Enrichment in our boarding kennel

To avoid boredom and keep your dog physically and mentally active, we do different exercises and enrichment games. 

One day it could be a short run (depending on your dog’s fitness level), playing with other doggie friends, or exploring new walk… we make your dog’s walkies as enjoyable and attractive as possible.

All dogs that come to us enjoy enrichment games—some more than others.

And they get more tired than after a long walk. We have a few Nina Ottosson mind games in our boarding kennels. 

 But we also have a few simple games you can play at home:

 Get a cardboard box, fill it with paper, and sprinkle a few treats. Dogs then have to dig in the box and pull the paper out to get the goodies. 

To make it more challenging, we get a few boxes and put them into each other like a Russian doll, with a few treats hidden here and there.

Dogs love this game as they love tearing the boxes and paper!

Or we take a muffin baking tray, put treats in holes, and cover them with tennis balls. This is so much fun! For us as well, especially watching ball-obsessed dogs deciding between a treat and a ball!

Dogs receive a dopamine rush when seeking food; knowing that food might be available and having the opportunity to access it keeps it interesting for them.

Long-lasting chews

After a nice walk and just before we leave, we give your dog long-lasting chew. Some dog parents bring some; if not, we can supply them.

We use cow hooves filled with mashed fruit or veggies. In summer, we freeze them and give them to the dogs, and it’s like an excellent cooling lolipop for them.

Or we spread a bit of dog-friendly peanut butter, soft cheese, or pate on the inside walls.

Kong Toys

Kong toys are also very popular with our holidaymakers. We always choose appropriate Kong toy for your dog:

• Puppies

Let’s start at the beginning, puppies.

Those cute puppy pink and puppy blue KONG toys you see are not just a marketing gimmick. The Pink and Blue indicate that these are made from the softest of rubber to be gentle on puppy teeth and gums.

Young dogs need something softer than the classic red KONG to bite to help with teething.

 The puppy KONG is also a great way to build value in crate or kennel training, creating positive associations with the crate or kennel.

• Adult Dogs

The Classic Red Kong comes in 6 sizes, XS to XXL made from durable rubber and is suitable for most adult dogs and medium chewers.

If, however, we have a power chewer in our boarding kennel, then the black KONG Extreme will be the one to choose.

• Aging Dogs

Designed for older and aging dogs, the purple KONG Senior is made from soft rubber (think, one up from puppy but not as firm as the red classic)

Often with age comes less mobility, so it is even more essential to provide mentally stimulating activities for our dogs.

Once dogs are settled with a chew, we spray the air with Calming Floral Spray to enhance the calmness.