Rapid humanization and adoption of Pets needs enrichment-based dog wellness & recreation centers

The world has moved from pet owners to pet parents in the last couple of years where dogs have taken the place of our kids. Increased adoption and humanization of dogs and their acceptance as an integral part of our families with a deep emotional connection and dependency has definitely led to a lot of awareness on this front, however we definitely have a long way to go.

Now that dogs play such an important role in our lives, it is imperative for us to understand how we can keep them mentally and physically fit and healthy.

Dogs are social animals just like us and need to lead an active social life for their mental and physical wellbeing and do not do well locked up alone with no engagement. How else did they become a man's best friend.

Imagine you are under house arrest with very little to do and your mind is incapacitated due to lack of stimulus. The same routine day in and day out with limited to no interaction with the outside world can leave you feeling bored, frustrated, anxious and depressed. Dogs can feel the same way when they lack social activities, new experiences, an occupation, and the opportunity to engage in normal canine behaviours.

Our dogs have now become an extension of our families and rightly so! They are a lot like children. If you don't give them something fun to do, they will make their own fun-and often not in ways you approve of. Physical and mental exercise can lead to a happier, healthier and well-behaved dog. They are much less likely to chew up your furniture, rummage through the trash can or shred up your cushions. A lot of parents due to lack of awareness might think their dog is "acting out" due to malice or anger by damaging and breaking things, however it is merely because your dog has nothing better to do and an empty mind is a devil's workshop after all.

All dogs were bred for a specific purpose or reason in the olden days which kept them stimulated both mentally or physically. In the current urban setting, they laze around all day where they don't have to work for their food and no task to accomplish, they can have an existential crisis which can lead to increased stress and reduced life spans.
They say a tired dog is a good dog! A dog who is well exercised and stimulated tends to bark less, chew less, sleep more and have a longer, happier life.

Dogs require mental enrichment as much as they require physical enrichment. Well stimulated dogs have better mental health, sharper cognitive functions and a more well-balanced life! It helps to build confidence, reduce anxiety and stress.

Just like environmental conditioning plays a very strategic role in shaping and moulding your child, the same applies to your dog. Let us understand this with an example. If we keep a child locked up inside the house who doesn't get a chance to interact with the outside world, gain new experiences, engage with kids of his own age he will turn out to be a highly insecure, socially awkward and an under confident adult. On the other hand we have a child who goes out every day, makes new friends, engages socially and will grow up to be a happy, well balanced confident individual.

Let us understand what we exactly mean by enrichment for dogs

Enrichment is providing dogs with needed environmental stimuli that satisfy their natural instincts, which promotes physical, psychological, and emotional well-being

When considering ways to enrich your dog's environment, we think about the five senses: smell, sight, hearing, touch, and taste.

With the kind of busy lifestyles we lead where we barely have time to squeeze out for ourselves or our children, our dogs can definitely get left behind along the way. So even if we want to, we cannot dedicate the time or attention our dogs deserve and need. We need to look at a tomorrow where sending your dog to doggy day-care becomes as normal as sending your kid to a creche. The important fundamental development that your child gets while being at a creche is irreplaceable and the same concept applies here. Interacting with other puppies of similar age, engaging with different temperaments can really build a solid foundation for your pupper which becomes instrumental in raising a confident, independent and well-balanced dog.

Here at DogNation, we cater to your dog's requirements for physical and mental stimulation through different fun and engaging activities to promote their overall wellbeing and health.

Encouraging and engaging dogs in their innate behaviours like playing, chasing, smelling, scavenging and chewing can add a lot of value and improve their quality of life.

We make them do activities like

• puzzle boxes for cognitive enrichment which improves their memory and problem solving skills by letting them scavenge, search and work for their food
• Flirt poles and bubble sessions which simulates a prey chase and engages their sense of sight
• Nutritional enrichment like snuffle mats, wobble Kong, lickimats and scavenger hunts which engage their sense of smell and taste
• Trampoline which desensitises them to surfaces that feel different to touch
• Agility with different equipment like tunnels and weave poles which engages multiple senses making them more confident, agile and active
• Basic obedience: commands which find daily life applications making them calmer and confident
• Socialisation and group play: an important exercise which teaches them social skills, builds confidence and reduces anxiety

All these activities and programs help dogs get over their boredom, find constructive way of channelling their pent-up energy and anxiety and help meet your dog's enrichment needs making us a truly dog centric company which truly focuses on being a dog wellness and recreation brand

With players like Dogtopia, Campbow wow and Rover from the developed markets like the US setting very high standards in dog care, the Indian counterparts also need to step up their game and ensure day-care and boarding as a service is not just utilitarian but also a lifestyle choice. This means we also need to ensure our services meet the enrichment needs of the dogs who come to board with us thereby making it an integral part of their growth and development.

According to Forbes, an outstanding 92% of pet owners in the US spent the same or more on their pets during the most recent recession period. No matter the economy, people love their pets. And more than ever, people are looking for dog daycare and services.

This is what our Technical Advisor Ms Malvika had to say about her extensive experience in the US "I knew a good day-care from an average one when adequate time was spent evaluating the dog's behaviour, checking for any reactivity or aggression and finally getting a medical report too on current vaccination as well as health status before registration. I used to be worry-free when my dog was in such a facility while I worked."

Increasing awareness among pet parents, nurturing a reliable and trustworthy community to support their journey, access to experts in the industry and maintaining standardised and transparent services will help parents make the right choices for their furry children, giving them the best version of their lives!

By Aparajita Baruah
Founder & CEO - DogNation