Enrichment is about making sure dogs needs are met, and safety is absolutely a need. Safety is a core need and without it the dog is operating at a higher stress level and not benefiting from activities that are being provided.
Is your dog safe?
Do they feel safe?
Can they relax? (Without making it weird by forcing them too.)
Do they have freedom of expression?
Can they make decisions without fear of consequence? (Within a safe environment)
(All of these are obviously within the bounds of safety. Not exploring the streets on the their own type thing.)
Providing safety is a pet parent’s responsibility, every dog has their own additional safety needs too. Maybe special arrangements to sleep (like in a crate) maintaining a certain ‘safe’ distance from other dogs, a quiet space to eat. Even management tools in the house like baby gates
A good measure that your dog feels safe is their ability to relax, and I don’t mean just sleep, I mean the ability to settle and rest undisturbed without intervention.
So, Does your dog feel safe?
