What are decompression activities for dogs?
Alyson Champlin
2025-06-23 21:17:37
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Decompression activities allow your dogs to get back to a calm, balanced state of mind. Essentially, engaging in decompression activities allows your dogs to get back to a calm, balanced state of mind.
Aside from decompression periods, there are also a wide variety of enrichment games that are considered decompression worthy for our pets.
Decompression or "Sniffy" Walks are fantastic, a decompression walk is essentially a walk where your dog has freedom of movement to explore their environment.
Scatter Feeding is low effort for maximum reward, simply take a portion of your dogs meals (or treats), scatter them in your home or yard, and allow your dog's foraging instincts to take over.
Snuffle/Foraging Activities, such as Snuffle Mats, Towel Puzzles, Sensory Boxes, and Licking Enrichment, can help calm most canines.
Lick Mats are one of the most commonly used licking enrichment types, and a great way to DIY this at home is to use muffin tins.
Decompression activities offer a sense of stress-relieving outlets for our furry friends, by offering these activities at the opportune moments, it allows our dogs to come back to a neutral headspace where they can be content and at ease.
Dena Bartoletti
2025-06-23 17:49:58
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When we talk about decompression activities, I want you to think about what your dog would choose to do if they had a whole day to fill. We want the same for our dogs. The core qualities of a decompression activity are: not too exciting – yes your dog enjoys it but no it’s not reducing the stress hormones building up in the body, dog driven – decompression activities are all about what your specific dog finds decompressing and what they would choose to do with their day off, not training based – training can be stressful, good training generally isn’t but ideally the dog just gets to move and behave as they find natural. Examples of Decompression Activities include: A decompression walk, Chewing/Puzzle enrichment, Sniffing, Snoozing in the sun. A decompression walk is dog led, off lead, focus on sniffing, involve no toys, and minimal training, ideally out in nature. Chewing/Puzzle enrichment is nothing that is too hard and causes the dog to worry about achieving their end goal, you want to think of playing a game where you know you can win but have a few seconds of challenge to get there. Sniffing can be in whatever capacity you can offer it, scatter feeds, hiding toys, sniffing unusual places, etc.
Zander Kihn
2025-06-23 17:25:42
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Decompression walks allow dogs to be dogs and to engage in natural behaviors in a way that is calming and decompressing. Sarah Stremming defines a decompression walk as a walk where the dog is allowed freedom of movement in nature. This can be done off-leash or on a long line with a back clipping harness. Decompression walks don’t have to look the same for every dog. If off-leash is not a possibility for you, try a long line. If you can’t do a trail or a beach, try any grassy area, a baseball or soccer field, cemetery, golf course, even a back yard can be utilized for decompression walks. Freedom of movement allows for choice and exploration. Freedom to sniff and explore provide both physical and mental stimulation. Dogs are natural hunters and scavengers, some of their innate behaviors include sniffing, chasing, running, digging, playing, and rolling in dead and stinky things, just to name a few.
Mikayla Streich
2025-06-23 15:38:28
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Decompression activities for dogs include providing a quiet space, known as a "Zen Zone", where they can choose to retreat to when feeling overwhelmed. This space should be honored as a place they can always retreat to when they want to get away from family activity and not be bothered. Once your dog is comfortable, getting out on slow, sniffy, quiet walks is also often a beneficial decompression tool. You can use a long line attached to a well-fitting harness to allow some freedom to explore. Treat-dispensing toys and nosework activities are often particularly beneficial as environmental enrichment can be an effective stress-reliever and confidence booster for dogs. Stick to a routine, as predictability is reassuring for dogs, particularly if they’re nervous or anxious, and consider creating a routine for things like feeding times, potty breaks, naps, training sessions, and playtime. Begin with simply spending quiet time near your new dog, and when they’re ready and looking for it, offer them affection, food rewards, and calm play sessions. Gradual introductions to new people and stimuli are still important, especially for puppies who have a critical sensitive socialization period from around 3 to 14 weeks of age.
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