Paws Up Blog

Did you know that one of the best ways you can enrich your dog's life is to provide them with playtime and friends? It's only when they can communicate in their "doggie language" that they can truly engage in instinctual play- as humans, we are great substitutes, but we can't ever replace the interactions between two dogs. When your dog gets to play with other dogs it helps them to build confidence in themselves and their environment, they generally become less fearful (more about that later) and they can approach new situations with less anxiety. Sound familiar? (the goal of...

Dogs who cuddle with their people lead more enriched lives.

Have you ever thought about how to help your small dog navigate the world better?  It can be helpful for many reasons: Small dogs can be greatly helped by using stools and steps, and learning to navigate these will help them to preserve their bodies As they get older, having the experience with navigating these things will help them maintain independence and mobility  It increases your dog's ability to problem solve and work out new solutions to navigation An indoor obstacle course is a great way to start, plus it is an opportunity for to create an experience to enrich...

Do you have an old Amazon box hanging around the house? You can make an incredible, versatile enrichment experience for your dog- and the great part is that you probably already have everything you need right at your finger tips! Grab any variation of the following: Cardboard Box Heavy paper/pieces of cardboard Enrichment toys Small stuffed toys (for filler) Treats  Throw some treats at the bottom of the box, and if you have enrichment toys, stuff some treats in those as well. Then start piling toys and filler in the box, toss some treats as you go.  If your dog...

o you give your dog time to sniff on walks? Or do you power walk alongside them to keep them moving? You have a whole life and ability to exercise outside of your dog, so giving this time to your dog can be a special way to bond and allow them time to explore. It expands their world by allowing them to smell all of the scents left by others dogs and nature, which is what they are made to do.   Higher intensity sniffing (think a Dachshund on the hunt!) lowers their pulse even more, creating a more relaxed,...

No matter what toy you are starting with, make it as easy as possible for your dog if it's their first enrichment toy.