Enrichment for companion dogs has been transformed by welfare science, with evidence now directing what types of enrichment most effectively meet cognitive, physical and social needs.
Dogs without adequate enrichment develop behavioural problems including destructive behaviour, excessive barking and anxiety — all welfare indicators of unmet needs. Enrichment is not optional for good welfare: dogs have been selected for millennia to work alongside humans, giving them cognitive, social and physical needs far beyond what pet life typically provides. Evidence shows that olfactory enrichment — scentwork, sniff walks, scatter feeding — provides the greatest welfare benefit per unit of time invested.