Chewed shoes, scratched furniture and late-night zoomies are often signs of a bored pet. Mental exercise tires pets out just as much as physical exercise, and it's easy to add to your day, even indoors.
Enrichment ideas for dogs
- Make mealtime a game. Puzzle feeders and slow feeders turn a two-minute meal into a satisfying challenge.
- Let them sniff. Sniffing is calming for dogs. Hide kibble in a snuffle mat, or scatter treats around a room and let your dog search.
- Try a lick mat. Spread a thin layer of dog-safe food on a lick mat. Licking is soothing and keeps dogs busy, which can help during bath time or grooming.
- Five-minute training sessions. Practice sit, down, stay or a new trick. Short sessions a few times a day build focus and confidence.
Enrichment ideas for cats
- Play like a hunter. Move a wand or feather toy like prey: hiding, darting and pausing. Let your cat "catch" it at the end.
- Use treat puzzles. Cats enjoy working for food too. Puzzle feeders slow down fast eaters and keep curious minds busy.
- Give them places to explore. Tunnels, boxes and cat trees add hiding spots and climbing space.
- Set up a window seat. Watching birds and people outside is entertainment for many cats.
Tips for every pet
- Rotate toys. Keep a few toys out and swap them every week so old toys feel new again.
- Supervise new toys at first, and remove anything that is broken or small enough to swallow.
- Keep a routine. Play at about the same times each day so your pet knows what to expect.
Find puzzle feeders, snuffle mats, lick mats and interactive toys in our Toys & Enrichment collection.