Play & enrichment
Sniffing, searching and shared games. Find an activity that suits your dog and your space.
Start a simple find-it game
An easy search for a few suitable food pieces lets your dog use their nose without needing specialist equipment or a large space.
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Play hide-and-seek in one room
Human hide-and-seek can begin as a very obvious search in a single room, with no closed doors or disappearing act required.
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Make toy rotation more interesting
A small changing selection can make toys easier to notice, while familiar favorites remain available when they provide comfort.
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Introduce a food puzzle at its easiest setting
The first puzzle should reveal how food becomes available, not leave your dog trying to solve every mechanism at once.
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Set up a supervised cardboard search box
A plain cardboard box can hold an easy supervised search, but it is unsuitable for dogs who eat the packaging.
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Try a rolled-towel search game
A loosely folded towel can create a simple search, provided your dog investigates fabric without chewing or swallowing it.
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Play gentle tug with clear pauses
Shared tug works best as a comfortable game with a suitable toy, modest movement and clear chances to pause.
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Make fetch about choices rather than endless throws
Fetch can be a brief shared game with rests and choices, rather than a sequence of throws that continues until the dog cannot continue.
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Choose a ball that suits your dog's size
A ball needs to fit the individual dog's mouth and style of play, not simply match a breed name on a label.
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Build a rainy-day activity corner
A small indoor area can support quiet rainy-day activities when the floor is safe and the options are easy to set up and put away.
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Set up a tiny garden scent trail
A short garden trail can begin with obvious food finds on safe ground, without specialist scents or complicated hiding places.
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Give a dog permission to enjoy digging
A designated digging area can offer a suitable outlet while planted beds and boundary edges remain protected.
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