feel unsettled. But there are things that can be done to help a dog with feelings of anxiety for whatever reasons, such as a tailored separation anxiety plan as generalised behaviour advice doesn't work for every dog because of all dogs being individuals. Enrichment can be done as a part of a dogs daily routine and with bringing down cortisol levels is the best option to help our dog's to have healthier and more enriched lives. Instead of filling this blog with lots and lots of info here are quick links to previous tutorials on enrichment. Sensory enrichment https://youtu.be/-VxBoY10jCU People Watching https://youtu.be/PixHp8J6kbk Frozen enrichment https://youtu.be/9xHhwMIc3T4 Dog TV enrichment https://youtu.be/WNOls9-0On0 Beef bark enrichment https://youtu.be/VxR_QqfPQWU Holee Roller enrichment https://youtu.be/g9tY6cVwd5w Ball pool pits https://youtu.be/Q8A-uJQOhZ4 Safe foods for enrichment https://youtu.be/JD8VV2mfMXs Destruction boxes https://youtu.be/8s0VzROEbf8 Enrichment Garden https://youtu.be/JwUfqJXTCO8 Muffin Tin enrichment https://youtu.be/oXTygiVcPmQ Sniffafari https://youtu.be/OFf7kaFKp7w Snuffle Heaven https://youtu.be/dn75ZLypetg Freework https://youtu.be/Fhv-tc_jw5w Water fun https://youtu.be/ABbgMCp998E Dog pit https://youtu.be/Yvt8C1UHc98 Roll a carpet https://youtu.be/vVYVR4WAlPs Treat and train https://youtu.be/Np5v5aMGk4M Surface Circus https://youtu.be/bRQ3QNnTadU Foundations of fun Scentwork https://youtu.be/D_0Fn_VtRXE Benefits of lickimats https://youtu.be/YPPFGZZnq84 https://youtu.be/4Bh5imw4WB0 Suitcase madness https://youtu.be/jNiKq5vc7s4 https://youtu.be/Vr19p8Vpj4A Tug benefits https://youtu.be/qgjyaImJYkA This is definitely not an exhaustive list but hopefully these tutorials will help and of course training is enrichment, especially training through play! References Gaines, S.A.; Rooney, N.J.; Bradshaw, J.W. The effect of feeding enrichment upon reported working ability and behavior of kenneled working dogs. J. Forensic. Sci. 2008, 53, 1400–1404. Belpedio, C.; Buffington, L.; Clusman, S.; Prete, F.; Sadler, A.; Whittemore, L.; Mungre, S. Effect of Multidog Play Groups on Cortisol Levels and Behavior of Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) Housed in a Humane Society. J. Appl. Compan. Anim. Behav. 2010, 4, 15–27. Hunt, R.L., Whiteside, H. and Prankel, S. (2022) Effects of environmental enrichment on dog behaviour: Pilot study, MDPI. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/2/141/htm#B25-animals-12-00141
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So again yes this group is free. It is still primarily for Clients and for people to get to know me but we also have the Challenge running. Again for free. So if you want to join click the image below to be taken to the group directly. See you there!
So it is what it says on the tin! Its a community that is international of Clients and Colleagues with the most supportive and friendly people on the planet. Dog Trainers and Behaviourists from all over the world!
Why did I set up such a mammoth group?
I wanted to have a group exclusively for Clients. For support and to meet uo and build on friendships from Classes or One to Ones. I want Clients to see you are not alone with your Dog and the problem you maybe having that you are not the first and won't be the last! I wanted a safe place where Clients could trade stories good and bad in one place for free!
I also wanted a safe place for the Trainers and Behaviourists I mentor within Social Media Platforms.
Why do this for free?
Because when I say I offer an holistic service I really do. It isn't about the money it is about you and your dogs. You and your dogs are all that matter.
So I wanted to encourage people to do homework and build better quality relationships with their dogs. So 3 years ago I had a mad idea and set up the 100 days of dog training challenge. Once a day people would spend 5 minutes plus training their dog. Recording it and uploading their video onto the Community. Every participant recieved a Certificate.
What I didn't count on was how many Professionals wanted to join and how fast word would spread. So this year 2020 I set up a 366 days of dog training challenge.
We have Clients in America, Greece, Norway, Denmark and Spain. We have Trainers from Greece, Norway, Isle of Wight, America and many more Countries. As well as Dog Trainers and Trainee Behaviourists I mentor all over the world.
So again yes this group is free. It is still primarily for Clients and for people to get to know me but we also have the Challenge running. Again for free. So if you want to join click the image below to be taken to the group directly. See you there!
