Have you noticed that your dog is getting up to a little more mischief lately? Are they doing things like chewing furniture, grabbing stuff off the table and making you chase them to get it back… maybe digging up the backyard? Your dog might be a little bored.
Boredom leads to stress, and stress leads to destructive shenanigans.
Maybe they’re not destroying your house (congrats!!!) but something just seems a little “off” with them. If you’ve ruled out any health concerns, there’s a good chance they’re just… bored.
If your dog is bored, they need more enrichment activities to work their brain and calm those natural instincts. You don’t need to increase your stress level by trying to shove more enrichment activities into your dog’s day. That’s what our Enrichment Service is all about! Our Enrichment Service is there for Long Beach dogs and their owners to help keep everyone stress-free and out of trouble.
Why Is Enrichment Important?
If your dog is getting regular exercise but still seems to have lots and lots of energy, you’re probably wondering what more you can do. Or maybe your dog just seems a little “off”. In fact, if they were a person, you might say they were depressed. Your dog may be frustrated, bored, and yes, even depressed.
Dogs don’t just need to exercise their bodies. Like us, They need to exercise their brains too. Destructive behaviors are often rooted in stress and boredom, and failure to engage your dog’s brain in the right way can lead to undesirable behaviors, stress, and depression.
Enrichment is necessary for your dog’s mental health. It’s a way of allowing your dog to use their natural instincts like sniffing, foraging, and digging in a way that leaves your furniture intact. Providing activities that satisfy your dog’s natural behaviors keeps your dog emotionally balanced and mentally satisfied. Enrichment gives your dog a feeling of control over things that they usually don’t have while existing in a human world.
Want to learn more about enrichment and its many benefits? Check out this helpful blog post where we break down different enrichment activity types and even bust some enrichment myths!
What Does Our Enrichment Service Look Like?
Our Enrichment Sessions last 30 minutes. We use things like puzzle toys and sniff walks to engage your dog and help them get the mental stimulation they need. We won’t just come in and use the same activity every day with every dog. We’ll come prepared with our own enrichment kit, so don’t worry if you don’t have puzzle toys or snuffle mats. Our kit includes things like puzzles, Kongs, snuffle mats, cups, and of course, the most important part… treats! (Curious about the enrichment toys we like and use? Check out this handy blog post sharing our enrichment faves!)
If your dog has a favorite enrichment activity, like digging in a box of paper or chasing a teaser toy, we’ll make sure that’s a part of your dog’s Enrichment Sessions. If the day is too hot for a sniff walk, we’ll keep our activities inside or in a shady area to keep your dog cool and safe.
Fun fact! If you've booked a dog walk with us, and the weather is too hot, per our company policy, we will automatically switch your dog's service to an Enrichment Session. This ensures they're still getting exercise (physical and mental) but staying safe indoors or in a shady area.
We’ll keep our activities appropriate for your dog’s needs. If you have an older dog with bad hips, chasing a teaser toy may not be the best idea. A puppy that isn’t completely potty trained probably shouldn’t be playing hide and seek. We’ll do what’s best for your dog and their activity level and health needs.
Don’t be afraid to let us know how things are going! If you notice your dog seems more satisfied on some days than on others, tell us so we can figure out which activities are your dog’s favorites. This helps us to better tailor our sessions to your dog. Ideally, you will start to notice that your dog is more relaxed and content.
Can Your Dog Benefit From Enrichment Sessions?
Are you in Long Beach and wondering if your dog could benefit from Enrichment Sessions with Pet Waggin’?
Do any of these describe your dog? Is your dog:
Shy around people and needs to learn to socialize? Enrichment activities with us will help build your dog’s trust in people.
Fearful of new situations or objects… or just life in general? Enrichment Sessions can help build confidence in your fearful dog. We’ll meet them at their own level and won’t force anything on them to cause them stress.
Too young to be immunized? Enrichment activities help provide exercise, safe socialization with people, and confidence-building.
Starting to show destructive behaviors while you’re at work? Enrichment Sessions will help curb destructive behavior, and calm your dog. Destructive behaviors are often rooted in stress and boredom.
Going through a sudden life change like a move or adjusting to your new work schedule? Enrichment Sessions will work to destress your dog and help them feel more comfortable with the changes going on around them
Older and a little less active? They may be a little more creaky, but enrichment activities help keep the brains of older dogs agile and engaged. Regular enrichment can help slow cognitive decline in older dogs and decrease the signs of mental aging such as increased anxiety.
Content and happy, and you don’t want to change that? Enrichment Sessions will keep your dog in their mellow groove. They’ll have something to look forward to and will be at lower risk of falling into boredom, stress, or frustration if a life change occurs.
Want the TLDR version? Our Enrichment Service is beneficial to all dogs in Long Beach! We provide structured enrichment activities so you can enjoy spending time with your dog. No worrying about if all their needs are being met. You’ll know they are and that you and your dog can enjoy a stress-free home.
Don’t wait to sign your dog up for our Enrichment Service! Our spaces are limited and they’re filling up fast! If you’re interested in learning more about Enrichment Service you can find more details here.
Once you’re ready to book, just log in to your Client Portal to request your dog’s Enrichment Service - super easy!