How the Program Works
Your enrichment therapist will create an individual program for your dog to meet their very unique needs to provide them with the support that will help them learn to cope better with transitions and adapt to environments easier. Guardians will drop their dogs off at a schedule time where the enrichment therapist will begin the session based on the individual needs of each dog. Some dogs will need help regulating immediately, where others will need space and time to transition into their session and feel safe.
The entire two hour session will be spent outdoors in different activities and environments that are carefully created and managed to provide positive experiences and the right kind of challenges to help your dog problem solve, build confidence, feel empowered, feel safe and learn new skills. Some of our favourite activities are snuffling, exploring, connection walks, practicing body positioning on balance discs, discovery boxes and puzzle toys, confidence courses, walking poles, playing partnership games, playing learning games, skill building, tunnels, digging, chewing, sensory activities and relaxing.
Although each session looks different for each dog, all dogs will go through the cycle of emotional regulation which includes healthy play and arousal followed by calming activities to help decompress the nervous system and return the dog to balanced emotional state. This is a beneficial life skill that helps dogs cope better with stress, adapt better to routine changes and become more emotionally resilient.
The last 15 minutes of each session is reserved for client transfer, demonstrations and questions. Clients are welcome to stay for the entire session if they wish, but some dogs will relax into the therapy better if their guardian is not present.