Enrichment for dogs goes far beyond walks and toys — evidence-based enrichment addresses cognitive, olfactory, social and physical needs that many companion dogs lack.
The chronic under-enrichment of companion dogs is one of the most pervasive but invisible welfare problems in the human-animal relationship. A dog walked twice daily but kept in a featureless home environment for the remaining 22 hours is cognitively deprived. Their extraordinary olfactory system — with up to 300 million scent receptors versus 6 million in humans — is designed to explore complex olfactory landscapes. Sniffy walks (allowing dogs to sniff rather than moving at human pace), food puzzles, scent work and novel environment exploration all address this deprivation. The welfare gain from enrichment is immediate and measurable.