By Suzanne Denk, Dip.FBST, Animal Enrichment Specialist
We enjoy offering our pets enrichment activities to improve their quality of life. Having interesting activities to engage with each day lets your pet use their senses and mind in new and exciting ways. Enrichment provides a life for our pets beyond eating and sleeping.
After offering the same enrichment activity over and over again, we can be tempted to make it harder and more complicated, but enrichment can be very simple! But how can we determine whether the activity needs to be made more difficult for our pet or if it has become boring to us? Novelty with enrichment activities is important but old favorites have value, too. You can tell that your pet is not bored if they are interested in beginning the activity, sniffing and actually participating.
Increasing the difficulty of an enrichment game or puzzle to add variety is fine but not required. When increasing difficulty, watch your pet for signs of frustration. An enrichment activity does not have to be hard and you should ensure they are challenged but not struggling. The only requirement is that the activity is engaging and fun! 
Your pet may quickly solve a puzzle or work through an activity and that’s just fine! Enrichment is not a competition. The activity may last only a few seconds or several minutes. If the activity is completed too quickly, offer it again and as many times as they remain interested during the session. Then determine who became bored with the activity, you or your pet? Let them choose when they are done.
Fancy and expensive are not required characteristics of an enrichment activity. Store-bought puzzles are unique but homemade puzzles can provide challenges and relaxation, too. Simple does not mean boring to your pet!
When we provide an activity for our pet, it is important to watch for what they are telling us about the activity and not let our own opinion of the activity direct the enrichment session. Don’t hesitate to fill up an egg carton with treats again and again. After all, your pet may be saying “I’m not bored, you’re bored!”