Enrichment for Puppies

by Katharine Babatzanis RVN

Enrichment is essential for a puppy’s mental and physical development. It helps prevent boredom, reduces destructive behaviors, and promotes learning. Below are different types of enrichment activities to keep your puppy engaged and happy.

Food-Based Enrichment

Use food puzzles and interactive feeders to make mealtime fun and challenging. This not only helps to slow down eating, especially for those pups that love to eat quickly, but it keeps them occupied for longer. It also helps to reduce anxiety and engages natural foraging instincts.

Go-Slow Bowls - you can a both dry and wet kibble to this bowl to help prolong feeding time. Make sure to purchase the correct size for your dog. Too big or too shallow of a bowl wont have any effect on your dogs eating habits.

Kong Toys – This could be the original Kong toy, Wobblers etc. Stuff with wet food, peanut butter (xylitol-free), squeezy cheese, or yogurt. Just make sure you purchase the Kong that is the appropriate size (and strength) for your puppy.

Snuffle Mats – Hide kibble within the fabric layers for your puppy to sniff out. You can also add in treat options, however you want the majority of what you put in the mat their regular kibble.

Licky Mats – Spread soft food on a textured mat for licking (calming activity). You can also freeze these in summer time to allow for a fresh, cold treat.

DIY Treat Dispensers – Use cardboard tubes and fold the ends (or even cut small holes in the tube or muffin tins with tennis balls in each cup to hide treats underneath.

Scatter feeding - this can be done on a hard floor surface or on grass. Scatter a handful of your dogs kibble and allow them to forage for it.

Sensory Enrichment

Stimulate your puppy’s senses (smell, touch, sight, hearing). This helps to build confidence and curiosity while preventing over-stimulation.

• Scent Games – Hide treats around the house or yard for them to find.

• Novel Textures – Let them walk on different surfaces (grass, sand, foam mats).

• Sound Play – Introduce gentle sounds (rustling leaves, crinkly toys, soft music).

• Bubble Blowing – Use pet-safe bubbles for chasing and popping.

Social Enrichment

 Positive (or neutral) interactions with people, dogs, and new environments.

• Puppy Playdates – Supervised play with well-matched puppies/dogs.

• Meet New People – Introduce them to friendly strangers (kids, adults, hats, uniforms).

• Car Rides & Outings – Take them to pet-friendly stores (Bunnings, Pet Barn) or parks. If you puppy has not had all their vaccinations, you will need to hold them in your arms to avoid letting them come in contact with anything.

Physical & Play Enrichment

Provide exercise and fun through movement-based activities. This helps to burn energy, improves coordination, prevents boredom and helps strengthen the bond between you both.

Tug-of-War – Use soft ropes and plush toys. Remember to allow your puppy to win the majority of the time and to drop the toy (stopping the game) the moment your feel teeth on your skin. Just make sure to keep the play gentle as their puppy teeth are a lot more fragile then their adult teeth will be.

Fetch & Chase – Use soft balls or plush toys (avoid overexertion in young pups).

Flirt Poles – A wand toy for chasing (great for impulse control training).

Mental & Training Enrichment

Challenge their brain with learning and problem-solving. This helps to build focus, strengthens trust and their bond with you and prevents boredom.

• Basic Commands – Teach sit, stay, paw, and recall in short sessions.

• Name Recognition – Reward them for responding to their name.

• Toy Rotation – Swap toys weekly to keep them interesting.

• Hide & Seek – Call your puppy to find you or a hidden toy.

Chewing & Teething Enrichment

Provide safe outlets for natural chewing instincts. Relieves teething pain and redirects their attention to objects they can (and hopefully enjoy) chewing to prevent destructive chewing.

Frozen Chews – Freeze wet washcloths or carrot sticks for soothing gums. You can also create frozen treats for hot days by mixing ingredients you know your puppy loves and freezing the mixture in molds or ice cube trays. Flavour options include: peanut butter and banana, dog-friendly youghurt (lactose-free) and berry, shredded chicken and carrot in no-salt broth.

Durable Chew Toys – Rubber/silicon toys or puppy-safe nylon bones. Some of these toys have the option to stick kibble or other foods to encourage use and keep them entertained for longer.

IMPORTANT: Safety Tips for Puppy Enrichment

✔ Always supervise play with toys and chews.

✔ Avoid small parts that could be swallowed.

✔ Choose age-appropriate activities (avoid high-impact exercise for young puppies).

✔ Rotate enrichment activities to prevent boredom.