Bored Pet, Bad Habits: The Case for Daily Enrichment

Chewed shoes, midnight zoomies, constant demands for attention — a lot of what looks like "bad behaviour" is really just an under-stimulated pet with nowhere to put their energy.

Dogs and cats are problem solvers by nature. In the wild (or even a generation or two ago, roaming semi-free), a huge part of their day went into searching, chasing, and working for food. Modern life — a bowl filled once or twice a day, a house with not much to explore — removes almost all of that.

Enrichment doesn't need to mean hours of training. Fifteen minutes of a puzzle feeder, a treat-dispensing toy, or a short new-scent walk can meaningfully tire out a pet's mind, not just their body — and a mentally tired pet is usually a calmer, more settled one.

Start small: swap one meal a week for a puzzle feeder, rotate toys so nothing gets boring, and watch what actually holds your pet's attention. That's usually the best guide to what enrichment they need more of.