The Science Behind Enrichment (and Why Your Dog Needs It)

If you’ve ever watched your dog dig furiously in the dirt, shred a toy into fluff, or dive nose-first into the grass like they’re solving a mystery, you’ve witnessed a little slice of instinct in action. These aren’t “bad habits” — they’re behaviors written deep into your dog’s brain through something called fixed modal action patterns (or FAPs, if you want to sound fancy at the dog park).

What’s a Fixed Modal Action Pattern?

A fixed modal action pattern is a hard-wired sequence of behaviors that all members of a species share. For dogs, that might look like search → stalk → chase → grab → dissect — the classic predatory chain that wolves use to hunt.
Our modern pups might not need to catch dinner, but the urge to perform these sequences is still there. When those needs go unmet, dogs often invent their own “enrichment” — like tearing up your mail or zooming laps around the couch.

Why Enrichment Matters

Enrichment is simply providing outlets for natural behaviors in safe, structured ways. It’s how we let dogs be dogs — giving them opportunities to sniff, dig, chew, and explore. Beyond keeping them busy, enrichment helps reduce stress, prevent behavior issues, and support emotional well-being. A dog who gets to express their instincts in healthy ways is calmer, more confident, and easier to live with.

Different Dogs, Different Drives

Just like people have favorite hobbies, dogs have preferred “behavioral channels.” Some find deep satisfaction in foraging — sniffing out treats in a snuffle mat or scattering kibble in the grass. Others love shredding — give them a cardboard box full of paper scraps and watch pure joy unfold.
Here are a few more examples of FAP-based enrichment ideas:

• Foragers: Snuffle mats, scatter feeding, or hide-and-seek with treats

• Chewers/Shredders: Cardboard boxes, paper towel rolls, safe chews

• Hunters/Chasers: Tug toys, flirt poles, fetch games

• Diggers: Sandboxes, blanket piles, or digging pits

• Sniffers: Long-line sniff walks or scent games

The key is to match enrichment to your dog’s natural tendencies rather than forcing them into activities they don’t enjoy. A scent hound may find puzzle feeders boring but could spend hours on a sniff walk. A herding mix might prefer structured games like fetch or tug that tap into their motion-based instincts.

A Few Words on Balance

Not all enrichment has to be high-energy. Lick mats, frozen Kongs, and scent work can be incredibly soothing for anxious dogs. For others, movement-based play helps burn off steam before training or rest.
Think of enrichment as a spectrum — sometimes calming, sometimes exciting — and aim for variety throughout the week.

Let’s Make Enrichment Easy

Start simple: swap one regular feeding for a foraging game, or add a short sniff walk before dinner. Notice what your dog gravitates toward, and build from there.