ESSENTIAL ENRICHMENTENRICHMENT ESSENTIALS

CJ Bentley

Director of Behavior and Training

Atlanta Humane Society

Goals for Today

♥ Enrichment is…

♥ Why it’s important

♥ Implementation

♥ Based on your resources

♥ Right for your animals

♥ Questions

A Little Bit…

♥ I am♥ Director of Behavior and Training –

Atlanta Humane Society♥ Behavior consultant - canine♥ APDT member♥ Mom of Jammer and Rogue♥ So happy to be here!

♥ I was♥ Sr. Director of Operations for Michigan

Humane Society♥ Volunteer, Behavior Director, blah, blah

♥ Dog obedience instructor♥ CPDT

AHS is…

♥ Animal Sheltering

♥ Disaster and Emergency Response

♥ Humane Education

♥ Veterinary Hospital

♥ Behavior Training

♥ Shelter Medicine

♥ Legislative Advocacy

♥ Animal Cruelty Investigation

♥ Animal Transport

Enrichment is…

♥ En·rich·ment [inˈriCHmənt, enˈriCHmənt] -The action of improving or enhancing the quality of something

♥ What are we “improving and enhancing”?

♥ Our animals’ time with us:

♥ Physically

♥ Mentally

♥ Emotionally

♥ ….Medically

♥ Prevention counts!

Enrichment is…

♥ Physically♥ We got this; mostly…

♥ Dog walks

♥ Play yards/play groups

♥ Kitty “people time”

♥ CCRs

♥ Treadmills

♥ Aren’t just for dogs

♥ Don’t have to be evil

onefastcat.com

Physically…

♥ But wait!♥ Play yards for cats?

♥ Low end

♥ Higher end

♥ The wonders of Eagle Scouts

♥ Creative!

Physically…

Enrichment is…

♥ Mentally♥ Gives control

♥ Reduces “shutting down”

♥ Increases ability to cope

♥ Less stress/less sickness

♥ Teaches/encourages problem solving

♥ Exercises the brain

♥ Makes ‘em tired too

♥ Busts boredom

♥ Prevents inappropriate behaviors

♥ OCD type stuff

Mentally…

♥ Easy stuff♥ Feeding toys♥ Plastic eggs♥ Ping pong balls♥ Wads of paper♥ Mini paper cups folded over♥ Corks♥ Bubbles♥ Baby socks

♥ Birdfeeders/butterfly plants♥ Kites/kids make mobiles♥ Disco ball/laser toys♥ Scratching opportunities

♥ Carpet vs cardboard vs sisal

♥ Music♥ Scents

Cats first!

Mentally…

♥Considerations♥ Housing – sound/echo

♥ Bars – toys “escape”♥ Group – food toys/guarders

♥ Bird feeders♥ Mice and rats? Butterflies!

♥ Lasers/disco balls♥ Frustration – be conservative

♥ Scratching♥ Carpet/cardboard/sisal – oh my!♥ Need to STRETCH

♥ Music♥ Type (of course)♥ Delivery method

♥ Scents♥ Type♥ Amount

♥ Don’t forget lights out/quiet time

Cats first!

Emotionally…

♥ Bond with people♥ The easiest – READ

♥ No handling required♥ Kids, older volunteers, VIPs????

♥ Clicker training anyone?https://clickertraining.com/cat-training

♥ Inside kennel/condo♥ Secret of touch♥ Into a carrier ♥ High five – why?

♥ Learning is just good♥ Cats…the new dog

Cats first!

Mentally…

♥ Easy stuff♥ Feeding toys, buy ‘em or…

♥ Cupcake tins♥ PVC pipe

♥ Frozen treats (buckets/cups)♥ Toilet paper rolls stuffed/frozen♥ Lacrosse balls NOT tennis, eh?♥ Bubbles♥ Check the Zoo!!!

♥ Apes, rhinos, etc.♥ Kites/kids make mobiles♥ Music♥ Scents

Now the dawgs!

Mentally…

♥Considerations♥ Housing

♥ Sound/echo (Jolly balls, Tug A Jug, etc. Kongs…Squirrel Dudes – cleaning nightmares)♥ Bars – toys “escape”♥ Group – food toys/guarders♥ Frozen treats - messy

♥ Zoo toys♥ Expensive…but♥ “Top fastening”

♥ Lasers/disco balls♥ Frustration – be conservative

♥ Music♥ Type (of course)♥ Delivery method

♥ Scents♥ Type♥ Amount

♥ Don’t forget lights out/quiet time

The dawgs!

Emotionally…

♥ Bond with people – nothing bad happens♥ The easiest – READ

♥ No handling required – CID♥ Kids, older volunteers, VIPs??

♥ Clicker training anyone?https://clickertraining.com/dog-training

♥ Inside kennel♥ Click for quiet♥ Basics

♥ Go lie down♥ Secret of “bad dog”♥ How ‘bout a wave?

♥Right…but who and how?

Dawgs too!

Prevention…

♥ Reduce stress♥ Block the view – barriers/frosting/curtains

♥ For cats too

♥ Allow hiding♥ Clicker train ‘em

♥ Meal time =

ENRICHMENT TIME!

Is the BEST medicine!

Next steps

♥ Matching your assessment/observations to the enrichment

♥ Shy animals get confidence building enrichment plan

♥ Bouncy animals get an impulse control enrichment plan

♥ Older/hard to adopt animals get the

“sneaky trick” enrichment plan

♥ Reactive animals get the building block

enrichment plan

♥ Young, unsocial animals get the socialization

enrichment plan

Questions?

Let’s collaborate!Enrichment Ideas Tracking SuccessesThis is the FUN stuff!

cbentley@atlantahumane.org