is your dog lonely? π₯Ή
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Hi [FORMATTED_FIRST_NAME GOES HERE] - Yesterday I got a message from our dog walker saying that when she got to my place to see Burt he seemed a little lonely. πππ To be clear, it was a very minor part of her message. Other than that Burt was excited to see her, they had a nice walk, did a snuffle mat and she left him with a stuffed frozen Toppl I made. Burt is very loved! But "lonely" was the only word I saw. So when I got home from work (promise I'll be able to tell you all about it SOON!!!) I took Burt on a walk up to the clubhouse of the apartment complex where we're staying. Burt loves it there because: 1) There's a jar of dog treats on the counter πͺ Many dog parents think that social enrichment means going to the dog park. But did you know that being around people is social enrichment for your dog, too? We hung out there for about 30 minutes and Burt got to see new people he'd never met before and enjoy a relatively novel space (we don't hang out in there every day). This activity filled up his social tank! Based on his needs, it was better than doing a treat scavenger hunt or a brain game in our apartment. Burt needed to get out! βCheck out this podcast episode to learn about what social enrichment IS and ISN'T and how you can easily add it into your dog's life. Enrichment isn't one size fits all, so you need to figure out what your dog needs and how you can give it to them in an easy, safe and realistic way. Their needs might change from day to day or as they age. βListen or watch the podcast episode or read about the studies I researched right here ππ½ Tori P.S. We get to go back to Pittsburgh this weekend and I know Burt is going to be SO HAPPY to be in our own home and catch up with some of his favorite trails and people. That's going to be enriching for us both! π |