Enrichment & Entertaining

Enrichment & Entertaining

During these difficult times, if we have to isolate, this has a knock on effect and our pets mental health can suffer. We’ve put together this blog to give some ideas for enrichment and entertainment to keep your furry friends happy, whether it be due to isolation or if you need a bit of time to catch up on work or chores, this list should help:

  1. Cupcake tin puzzle.
    Using some of your dogs favourite treats, why not fill a cupcake/muffin tin with some treats and then cover these with balls or other kinds of toys and encourage your dog to search for the treats.
  1. How about making an agility course for your dog? You could use furniture (indoor or outdoor), cardboard boxes, tunnels etc. This is a great way to keep your dog active and a great way to help keep us entertained too, who can come up with the best course?!
  1. Towel puzzle: a simple and quick game to set up to keep your dog entertained. Roll out a towel, sprinkle over some treats and then roll into a sausage shape and let your dog have fun searching for the treats. Did you know, Scamps and Champs sell a range of tasty treats? Find out more at: Pet Treats – Scamps & Champs (scampsandchampspetfood.com)
Skin & Coat Treat - Scamps & Champs Pet Food
  1. Just as children love a good ball pit, so do dogs! Fill up a paddling pool or something similar with balls and sprinkle in some treats so your dog can have fun hunting for them!
  1. Tug of war –  a classic but one our dogs really love. This helps give your dog a little bit of exercise whilst keeping them happy as they get to spend some quality time with us.
  1. As we are at home more often than not at the minute, why not take the opportunity to teach your dog some new tricks? There are plenty of hints and tips how to do this online and it will certainly keep your dog busy.
  1. Cardboard boxes! A great source of free entertainment. Perhaps hide some treats in a box which is then hidden inside other boxes. If you are worried about using boxes from an outside environment due to Coronavirus – leave the boxes out of reach for a few days first.
  1. Hide and seek. Dogs will love this. Ask your dog to sit and stay and then go off an hide. Maybe take some treats along for when they find you!

9. Snuffle mat. Snuffle mats are great for stimulation and can be used to relieve boredom. Hide lots of small tasty treats for your dogs to sniff out. I use the small fish treats and apples chopped up very small. Below is a picture of my 3 dogs with their snuffle mat.

  1. Treat your dog to a walk with one of our fantastic team – they can take your dog out for an exciting walk while you catch up on work if needed. Walks can be one off or a regular treat.

Pets & Anxiety

Separation Anxiety In Dogs - Scamps & Champs

by Victoria Brierley

Dogs are very much susceptible to some of the emotional struggles that humans can have. Anxiety is very much one of these struggles.

There are a few types of anxieties that a dog can suffer from. Separation anxiety is the most common form and can occur with examples such as when the dog owner leaves the house, leading to the dog feeling stressed. Other common anxieties consist of noise phobia, which triggers dogs to be stressed by loud noises, as well as social anxiety which causes a dog to feel uncomfortable in social situations.

Food for thought

Pets & Anxiety - Scamps & Champs

Pets suffering from separation anxiety may tend to display unwanted behaviours which can include: 

  • Excessive vocalisation
  • Excessive panting
  • Destructive behaviour such as chewing and tearing objects in their surroundings
  • Urination/defecating in the home

There may be a number of reasons why some dogs feel this way but not all of these behaviours are a direct result of separation anxiety, so owners need to determine if these behaviours only occur when the pet is left alone.

Food = Fun

Mental stimulation is a very useful and effective method of helping to manage pets suffering from anxiety.

Interactive feeding is an excellent way to keep their mind at rest and their mouths occupied when pets find themselves on their own.

Puzzle feeders and treat balls are a great way to help keep pets stimulated. These toys should only be given when the owner is not present, this way the pet can learn to associate the experience of receiving this ‘special toy’ and being alone, much more positively.

Here at Scamps & Champs, our Grain Free, Superfood and Treat recipes can all be used in conjunction with puzzle feeders, kongs, truffle mats and treat balls. Our 80% fish treats are small and ideal to hide in truffle mats and puzzle feeders.

Scamps & Champs - Pet Food
https://scampsandchampspetfood.com/

Always make sure to take into account any additional treats from the portion of your pets normal daily ration to prevent overfeeding.

Exercise and Training

There is strong evidence that clinical signs of anxiety can often be a result of failure to provide a pet with sufficient regular daily exercise. Exercising your pet before you are due to leave them alone provides them with the opportunity to go to the toilet and tire them out so they’re much more inclined to relax. You can also hire a pet sitter/dog walker to provide pop in visits or dog walks to break up your dogs day.

Contact us to find out more at info@scampsandchamps.co.uk or call us today on 0333 200 5827

Find your local branch here:- https://scampsandchamps.co.uk/branches/