B O R E D OM

B U S T E R S !

A g u i d e t o E n v i r o n m e n t a l E n r i c h m e n t f o r D o g s , C a t s a n d o t h e r S m a l l A n i m a l s

P o s i t i v e R e s p o n s e D o g T r a i n i n g

D E E S C O T T

o f P o s i t i v e R e s p o n s e D o g T r a i n i n g

DOWNLOAD

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

DISCLAIMER

This eBook has been created by Positive Response Dog Training (ABN: 54 282 031 516). No

part of this eBook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or

mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission from the author.

The author has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information within this eBook was

correct at time of publication. The author does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to

any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors

or omissions result from accident, negligence, or any other cause.

Version 1.18

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

About the Author

Positive Response has a collaboration of trainers who have made valuable contributions to this

eBook. These trainers hold national qualifications as behavioural trainers along with other

certificates or degrees.

Special thanks go to our trainers and office team who not only contributed to this material in

collaboration with Dee Scott, but also spent hours to read, edit, and ensure that everything

contained herein is accurate and clear to you our reader.

These interactive eBooks have practical video embedded material that will give you visual

information to assist you in training and working with your pets no matter what kind you own.

Dee Scott Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (2014)

Certificate IV in Dog Behavioural Training (2000) Shelley Fellows Certificate IV in Companion Animal Services (2015)

Certificate IV in Children’s Services (2002)

Ingerlisa Matthews Certificate IV in Companion Animal Services (2012) Bachelor of Science in Child Psychology (2001)

Ashleigh Cheers Certificate IV in Companion Animal Services Diploma of Justice Administration (2009)

Sam Wilson Bachelor of Veterinary Technology (2016) Other contributors, editors, and test subjects: Belinda Langdon Office Administration Certificate II in Animal Studies (2016) Nicole Tattam Bachelor of Education Secondary, English and Social Science (History)

Special Thanks go to…..

Taco Chuck Louis Orion

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................................................- 5 -

Food Based Enrichment ........................................................................................................- 7 -

Hand Feeding .........................................................................................................................- 8 -

Dogsicles ................................................................................................................................- 9 -

Containers ............................................................................................................................ - 10 -

Toys....................................................................................................................................... - 11 -

Kong Products ..................................................................................................................... - 12 -

Busy Buddy .......................................................................................................................... - 13 -

Foobler .................................................................................................................................. - 14 -

Nina Ottosson ...................................................................................................................... - 15 -

Snuffle Mat ............................................................................................................................ - 16 -

Other Enrichment Ideas ....................................................................................................... - 17 -

Enrichment for Other Small Pets ........................................................................................ - 21 -

Guinea Pigs and Rabbits ..................................................................................................... - 23 -

Rats and Mice ....................................................................................................................... - 25 -

Summary ............................................................................................................................... - 27 -

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

Introduction Environmental enrichment is something that is constantly being studied in all animals around the

world. Zoos work hard to keep their exotic animals stimulated in ways that mimic their natural

environment. Enrichment is designed to keep animals busy by motivating them to investigate and

explore their surroundings. Using enrichment alleviates boredom and prevents unwanted

behaviours from forming by mentally and physically stimulating the animal.

Captive animals are provided with daily enrichment

Over time there has been significant scientific research

conducted on domesticated dogs. Behavioural trainers like

ourselves and other qualified peers have come to understand

that our family pets need the same enrichment strategies as

those of zoo animals, to maintain mental wellbeing and create

physical stimulation. This is the best way to provide a balanced

lifestyle and combat behavioural issues.

Our domesticated dogs need jobs to do throughout the day or

they will create their own work around your backyard and this will not lead to harmonious living.

They instinctively use their nose to smell, hunt, dig and we need to channel these natural

behaviours to ensure our yards stay intact and our belongings are not destroyed.

Enrichment provided daily creates a more content and relaxed dog than one left to occupy itself.

They learn as they earn, with their food rationed in portions over the day. Food puzzles make

their brains work and tire them out, allowing the body to naturally relax and sleep throughout the

day rather than just scoff down a bowl full of food then have nothing to do.

“This is why we advocate using environmental enrichment”

“This is why we advocate using environmental enrichment.”

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Environmental Enrichment encompasses many things, is easy to do and not time consuming.

1. Research your dog’s breed/s so that you are fully informed of the work they were

bred for and the breeds that make up your actual dog. For example, a blue heeler

was bred from a mix of three dogs - the Dalmatian, the dingo and the collie rough.

It is bred to run, herd and hunt. It is well known for working out puzzles quickly, after

all if it didn’t it would not survive, as the breed must herd large animals such as cows

that can potentially kill them if the dog does not move fast enough. Unless you own

a farm, your working dog is now living in suburbia in a small backyard. Without

stimulation, this breed is known to start shadow chasing, fly snapping, fence

jumping and more.

2. Look through the eBook and start working on puzzles that you know will occupy

your dog’s time effectively.

3. Trial a host of ideas and once you find what your dog likes, rotate them so that you

have at least 5 enriching ideas your dog can work on over a week.

4. Use scent-based enrichment as well - especially if you have a scent hound such as

a beagle.

5. Think about your backyard. Could you sit in it every day and do nothing? The short

answer is no. Create a wonder world daily so that your dog will wake up excited for

what the day will bring. Surprises are fantastic.

6. A busy dog does not have a chance to create havoc or learn unwanted behaviours

while they are left alone.

7. It’s a fantastic way for young teething puppies to work their jaws on what they should

rather than on what they should not and exhaust them throughout the day.

8. Own a cat or another small animal. No problems. Enrichment is for all animals. All

animals can learn to use enrichment as well and we have modified some ideas for them

as well.

It can be as simple as moving things around adding or removing

objects, toys, food or scents. You are only limited by your own

imagination and to get you started here is a list of things to consider.

Please click here to view a video outlining WHY we use

enrichment!

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

Food Based Enrichment How you feed your pet is extremely important in not only maintaining their physical health but also

their mental health. Asking them to work for their food is a great way to provide mental stimulation

through training and problem solving. Depending on the enrichment offered, they may have an

added opportunity to build their fine and gross motor skills, balance and co-ordination.

Health issues such as bloat and gut disorders are increased by

scoffing behaviours when bowl fed. Enrichment slows a meal

down, which decreases the likelihood of such illnesses occurring.

It is beneficial for all pets that are highly food motivated, but it

also benefits those that aren’t. When a dog ‘works’ for their food,

it becomes more than just a meal – it becomes a reward. Dogs

with low food motivation are more likely to eat their ‘rewards’ than

they are a meal, which helps that dog to reach their required

nutritional intake each day. If your pet’s food motivation is low,

reduce their portions for a few days. They will not starve, and they will very likely start working

harder to earn their income.

Yes, that is correct. We are asking you to pick up their bowl, wash it and fill it with water. It is no

longer the doggy Centrelink offering a free meal for your pet.

Remember: measure out your dog 's total portion of food each day into a container.

Fill the enrichment toys for the day with portions of food

Keep the remainder for training exercises

Leave the container where everyone in the home can easily access it. Ensure they only take from

that container daily to ensure no over feeding occurs.

LET’S GET STARTED

Every animal works differently so choose what you think will work for your pet.

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

Hand Feeding

Hand feeding helps to build the canine/guardian bond.

It gives you a chance to train your dog at any time you are

home in the basic life skill commands such as getting their

attention every time you call their name, coming when

called, walking by your side and anything else you may

want to refine in skills sets (refer to the Training eBook).

Another fantastic ‘hand feeding’ method is scatter feeding. To scatter feed, grab a portion of your

dog’s kibble and scatter it over an area (if you are scattering the food out on the grass, make sure

that you still keep an area clear for toileting!). Your dog will then use their eyes and nose to find

the food! Click here for more information and a demonstration

Cat training is no different (yes, you can train a cat!). Give it a go. Many people have taught their

cats to come, sit or walk by their side or perform a trick such as ringing a bell. Hand feeding your

cat for small exercises helps to mentally stimulate them and bond with you. Click here to see

Cleo the cat learning to ring a bell

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Dogsicles These are blocks of ice with lots of surprises in them. They are simple to make and fantastic for

the warmer months. Find a container that pertains to your dog's size such as a Tupperware or

ice-cream container, fill it up with water and add any of the following:

• Your dog’s dry food

• A suitable bone

• Balls or toys

• Leftover meat or pan juices

• Stock

• Sardines in oil

• Tuna

• Fruit or vegetables that your vet might

recommend

You are only limited by your imagination as to what you can freeze in a block of ice for your pet.

Anything that is safe for your dog can be used. To feed, remove the dogsicle from the container onto

the grass and reuse the container to make more. Click here to see Louis eating a dogsicle

Ice Ball

Instructions: Fill a balloon with water and tie off the end.

Place the full balloon inside a container in the freezer. Once

frozen place the ice ball into a deep container to catch the

water as it melts for cats or leave out on the grass for your

dog to roll it around and chew on it.

Sit back and watch your pets

enjoy their frozen treat!

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

Containers Always use containers with caution as some dogs may chew and swallow pieces of the

containers. If you think your dog may ingest any part of the containers, this is not suitable for your

particular dog or you must supervise.

Some dogs love to rattle around plastic containers. This one is for them.

Milk containers make great food toys.

Instructions: Wash out a 1 or 2L container, remove the plastic

rim and lid, poke some holes (big enough for the dry food to fall

out from in the container), fill with dry dog food or dry treats.

Squash the top of the container so the food doesn’t all fall out

quickly. Your dog will have fun trying to get them out. See louis

figure out how to get the food out!

Toilet Rolls, don’t throw them out. When a toilet roll is finished, recycle it.

Instructions: Pinch one end, add dry food, pinch the other end together. Let

your puppy/dog or cat roll them around and dig out their dinner

• Put a portion of your dog’s daily meal into an empty box or egg carton, close it up and let your

dog tear their way into their food.

• Use leftover pizza boxes (remove all onion and tomato) and fill with their dinner. Hide the box

in the yard and allow your dog to legally destroy something when it finds its dinner or breakfast.

• Hide food under children's plastic buckets and turn them upside down. This creates a fun game

of find-the-food.

Keep them entertained for hours!

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Toys There is a vast array of toys available on the market and if you have been into any pet store lately

you may be overwhelmed by the enormous range to choose from. To help you choose useful toys

that will work well for your pet here are some tips:

• If you have a new puppy – purchase toys that will grow with them. Ensure the toys

are interactive. Choose toys that have different difficulty levels; they start off easy and

can be made harder or more intriguing as they master them.

• Prioritise food dispensing toys. These toys will keep your dog wanting to play with them

even when you are not around.

• Have some toys that require your involvement in the game such as balls and tug ropes.

Nothing helps to build a better relationship between you and your dog quite so much

as playing together.

• Puzzles are wonderful to engage your dog's brain and builds problem solving skills.

This helps when teaching more complex behaviour's down the track.

• You will find that puppies and even some adult dogs can be amazingly destructive.

Spend a bit of extra money now on good quality, durable toys as they better withstand

punishment and will save you money in the long run.

• Rotate the toys around every few days. Just like children, dogs get bored with the same

toys day in and day out. It's a good idea to have a box with a lid (otherwise they learn

to help themselves).

Below is a variety of quality toys that are beneficial for both cats and dogs. Please remember

to supervise when you first give your pet its new toy. Some animals are cautious or shy

around new toys. Here is a step by step introduction for those who need some

encouragement.

1. Remove all food for the day when introducing the new toy

2. Smear some anchovy paste around the entrance to the toy so that it becomes

more inviting and just allow your pet to approach and lick as it wants.

3. Have some dry food handy and when your pet investigates, drop down some

around the toy. It’s like lotto land for pets. This will encourage them to work

the toy faster.

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

Kong Products You may be familiar with the Kong range of enrichment toys, all marvellous pieces of equipment.

They can be stuffed with food and left for your dog or cat to work on during the day. They can be

made extremely easy for beginners and then can be systematically increased in difficulty for

advanced pets. They come in a range of sizes and durability which make it suitable for all breeds.

For more information on Kong's and some recipes, check out the web site at

https://www.kongcompany.com/en-au/

These toys are American based and most come with or you can buy a peanut paste to stuff with.

We don’t recommend this. Americans are very big on peanut paste but due to pets having peanut

allergies we like to steer clear of this product. It is important to fill these toys with your pet’s portion

of dry food for the day. If you need to plug up the toy, use a bit of mince, tuna or left over roast

chicken. Even wet food will do the trick.

Kong Classic:

The Kong Classic has been a chewable enrichment item for over

thirty years. Food is inserted into the hole and encourages the dog

or cat to manipulate the item to dispense the food. This can be used

with kibble for beginners, and then adding wet food to block the dry

from falling out.

Hint: The rubber smells of rubber! 😊 Have a sniff for yourself.

Soak the rubber Kong in stock of some kind for 48 hours,

If it still smells after that, pop it into their dry food and leave for a

week. We need to make it salient for your pet prior to using.

Kong Wobbler:

The Kong Wobbler is a hard-plastic toy that the dog learns to push

around. It has an enclosed sand base and wobbles without falling

over. As the dog pushes it, it tips and dry food falls out of the hole.

Suitable for dry food only. It comes in two sizes - Large and Small.

See it in use

Cat Wobblers:

Kong have created wobblers for cats too. This is a great way to

keep your cat entertained daily and gives them a chance to chase

bat and play with this toy using their natural instincts.

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Busy Buddy This range of toys is characterised by their purple colour.

They are quite hardy and work well not only for playing with and keeping your dog busy (hence

the name) but you can also use these toys for feeding your dog his/her meals.

Most of these can be made easier to begin with and harder as your dog gets better at working

them. They come in a variety of sizes to suit most breeds.

This range has suitable toys for both wet and dry food.

Tug-a-jug: The Tug-a-jug is a food dispensing toy that unscrews easily

for your dog’s dry food to be placed inside. The dog must tug the rope on

the end of the jug in and out to dispense the biscuits. Suitable for dry food

only. You can soak the rope in stock first. This will encourage your dog to

grab and hold.

Twist and treat: Untwist the purple discs to insert food,

then twist back together for a range of difficulty levels. The

dog must use its paws and mouth to dispense the treats.

Suitable for dry and wet food.

Kibble Nibble: The Kibble Nibble toy mentally

and physically stimulates your dog by randomly

dispensing treats during play, turning dog meal

times into play times.

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

Foobler The Foobler is a self-reloading puzzle feeder. Fill it up and set the timer to ring a bell and

release food in 15min-1.5 hour intervals. The Foobler is a home alone toy that can keep a pet

entertained for 9 hours. It can be used by cats and dogs. Watch Louis working the Foobler

The Foobler Bluetooth allows owners to link a smart devise via Bluetooth to interactively

schedule feeding. Technology is simply amazing.

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

Nina Ottosson These puzzles have been specifically designed to work with your dog's natural movement; they are made of tough, easy to clean plastic; Just wash them with warm soapy water. These toys are great for when you need to keep your dog quiet after surgery or illness, when the weather turns bad and keeps you both indoors for extended periods, or just when you want to play with your dog. The puzzles are mainly designed for dry food only; however, some can incorporate wet food as well.

The Dog Smart: Difficulty Level 1 Hide treats under the bones for dogs to seek out.

The Tornado: Difficulty Level 2 The Tornado is a multi-levelled puzzle that features multiple compartments to hold treats. Your dog must turn, lift and spin the compartments to reveal the surprise.

The Casino: Difficulty Level 3 To access the treats, the dog must lift each bone and then slide out the corresponding side flap. The components in this puzzle can be used to reward wet food and can even be frozen for additional difficulty.

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

Snuffle Mat

A Snuffle Mat is a fun, easy to make project to create at home that can be used for cats, dogs and rodents!

The Snuffle Mat provides soft, dense surface for your pet to sniff and snuffle into as they search for their food.

DIY Snuffle Mat

Materials:

- Rubber mat with holes (you can get these at your local hardware store) - Approximately 3 – 4 meters of polar fleece fabric (check the bargain bin at your local fabric

store) - Plenty of time!

How to make it:

- Cut the fleece into strips approximately 2cm wide and 30cm long (no need to cut them perfectly!)

- Begin making the mat by looping a piece of fleece through 2 holes and tying a knot. The knot side is the side that your dog/cat will be working in – however it is easier to work from the underside to push the material through.

- Work by filling in the edges initially, before covering the rest of the mat.

When you have finished – put the mat on the floor for your pet and sprinkle some dry food over the top. They must snuffle through to find the tasty rewards!

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

Other Enrichment Ideas All dogs are bred for a specific purpose. They are grouped in the following categories:

HOUND GROUP

TERRIER GROUP

WORKING GROUP

SPORTING GROUP

HERDING GROUP

TOY GROUP

NON-SPORTING GROUP

Below we have listed some different ideas for some of these groups. Find out what group of

dogs yours belongs to and how you can add to their day.

HOUND GROUP

Scent hounds

These dogs are bred to hunt and its critical to keep them occupied all day otherwise they will climb, bay and destroy. Set up any of the toys described in this eBook, they can do it all. Give your dog different scents to work on for hours. You can set up a scent pattern by walking a pathway in your yard and dropping the scent there. Watch your dog in action. See how long it takes your dog to follow your trail and how they work the scent.

This is a fabulous way to change your dog’s world. Place items around your yard or home that have different smells on them. Here is a short list:

• If you have a friend that has a dog swap some toys or other dog items for a few days

• Bring home a branch that has fallen out of a nature reserve and “hide’ it in the back yard

• Take a bit of scent (vanilla essence, anchovy paste, tuna) and smear it on a tree down low in your backyard. Make sure your dog does not see you do this. Then let your dog out in the yard and watch them track the scent.

• Bring home a friend’s animal scent on a towel or a piece of rag that is different such as a cat or a horse and leave it in the backyard or in the house for the dog to sniff.

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The following are safe for your dog to hunt:

• Anchovy paste

• Vanilla essence

• Vegemite

• Your friends dog smell on a towel

• A branch from the bushes planted in your yard

Make things more complex as they get better. This can keep them going for hours. You can use

two scents if you want one on one side of the yard and one on the other.

Sight hounds

These dogs use their keen eyesight to hunt. Hiding bright coloured enrichment toys in bushes

then letting them out to look for their food uses their natural hunting instincts.

Creating a piñata so that

you can hang up on a

tree or under a pergola

and when the wind

blows it, movement will

cause them to bat it

around and food fall out.

Flirt Pole

This handy toy is hours of fun with your dog and releases

excess energy. It’s easy to make – you will need:

• 1 x PVC pipe

• 1 x length of rope

• Scrap fabric or a soft toy to tie on the end

Check out Orion loving the Flirt Pole!

If DIY isn’t for you, KONG stocks a great flirt pole.

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

TERRIER GROUP

These dogs are natural hunters and love movement. All the toys mentioned are great to use.

Create or buy tunnels so that they can run through them and you can drop food in them. Tunnels

can be joined and lead up to sand pits where hidden treasure lays buried.

Sand Pit

Some dogs love to dig. If your dog is one of these dogs

who can dig all day, provide them with a constructive area

where they can dig and satisfy this natural behaviour.

Children's clam shells also make an excellent sandpit and

are very cost effective. Bury your dog’s breakfast, toys,

bones your old shoes in the sandpit to create a fun digging

area. A constructive digging area creates a safe place for

your dogs to dig, whilst saving your flower gardens.

WORKING GROUP

These dogs need to expend energy and all the toys mentioned work well for them.

Kids buckets upside down with food in them also make for an interesting find.

Ball loading toys that your dog can use themselves are excellent unless they are ball obsessed.

SPORTING GROUP

Many of these dog’s love water. Buy a kid’s plastic pool and fill with water. Add in their dry food – if you feed high quality super premium diet, the biscuit will float. Drop in some carrots or bits of processed food or even a bone and watch them bob around in the water getting the food out.

Wading Pool

Ensure that your dog can easily get out of the pond and

that it’s very shallow (1-2”).

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HERDING GROUP Teach your dog to push around a fit ball or two. You can

add a goal post in your back yard and this teaches them

to push the balls into the goal. This is called treibball and

is an excellent way to give some of these dogs an outlet

at home to practice their natural instincts.

Moving Items

Mix up your dog's environment every so often, just to keep

them on their toes; After all they say a change is as good

as a holiday!

Move items around in the yard, leave things in different

places, re-arrange your outside furniture, change your

dog’s bedding, or move their crate or bed to a different area.

Buy some potted plants and shift them around the place.

Give them choices by leaving several activities and rotated

toys around the garden every day.

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

Enrichment for Other Small Pets It is not only our dogs and cats that benefit from different forms of enrichment, but also our smaller

pets including birds and rodents.

Birds are used to flying large distances in flocks (or for some birds of prey all on their own!)

searching for food and shelter – much like dogs. Common birds like budgerigars, cockatiels and

parrots such as conures enjoy various forms of physical, food, and social activities that stimulate

their natural instincts and enrich their lives as our pet companions. So how can we apply our

knowledge of enrichment to birds?

As well as flying, birds love to climb, so providing different ladders and

perches can be a great way to encourage this natural behaviour and

make their home more interesting. Ropes and ladders that can be

easily manipulated to move around the cage will entertain your bird.

Inquisitive by nature, it is important for bird owners to rotate a variety

of toys to avoid birds becoming bored and demonstrating stress

behaviours such as incessant screeching and feather plucking.

Depending on the species of bird, there are a variety of bird toys,

chews, and food-foraging games for enriching your bird’s day to day life.

Birds are fun to train and you can teach them many things. Some can be trained to talk, others

to fly to your arm or a station point, come when you call them and perform many tricks as well.

Bird Chews

Toys that hang from the top of the cage made of natural wooden materials provide

a great chew for your bird and gives it an opportunity to play with the moving

shapes, while additional features like bells allow the bird to interact with different

sounds. Mirrors can also be a great addition to a bird cage, so that your bird can

‘socialise’ or practice social bird behaviour like chirping.

Water Play

Many birds enjoy frolicking in shallow water. Water play for birds is a great

way to shake up their routine, and in Queensland where it can get incredibly

hot, can offer birds a chance to cool down. Hooded bird baths can be added

inside the cage, or alternatively a shallow ceramic dish can be placed on

the cage floor for birds to enjoy. Another inexpensive option is to give your bird a cool spray down

with a water bottle to see if they enjoy it. If your bird enjoys dipping into water, you can also add

natural food-foraging behaviour by dropping in a few frozen vegetables into the bowl and letting

your bird ‘bob for apples’ so to speak.

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

Seeds again?

Food enrichment is another way to keep your feathered friends happy. This does not need to be

expensive but could be as a simple as introducing a new fruit or vegetable to your bird to add

some variety to their diet. Apples and berries are often a great start!

How you serve up your food will also affect the level of enrichment your bird gets. Try freezing or

mashing up the food for a change – and move the food container around the cage. All birds benefit

from foraging for their food, just like dogs, and this can be mimicked by hiding your bird’s food.

Try putting a tasty treat in a carboard tube and covering it with shredded paper and watch your

bird pull it apart to get to the treat.

Playtime

Most importantly for your bird, is time to play outside of its cage and interact with you and the

environment. Bird play gyms offer an easy way to entertain your bird outside of its cage and offer

a different range of toys that may not fit or work inside the cage. It provides a great form of physical

and social enrichment for your bird to play, and for you to play with your bird.

Rodents are another hugely popular category of companion animals and for good reason. These

pocket-sized pets are adorable (okay, well for some people!), friendly, and easy to care for when

you have the right know-how.

In Australia our most common rodents include the prey rodents,

guinea pigs and rabbits (except Queensland), and the more

outgoing, predatory rodents’ rats and mice. While there are definite

similarities between the species, it is important that we use

enrichment strategies that are suitable for our ‘pocket pets’.

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Guinea Pigs and Rabbits Guinea pigs (known otherwise as a ‘cavy’) and rabbits share the common characteristic of being prey animals and share similar digestive requirements. Enrichment like every other pet should be a variety of social, physical and food related.

Social Enrichment for Guinea Pigs and Rabbits

Social enrichment for guinea pigs should include daily handling with their

owners – they are quite fragile so handle with care. For long haired

guinea pigs, a brush a few times a week is a great way to bond with your

pet. Guinea pigs should be kept in groups of 2 or more as they are highly

social little animals (same sex only!) and this will help them remain happy

and healthy as well we prevent potential stress behaviours.

Rabbits, while sharing some of the

characteristics of other rodents, can be quite content on their own and

when this is the case it is especially important to incorporate daily

interaction with your rabbit to avoid them becoming bored and

stressed. This could include daily cuddles and brushes, or some

people even have harnesses and take their rabbits on ‘walks’!

Physical Enrichment for Guinea Pigs and Rabbits

Both cavy’s and rabbits, despite their size, require a great deal of

space and physical enrichment to keep them happy. Both should

be permitted floor time (in a secure room inside, or a penned area

outside) every day to encouraging exploration and allow adequate

space to run around. While they are caged, there are several ways

to keep them busy and their lives enriched.

• Hanging baskets / hammocks of different materials to explore and

hide in

• Hanging chews of wood and other rodent-suitable materials to help

grind and wear down constantly growing teeth

• A cheap alternative to the above, is to poke a hole in a rough

vegetable or fruit (carrot or apple for example) and to run a string

through them and hang them up in the cage – also a great form of

food enrichment!

• Ramps and levels to climb within the enclosure (make sure they can’t get their feet stuck

– avoid ladders)

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• Change the layout every few weeks to give them a new area to explore

• Use a variety of fabric hidey holes and tunnels (plastic pipes and cardboard can be

inexpensive enrichment items!)

Food enrichment for Guinea Pigs and Rabbits

Like all rodents, guinea pig and rabbit teeth grow constantly – so it is important to offer food

enrichment that encourages chewing and grinding behaviour to prevent overgrowth and dental

decay. Due to their grazing behaviours, providing enrichment through food is one of the most

beneficial things you can do for your pet!

Hiding food around the cage is one way to engage your rodents, as well as offering new or

different kinds of foods to maintain your pet’s interest. This could include both the food itself, or

how you present it to your pet. Fruit and vegetable kabobs can be a fun way to keep your guinea

pig or rabbit interested with food, as well as hiding it under various items in the cage to force them

to scavenge for them. Making a tube tower and hiding food, or even cutting holes into a paper

tube and stuffing food into it, will encourage your pet to hunt for their lunch while you are not there

to entertain them!

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

Rats and Mice

Rats and mice are very similar in terms of behaviour and nutritional requirements, and therefore most enrichment activities are interchangeable. Unlike their more timid rodent cousins, rats and mice are generally very outgoing and curious creatures – rats in particularly are quite intelligent and can also be taught tricks much like dogs!

Social Enrichment for Rats and Mice

Having more than one rat or mouse is essential to a happy and healthy

pet. Both rodents are highly social and need interaction with others of

their species, but to ensure you don’t end up with more than you planned

you must keep them in same-sex groups! Allowing rats and mice to play

together in environments other than their cage (in another room, or

secured area) is also a great way for them to interact together and with

you. Rats and mice react well to handling, and rats will often form very

strong bonds with their owners – going off to explore, only to run back to

their owners if they get too far away. Many rats and mice enjoy scratches,

petting, and snuggling up in a blanket or jumper with you on the couch.

In fact, in many ways, they are miniature dogs with scaly tails!

Physical Enrichment for Rats and Mice

Like most rodents, rats and mice love to chew, climb, and

explore. Providing them with opportunities to express these

natural behaviours is both enriching for your pet and fun to

watch as they climb, toss things, carry things back to their

‘houses’ to nest and store, as well as run like maniacs around

their environment.

Physical enrichment for rats and mice can be as elaborate and

expensive as you choose, however here are a few ideas for you

to engage your little rodents’ natural instincts:

• Use paper rolls as tunnels and to hide food

• Use cardboard boxes such as tissue boxes or cereal boxes for nesting and chewing

• Provide physical chews of natural materials for rats and mice to grind down those

constantly growing teeth

• Use paper towels and tissues for your pets to collect, shred, and play with

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

Other ways to encourage your pet’s instincts is to provide climbing and hiding opportunities. This

can be through ropes and ladders, multiple levels in their enclosures, hiding nooks and

hammocks, and through changing the layout of the cage each time it is cleaned to help prevent

boredom.

Food Enrichment for Rats and Mice

There are many ways to vary the diet for your rats or mice beyond offering a different range of

foods and hiding them. Other enrichment ideas can include offering frozen peas or other

vegetables, particularly in hot weather, or placing them in a shallow dish for rats and mice to fish

for their supper.

Like with guinea pigs and rabbits, vegetables and fruits can be cut, and strung up in different parts

of the cage to encourage natural climbing and foraging behaviours to keep your little rodents

entertained. Chews can also be purchased that will help them grind down their teeth to prevent

overgrowth and dental problems.

• Hide food in tunnels and various places

• Use a small cat or bird treat ball / Kong for your rodents

• Cheap alternatives can be placing food in a toilet roll

and folding the ends, to make your rat or mouse chew it

out!

• Dangle food from different parts of the cage to

encourage climbing

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© Positive Response Dog Training. All Rights Reserved.

Summary

All animals are born with a basic desire to do something.

Most dogs are driven by their genes. Working dogs love to herd, scent dogs love to sniff and

some are just lovable couch potatoes.

Cats are no different. We have the permanent couch potato or the incredible hunter. Many laws

now restrict cats to the family home. They can be in indoor outdoor runs or just indoors. Your cat

needs to fulfil basic hunting instincts and you will be pleasantly surprised once they start using

enrichment - you won’t go back to a bowl.

People are slowly starting to understand small animals more and enrichment toys are a

marvellous way to keep your small pets happy and stimulated. It doesn’t hurt to try, and you may

also be surprised how playful and happy your small pets become.

Whatever your inherited pet’s genes are, mental health and welfare are paramount.

We would love to hear how your enrichment plan has changed your pet’s life. Please follow us

on and send us your stories.

Phone 07 3459 2121

Mobile 0424 058 450

Email info@positiveresponse.net.au

Website www.positiveresponse.net.au

Provide your pet with

enrichment and you change

their world!