West Paw

What is enrichment for dogs?

Enrichment can be defined as the 'act of improving or enhancing the quality or value of something'. For your dog, enrichment often means thinking outside of the box to provide them with stimulating activities that engage their mind, body and senses. 

Most enrichment activities challenge dogs to think and problem-solve at varying levels of difficulty, depending on your individual dog. Super-smart dog breeds can be sometimes be harder to satisfy with standard enrichment activities, but luckily there are plenty of options out there for your intelligent pooch! 

Equally, not every enrichment activity is going to suit every dog. While some dogs are

Dogs and Cats are exposed to toxins and chemicals on a daily basis which can lead to concerns about pet health.

Every pet has a considerable amount of chemicals in their body, because they walk through them, breath them in, eat and drink them. Unfortunately toxins and chemicals can be ingested and absorbed by our pets from unfiltered tap water and the everyday chemicals we use in our homes, gardens, in animal shampoos and creams, worm, flea and tick preventatives and the toys we provide for their entertainment.

One well recognised chemical toxin is BPA (Bisphenol A) This is used to make plastics and resins and is found in plastic water bottles, canned foods (pets and humans), food packaging and it leaches into foods and water. BPA is linked to cancers and obesity. It mimics oestrogen in the body and has hormone disrupting effects that not only affect our health but our pet’s health too.

As pet owners, we need to ensure a wholesome, toxin-free approach to diet and the environment around