Animal Welfare Coalition
Pet Enrichment

Music

Playing music for cats & dogs for a portion of the day can help stimulate mental enrichment and relaxation.

Here is a speaker with preloaded music for convenience, but any Bluetooth speaker will work. 

DOGTv

DOGTV provides something for the dogs and cats to see and hear adding increased mental enrichment and relaxation.

DOGTV offers a subscription free to rescues and shelters. They also offer 1 month free to adopters.
Learn More

Bubble Machine

A bubble machine turned on for short periods of time can add mental and physical stimulation.

More Enrichment Ideas

CATS ideas

DOGS ideas
Treat Enrichment Ideas
With all ideas, make sure the pet doesn’t ingest the enrichment tool (slow feeders, towels, mats, toy, bowl, etc.) 
Dogs
  • Treat buckets on kennels
    • Fill buckets with treats, each time someone walks by they can give a dog a treat
      • Promotes a positive association with people walking by the kennels and fosters a calmer, quieter environment
  • Peanut butter or pumpkin Kong toys
    • Frozen (lasts longer) or room temp
      • You can also use stainless steel bowls with peanut butter or pumpkin spread on te edges and the bottom. This is a cheaper alternative and (most) dogs cant tear apart the bowl.
  • Dry treats in a paper towel or toilet paper roll
    • Cut the paper towel roll into ¾ inch pieces, fold one end of the roll, fill with smelly, high value dry treats, fold the other end of the roll.
  • Snuffle Mat
    • Put smelly treats or kibble into a snuffle mat, you can roll it up to add difficulty
      • You can also use a towel to hide dry treats in
  • Slow Feeders
    • Use for dry treats, wet food, or kibble during feeding times
      • You can also use a large rock in a normal bowl (clean the rock first) as a DIY slow feeder
  • Click to Quiet
    • Stand at a dogs kennel, the second the dog stops barking, give a high value treat
      • Use small pieces of a high value tasty treat
  • Click to Calm
    • Stand at a dogs kennel, the second a dog has all four paws on the ground, or downshifts from being antsy, give a high value treat
      • Use small pieces of a high value tasty treat
  • Lick mats
    • Swear peanut butter, pumpkin, or wet food on lick mats, freeze or leave at room tempature
  • Other dry treat toys
    • Balls, Puzzles, Wobblerrs, etc.
      • For meal time or an extra treat with dry smelly treats
Cats
  • Muffin Tin Hideaway
    • Place treats or kibble in muffin tin and cover with crumpled paper, tennis balls, or cat toys and let kitty bat them off to get to the food
  • Cardboard Box Forager
    • Cut paw-sized holes in a bo, put kibble or treats inside, and let kitty reach in and scoop
  • Snuffle mat or towel
    • Put kibble or treats in the mat or towel and let kitty forage. Roll the mat or towel for added difficulty
  • Lick mats
    • Smear wet food on lickmats for an extra treat
  • Puzzle feeders
    • Add treats or kibble to make snack or meal time fun