Canine Enrichment Explained: Meeting Your Dog’s Mental and Emotional Needs with Tori Mistick

Send us Fan MailMany pet parents focus on diet, exercise, and supplements to support their dogs’ health—but physical care is only part of the picture. In this episode of The Alternative Dog Moms Podcast, we sit down with dog trainer and educator Tori Mistick to explore the critical role of canine enrichment and engagement in raising emotionally balanced, fulfilled dogs.This conversation helps dog parents understand why unmet mental and emotional needs often show up as “behavior problems,” and how small, thoughtful changes to daily routines can dramatically improve a dog’s quality of life.CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction01:16 About Tori Mistick's 03:38 Limited podcast series about engagement06:37 Engagement in a multi-dog home09:24 Definition of enrichment10:26 Variety is important to dogs11:35 Food-based enrichment - treat trail mix14:11 Sound/music + engagement18:15 Enrichment + senior dogs20:41 Novel enrichment - The Bubble Machine26:34 Social engagement32:12 Understanding limits/boundaries35:05 It's not about trying them out / bonding+togetherness37:35 Enrichment is good for pet parents too39:40 Fetching a toy by name41:44 The importance of choice45:00 Dogs pay attention and learn from us all the time49:02 Hemangiosarcoma (another commonality)52:27 Wear Wag Repeat SocietyLINKS DISCUSSED:Dog Enrichment with Tori Mistick Podcast: https://wearwagrepeat.com/dog-enrichment-podcast/Tori's website: https://wearwagrepeat.com/Tori's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ToriMistickGet Tori's Dog Enrichment Activity Pack: https://wearwagrepeat.com/dog-enrichment-mental-activity-pack/Tori's Wear Wag Repeat Society for Petpreneurs: https://wearwagrepeat.com/society/Hemangiosarcoma Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1A3h25H92G/SOCIAL MEDIA:Kimberly: Raw Feeder Life, RawFeederLife.comErin Scott: Believe in Dog podcast, BelieveInDogPodcast.comRaw Feeder Life, Instagram.com/RawFeederLifeBelieve in Dog Podcast, Instagram.com/Erin_The_Dog_MomThanks for listening to our podcast.  You can learn more about Erin Scott's first podcast at BelieveInDogPodcast.com.  And you can learn more about raw feeding, raising dogs naturally, and Kimberly's dogs at KeepTheTailWagging.com.  And don't forget to subscribe to The Alternative Dog Moms.