05/29/2026
Watching dogs eat mulberries probably isn’t what most people think of when they hear the word “training” but it’s where “training” becomes intentionally “living with dogs.”
Here’s the truth:
Dogs are scavengers and foragers by nature. Dogs that get to do that safely score higher on welfare assessments and have less behavioral issues.
Long before food bowls, dogs survived by investigating the world with their noses, searching for opportunities, and consuming what they found. Sniffing, searching, and gathering are natural canine behaviors.
That’s one reason activities like snuffle mats, scatter feeding, and scent games are so popular… they tap into instincts dogs were designed to use.
When my dogs discovered ripe mulberries on the ground, I let them enjoy a few. They sniffed, searched, found, and ate them. Then, when it was time to move on, I motioned them along (Stella the teenager is still learning that 😂).
That’s the challenge of focusing on Welfare… balancing “freedom when possible” with “control when necessary” and it’s a balance in the modern world.
Just because it’s a natural behavior doesn’t mean you allow unlimited access.
It means giving dogs safe opportunities to be dogs while still providing guidance and boundaries when needed.
Not every berry, stick, or mystery object belongs in a dog’s mouth. But appropriate foraging opportunities can provide enrichment, engagement, and a little bit of joy.
Sometimes enrichment isn’t a lickimat, a stuffed Kong or a snufflemat.
Sometimes it’s simply allowing dogs to experience the world the way dogs were designed to but with a level of control that keeps them safe and not being a nuisance to others.
So the goal isn’t to stop dogs from being dogs. The goal is to help them be dogs safely.
Real dogs. Real life. Real learning.
