Provide daily enrichment for your dog by ditching the food bowl and feeding them from stuffed toys, snuffle mats, chews, puzzle toys, 'find it' games or scattering the food in your garden.
Whatever age your dog is, providing daily mental enrichment and a ‘job’ to do will pay hugely into your overall relationship account, with you becoming the centre of all things fun and exciting.
Licking, i.e. from a lickimat, is incredibly soothing and calming for a dog and can be a great tool to settle rescue dogs into their new life or keep puppies occupied for longer (for example during absence training).
If you are feeding from a puzzle toy or a Kong, make it easy for your dog to begin with to avoid frustration and potentially build a negative association with the toy.
You could also use your dogs meals for training practice both at home and out on a walk.
