04/04/2025
This week there was a post from a well-known dog influencer claiming that "dogs don't need enrichment" and that we should focus on their "real needs" instead.
I'm not sure if this statement was made simply to create controversy and get a rise out of people, or if it reflects a genuine belief. Either way, it fundamentally misrepresents what enrichment is and why committed dog owners invest time and effort into it.
Let's get something clear: Enrichment IS meeting our dogs' real needs. It's not some frivolous extra - it's acknowledging the reality of who our dogs actually are.
At the end of the day, our dogs are animals living in captivity. Yes, they're domesticated, but we still ask them to live in ways that are profoundly unnatural to them.
Think about it:
❌ It's not normal for dogs to stay inside houses 22+ hours a day
❌ It's not normal for dogs to walk slowly on leash without pulling, sniffing, or interacting with their environment
❌ It's not normal for dogs to ignore other animals they see
❌ It's not normal for dogs to not forage, counter-surf, or dig up your garden
Our dogs actually make very big efforts to fit into our human world with all its arbitrary and weird rules. The least we can do in return is fulfill their natural needs as much as possible.
That's what enrichment really is: providing opportunities for species-specific behaviors like sniffing, chewing, licking, digging, shredding, and foraging.
In all my years working with clients, I've NEVER encountered a dog owner who spent "too much time" on enrichment. In fact, I've found the opposite - the more intentional enrichment a dog receives, the happier they are, the easier training becomes, and the better the relationship gets.
Why?
Because enrichment acknowledges dogs for who they are. We humans don't have innate needs to sniff, dig, shred things, or forage - but our dogs absolutely do.
When we don't provide appropriate outlets for normal canine needs, our dogs find their own solutions - which we often label as "bad" behavior.
The dog who shreds your couch cushions, digs up your flowerbeds, chews your baseboards, raids your garbage, destroys toys within minutes, or counter-surfs is actually just acting according to their natural needs. Enrichment helps bridge that gap by providing appropriate alternatives.
With my own dogs, I ensure they have several types of enrichment every day - chewing opportunities, licking activities, daily sniffing adventures, appropriate digging spots, and chances for shredding and de-stuffing.
To be clear, enrichment doesn't replace exercise, training, or social interaction. It's ONE important piece of a fulfilled dog's life.
The next time someone suggests that enrichment is unnecessary or superfluous, remember: It's not about mindlessly throwing toys at our dogs or creating Instagram-worthy snuffle mats.
It's about honoring their true nature within the constraints of our human world.
It's not a way to DISCOUNT what they need. It's a way to ACKNOWLEDGE who they truly are.
(BY the way: I am writing this as my own dogs are all eating their breakfast in the form of frozen slow feeders 😄)
Happy Enrichment!
