by Over time, they were domesticated and are now part of thousands of homes around the world. Most of them live inside houses and apartments, live with humans on a daily basis and are treated, literally, as children and family members. With that, they no longer need to fight to survive. Their tutors provide water, food, a quiet and safe environment. So things ended up becoming easier for the puppies.
Current scenario
Due to the rush of modern life, many of these dogs spend a good part of the day alone, without any kind of stimulation or activity. Which is even harmful to their physical and mental health. Bored dogs can develop a number of problems, such as: destruction of objects, self-mutilation, separation anxiety, apathy, among many other things.
After all, even with domestication, the instincts of dogs remained. Therefore, it is necessary that they are constantly stimulated. Thus, we avoid problems arising from idleness, as we have already mentioned, and increase their quality of life.
What is environmental enrichment?
Environmental enrichment is nothing more than making the environment in which the dog – or cat – lives more fun, attractive and challenging for him. This technique aims to increase the animal’s interaction with the space in a playful and positive way. In addition, it helps keep the pet entertained and its characteristics (sharp sense of smell and hearing) and canine activities (foraging, digging, exploring) constantly stimulated.
Despite being a simple technique, environmental enrichment is not simply leaving a teddy bear or a ball around the house when you go out to work, for example. This, without any kind of stimulus, reward or entertainment, will not help. You need to make the house really interesting for the dog while you are away.
Enriching the environment
To make the environment more pleasant for both dogs and cats, we must invest in special toys and games as a way to provide entertainment and increase interaction between you and your pet.
smart toys
There are several smart toys that offer a challenge to the pet and allow him to be distracted for hours.
Usually these toys are stuffable, that is, inside them you put what the animal likes to eat (dry food, fruits or snacks, for example). The animal will be trying to “hunt” for food, distracting itself and stimulating its instincts.
If you want to make this type of toy at home, you can take a pet bottle, remove the label and make some holes in it, according to the size of the food you are going to put inside. The important thing is that the animal has a certain difficulty, but that it manages to win the prize, so that it does not lose interest.
Regarding sensory means, it is important to provide toys with varied textures, smells and noises. Each animal will have a preference for a type of sound or texture, the important thing is to find the type that will bring the most fun to your pet.
A cool idea, if you have the space to put it, is to hang a small tire so that it works as a teether. A wheelbarrow tire already works! Just run a rope through it and secure it somewhere.
hide snacks
You can also hide snacks around the house. Give preference to those that have the strongest scent. The idea here is to do a “treasure hunt” and stimulate the dog’s sense of smell. The reward (the treasure) will be the snack. Put it in places where your pet has access, but that are not so easy to find. An alternative is to put them in a cardboard box and make small holes in it so that the smell comes out, similar to the tip of the pet bottle. Here, the dog will have to figure out how to open it to get to the treats. So remember to close it well so that the challenge is greater.
Ice cubes
Especially for hot days, ice cubes help the animal to “hunt” its food. Freeze snacks, pieces of fruit or even portions of wet dog food in small containers of water. Throughout the day, leave some at the disposal of the animal. He’ll have to lick – or crush – the ice to conquer the treats. This tip is also valid for dogs that are changing their teeth.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT FOR CATS
Most cats like to be on raised surfaces such as shelves and shelves. Playing in these places brings more security and pleasure to them. Therefore, for those who have a cat at home, the tip is to verticalize the rooms. That is: placing stimuli vertically for them to rise. It can be shelves, cardboard boxes, furniture that allow the animal to go up and down.
