Sniff, Lick, Dig, and Chew: Enrichment and a Pup’s Emotional Wellbeing

As humans in the modern world, we all know what it’s like to feel emotionally depleted, anxious, restless and bored. When we feel burned out, we practice self-care, comfort ourselves, look for new inspiration, and connect with our loved ones. Creative professionals call it “filling the well,” and they know how important it is to replenish themselves before they can generate their next great ideas.

Dogs also experience anxiety, boredom, and stress. And like us, they need to fill their own well in order to be happy in their lives. The biggest difference is that they have no words to express their needs. All they have are their behaviors. When our dogs destroy our stuff with chewing and digging, bark at every sound they hear, or jump on us when we don’t want to play; they’re letting us know that they’re having a hard time, and that some of their needs aren’t being met.

Normal Behavior

Most dog behaviors are perfectly natural, it’s just that some dog behaviors don’t fit well into our lives and in our homes. Dogs dig, sniff, explore, bark, howl, and chew simply because these behaviors are dog behaviors. They’re just being dogs. But we have furniture and carpets and neighbors! We have to help our dogs adjust their behaviors so that we can all live in harmony at home.

Sniff

Enrichment games and toys can provide much-needed opportunities for dogs to do their favorite dog activities, but in ways that are more compatible with their lives at home with humans. A snuffle mat with treats inside gives them the chance to sniff, explore, and discover yummy morsels of food. Even better, the act of sniffing itself is great exercise for dogs. As they burn energy in a happy way, they can then rest and sleep better. Check out some creative ways to feed your pup and provide enrichment including our Slow Feeder and our Sniff & Feed Snuffle Mat designed by our CPO Katie McGuire.

Lick

Licking is a dog behavior that is naturally calming to dogs, and licking something that smells and tastes good is deeply satisfying for them. For an enriching licking experience, offer them a hollow toy that you’ve stuffed with yummy soft food and frozen. You can also give them a textured mat for licking their meals out of small spaces. Even the last remnants of peanut butter at the bottom of a jar can be a licking puzzle to solve with their tongue and two front paws. At &Pup we have added a customizable lick mat to our Daycare and Boarding enrichment that includes a choice of the following items Cream Cheese, Peanut Butter, Canned Pumpkin, Cottage Cheese with applesauce, Greek Yogurt, Mashed Bananas and Sweet Potato Puree. Make your own lick mat creation at home with our Pawsh Lick Mat. Have fun figuring out what your pup’s favorite combination is.

Dig

Have you ever seen a dog dig a hole, then stick their whole face in it to inhale deeply, and then keep digging? The digging can be fun by itself, but for dogs, digging is usually about finding the smells that lay buried underneath. Food puzzles with compartments that shift are a fantastic way for dogs to “dig” without ruining your indoor floors or your outdoor gardens. Dogs can sniff and explore the outside, and they can use their feet to push, pull and slide the puzzle pieces around to reveal the tasty treats hidden underneath.

Chew

Why do dogs chew? Maybe because they’re young – puppies discover the world around them mouth first. Maybe because they’re stressed and need to calm themselves down. Sometimes it’s just because it feels good. Whatever the reason, the enrichment they get from chewing really helps their bodies and minds. A tough chewing treat made of dried meat is a yummy way for dogs to spend 15 minutes chewing. It’s also okay to let them chew non-toxic toys, as long as you can supervise to ensure that they’re not swallowing pieces of the toy. Our Bone Appetit fillable not only provides them something safe to chew but also creates a treat reward for added stimulation for your pup’s play.

It’s About the Experience

Lastly, it’s important to understand that the tools and toys themselves aren’t the enrichment; the enjoyable outcome for the dog is the true enrichment. Your dog will have their own preferences – if they don’t want a toy stuffed with peanut butter, then you may need to discover what will be a truly enriching experience for them. Do they prefer other flavors, or are they just frustrated with the toy? Experimentation is key. If you’re feeding from a bowl, try spreading the food on a lick mat instead. If they finish the lick mat quickly, try freezing the food on the mat! A longer licking experience can provide more exercise and more enjoyment.

Investing in your dog’s enrichment is an investment in their happiness and well-being. It’s a way to ensure they lead fulfilling lives, free from anxiety and boredom. So, let’s continue to fill our dogs’ emotional wells, just as we do for ourselves, and provide them with the enrichment they need to thrive.

Private Sessions

One-on-one session with a trainer for one hour at the park. Sessions range from “basic skills” to “advanced” and “tricks.” Members can purchase single sessions or discounted packages.

Group Classes

The &Pup Training Program is split into three classes: The Novice, The Apprentice and The Pup Master. These classes are designed to be taken in order, with each level building on the previous. Any pup can complete this program; they don’t need to be a training aficionado to succeed. Classes are four consecutive weeks with an average of five to eight pups per class.

The Essentials

The Essentials covers all the basic training skills that every pup and their human should know. Build the foundations for creating a positive relationship with your pup while teaching crucial commands like sit, stay, and come when called.

The Next Level

Building on the foundations taught in The Essentials, The Next Level introduces challenges like duration, distractions, and distance to strengthen skills. The difficulty gradually increases each week to strengthen behaviors and improve reliability effectively. New skills like stand, give a paw, wait at doors/gates, and heel position are also introduced.

The Master Class

With exercises designed to replicate real-world scenarios, The Master Class gives you and your pup the ability to effectively utilize your training skills in everyday life. The class also covers exercises that help to prepare pups for the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen and Urban Canine Good Citizen tests, therapy dog testing, and service dog work.

Specialty Workshops

Specialty workshops are led by an in-house or guest trainer on topics including tricks, nosework, obedience, recall, loose-leash walking, and more.

&Pup offers a variety of grooming services to help your pup look and feel their best. Our rates are based on your pup’s skin condition, coat, and hair type. All haircuts are performed using hand scissors. Prices vary depending on your pup’s weight, level of difficulty, and the time spent by our stylist.

All experiences are curated for each &Pup member and their preferences. Your pup’s grooming journey could begin with a personalized consultation with a stylist. From there, he/she will get a bath with our high-quality, signature &Pup organic shampoo and conditioner, ear cleaning, anal gland expression, nail cutting/filing, and teeth brushing. The stylist will brush out, blow out (by hand), and cut, all while giving extra love and attention.

What Makes &Pup Different?

The well-being of pups is our priority. With members-only access, &Pup ensures you and your pup will be surrounded by others who share your inclination to prioritize holistic well-being and socialization. We are more than a dog park–we are an environmentally friendly community focused on behavior, enrichment, and positive reinforcement-based training and play to nourish our pups’ social interaction. The benefits of off-leash experiences and pup-to-pup interaction that we strive to create at &Pup are also proven to create positive and long-lasting effects on their overall health and wellness.

What Is The &Pup Process?

When it comes to dog play, we implement a unique approach based on providing positive feedback, rather than focusing on corrections. While it may seem easier to correct inappropriate play, this can cause confusion for some dogs. It may even result in a reluctance to interact with other pups altogether or cause a buildup of frustration which can result in problematic behaviors like aggression.

Our highly trained team leads pup playtime by teaching pups a scientifically proven foundation of appropriately playing and interacting with others rather than just managing issues as they arise. Our goal at &Pup is to help your pup learn how to interact successfully with others for the rest of their life to ensure longevity and happiness for them and you.

Wellness

&Pup offers wellness exams and general checkups to keep your pup healthy. We recommend a wellness exam every six months to help treat and catch any issues early on. Wellness exams can include the reviewing of allergy and vomit/diarrhea workups, treatment of ear infections, eye issues, lameness, and lethargy.

Preventative Medicine

To keep your pup healthy, &Pup veterinarian team can perform preventative diagnostics such as annual vaccinations, parasite prevention, annual lab work, diagnostic imaging (x-rays), oxygen therapy, nutrition consultations, and genetic testing. Members will have direct access with their &Pup medical professional for issues or questions that arise between appointments.

Essential Park Vaccinations

In order for all dogs in the park to be safe, we require that members provide proof of a negative Giardia test every six months and mandatory, core vaccinations for rabies, bordetella, and DHPP. We also offer non-core vaccines for influenza, leptospirosis, and Lyme.

The Puppy Package

At &Pup, we offer everything that your puppy will need to ensure a long, healthy lifestyle including vaccinations, parasite prevention, microchipping, nutrition consultations, and spay and neutering.

Urgent Care

For issues that require immediate attention but are not life-threatening, &Pup offers urgent care appointments for all members. If your pup is experiencing an emergency outside of open hours or if matters require immediate medical intervention, please visit an emergency clinic.

Diagnostics

&Pup has the latest up-to-date veterinary equipment to better help diagnose your pup. Our doctors are highly skilled at diagnostic interpretation and can easily discern which tests to run to construct the best treatment plan for your pup. From preventative testing to sick patient diagnostics, we offer a state-of-the-art radiology suite, lab work, urinalysis, fecal testing, parasite tests, and cytology.

A Zone for Any Pup

The park has been curated to fit the needs of a range of canine temperaments as well as a variety of needs of our human guests. Whether your dog is high energy and likes to run around the park or is low energy and prefers to take in the view, we have designed an environmentally friendly zone for them to mingle. Areas for you to work, eat and socialize have also been designed into each of the spaces to meet your needs too.

Relax

A low-energy zone geared for relaxing or working while your dog engages. This area is off-leash, allowing your dog to socialize with dogs in the area and enjoy the enrichment provided within this zone. This area is ideal for lower energy and smaller pups.

Play

This zone is geared toward our social pups who love to play. This off-leash area is ideal for higher-energy dogs who want to chase around, play rambunctiously, and check out the sniff zones.

Bond

This zone is used for activities, workshops, and private events. This area can be blocked off from other park areas and made private. The multi-purpose area may be used for behavior assessments, pair or small group play, individual toy play, smaller events, training sessions & classes, agility, and interactive experiences. This area may be on-leash or off-leash, depending on use.

We Are Hiring!

Let’s Grow Together.

&Pup is building a culture of amazing people (and pups!). We are creating an environment that encourages our employees to perform their best and grow within our organization. If you are interested in joining our team, we’d love to hear from you.

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Monthly Events

With &Pup, your pup can now join you for your next night out. Our calendar of events will include a variety of opportunities to socialize with our community. These events range from movie nights to scavenger hunts and everything in between. There will also be holiday events, such as a Canine Costume Party for Halloween.

Private: Event Rentals

Is it your dog’s birthday or the anniversary you met your pup companion? Rent our space, throw a party, and invite your friends. Our Bond Zone is designed to give you a private space to host any event you can envision for your Pup.