Jump to content

Enrichment yards


colliehound
 Share

Recommended Posts

Who has an enrichment yard for their dogs?

i am looking at starting a new yard and would like to include a sand pit, a paddle pool, some agility type equipment.....

What else would you add?

Do you have photos of any good examples?

thanks

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Many dogs find living (and dead) things particularly interesting, and like to use their noses.  I don't know what your neighborhood is like, or how much prey drive your dog has.  But having a bit of habitat for critters is a good thing.  If your dog won't kill them, chooks are entertaining. My dogs would like to have a nice heap of manure as well, but that has disadvantages :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have an acre of backyard for the dogs, they love my daughters sandpit, the frog pond and fish pond, running over and under our bridges, digging the gravel from between the pavers, collecting and chewing sticks that have turned to charcoal from the fire, and the two big girls absolute favourite is using our hedges to play hide and seek, chasey through them and climbing on top of them.


E8573632-EA5A-4767-A97D-9A89E59DCDD4.jpeg.928041ba2521bf34ee2feb0f8bebf5bb.jpeg

Abby in the sandpit.

 

EBD1DFA8-4C03-4D0C-BAEC-0CA8966B2D96.jpeg.1cb1b509f781928a153614ce86bfb8a1.jpeg

Abby and Cassie playing on top of one of the smaller hedges, they have also created a tunnel through it and through the big one in the background.

 

3BAF899B-9A5C-40E6-A052-FDAC8CCC22DE.jpeg.9e08a0532fad8656aaecad1cf6db8534.jpeg

This is the bridge that’s at ground level, they love running over it and using underneath as a tunnel.

Edited by Rascalmyshadow
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Malcolm has a potted sensory garden. His favourites are pineapple sage, lemon balm, heartsease, cat (we call it pet :laugh:) grass - repeat sowing gives nice tender blades, and his mini snow pea teepee. He also likes Australian river mint (preferred over other mints), native dog rose, paper daisies (there’s one that smells like chamomile), marjoram, marigold, oregano and basil. He really likes valerian but doesn’t get it due to his behaviour meds; if he just sniffed it would be ok but he eats it. He’s not really into lavender or regular chamomile.
 

I like to experiment with plants provided. He loves getting them as presents and different things come in and out of his favour. Being a potted garden it’s easy to switch things up or just hack the roots back to refresh plants. I came inside with a box of plants from the nursery today and he was so delighted. He shoved his head into the box sniffing everything and started eating the pineapple sage, with his little tail wagging. :love: 

 

I‘ve given him some different substrates too. He enjoys walking in eucy mulch and giving himself a ‘hot stone massage’ by lying on pebble mulch.

 

Look up Bath Cats & Dogs Home sensory garden and the YouTube videos Sally Hopkins did of the Busselton Snuffle Gardens in WA.

 

https://www.facebook.com/DogSolutionsAustralia/videos/840514502662119/?vh=e&d=n

 

https://www.facebook.com/sally.hopkins.714/videos/555705957910796/?d=n

 

https://www.bathcatsanddogshome.org.uk/uploads/documents/1375455927_SensoryandEnrichmentGarden.docx.pdf

 

https://www.bathcatsanddogshome.org.uk/rehoming/sensory_and_enrichment_garden_for_dogs

 

https://themayhew.org/sensorygarden/

 

https://www.australiandoglover.com/2018/12/how-to-create-sensory-garden-for-your.html?m=1

Edited by Papillon Kisses
Adding links!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, colliehound said:

Thank you everyone. Great ideas. I saw these and thought I would love these two set ups. We have enough rocks here to build the pyramids so a possibility on the pond. Where would you get the tyres?

95805631-3847-4764-ABEB-70CB13C8FF7F.jpeg

F972582A-D77F-47C1-8382-A310FE7FB973.jpeg

Just advertise on Facebook or Gumtree for tyres, or ask around at Tyre shops. Given that you have to pay to dispose of tyres in most places, free ones are easy to come by.  Those look like tractor tyres... if you want that type, try a tractor supply shop. 

Edited by sandgrubber
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually, a tractor tyre just lying down provides much fun ..it can be climbed into/run around inside of /curled up in/jumped over/hidden in ...run around and around .....I've seen it done :)

it is also the WARMEST spot in Winter! 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...