DIY Frozen Dog Enrichment

I have always been a big fan of using enrichment to keep my dogs happy and healthy but during the summer I don't find that I need enrichment toys much because we are spending so much time outdoors that my dogs needs are met. As we transition into a change of season and away from our summer adventure schedule I am reminded of the need for enrichment toys. 

Dogs having the outlet to lick, chew and bite can be hugely beneficial in not only tiring them out but giving them a chance to decompress. Our routine has shifted and I am finding that my youngest dog Spicy still has quite a bit of energy at the end of the day so she I getting her dinner and a frozen kong as an outlet for that left over energy. 

The great thing about doing enrichment yourself is that you can control the ingredients. I just happened to have fruit and cottage cheese on hand but you can get creative! Here is what I used to stuff my dogs enrichment toys today:

If your dog is a novice at food toys, I wouldn't freeze them yet. We want our dogs to understand the game and be successful before we make it more difficult by freezing. I prefer the toppl dog toy for dogs who are likely to give up as it is much easier. For dogs that are very motivated and will stick with it, I use a regular kong toy. 

Happy stuffing!

- Rachel Laurie Harris CPDT-KA