Recycling through Enrichment

Going green? Think of your dogs as you find ways to reuse some of the things before they hit the trash. Here are four ways in which you can recycle every day household trash, in ways that will stimulate your dogs and enrich their lives. 1. Paper Cylinder Inserts for Paper Towels and Toilet Paper: Collect 10 of these tubes, they can vary in size and dimensions. Insert treats in three of them and place them in a row, spaced six inches apart. Let the dog find the ones that have the treats in them. Allow the dog to tear and shred the tubes to get to the food. Some may drag the rolls until the food falls out, others may grab and shake the rolls to dispense the food, while some may use their paws as a tool to tear the cylinder open. 2. Take 10 toilet paper tubes and stand them upright on a sturdy level floor. Hid treats in three of them, and space them apart like in game number 1. Let the tubes act as a funnel, sending the sent of the food to the top of the tubes... let your dog sniff for the ones that actually have the food/treats in them. As soon as they knock them over with their nose, the treats will be uncovered. 3. Clean out a finished milk gallon or juice carton. Let dry, and then fill with your dogs food. If you are using a milk gallon, throw away the lid. If you are using a juice carton, close the carton to conceal the food. Give your dog its breakfast or dinner this way, let them work the carton until they get to the food. 4. The next time you go through to a fast food restaurant, ask them for a drink holder for this challenge. Place food or treats in the four holes for the cups. Take four tennis balls, and insert one ball into each cup holder. Let the games begin, watch your dog try and figure out how to get to the food. Dogs are very intelligent animals. They know what they can eat and digest and what is not good for their systems. If you start your puppy off on these exercises, they will naturally learn that paper and cardboard are not the food... there is no better way of teaching them what to eat and what not to eat.