Every dog is unique, but their breed (or blend of breeds) gives us valuable insight into their instincts, energy levels, and behavior. Understanding these traits helps us provide enrichment—the mental, physical, and social stimulation that dogs need to thrive.
From high-energy herders to independent village dogs, each type has specific needs. In this post, we break it all down so you can tailor enrichment that brings out your dog’s best.
1. High-Energy Breeds: Driven and Athletic
Examples: Border Collie, Dalmatian, Belgian Malinois, Jack Russell Terrier, Vizsla
These dogs thrive on action—and lots of it. Expect at least 1–2 hours of physical and mental stimulation every day.
Enrichment ideas:
- Agility or flyball training: These sports tap into their energy and love of learning.
- Dock diving
- Long hikes or trail running: Engages their senses and stamina (maybe even Bikejoring)
- Frisbee and structured fetch or Fetch with obstacles: Add hurdles or hide the ball for added mental challenge.
- Scent work + obstacle combo games
Without consistent and sufficient outlets, these breeds may channel their energy into digging, barking, or chewing, can become anxious, destructive, or exhibit obsessive behaviors like tail-chasing or barking.
2. Working & Herding Breeds: Purpose-Driven Problem Solvers
Examples: German Shepherd, Australian Cattle Dog, Belgian Shepherd, Doberman Pinscher, Rottweiler, Border Collie
Bred for jobs like guarding, herding, and search-and-rescue, these breeds are intelligent, focused, and thrive when they have a purpose. These breeds crave mental stimulation as much as physical activity.
Enrichment ideas:
- Scent work or tracking games: Hide treats or use nose work kits to engage their sense of smell.
- Advanced obedience or trick training: Teach multi-step commands or service-dog tasks.
- Competitve Obedience, protection sports (e.g., IGP, Schutzhund)
- Complex puzzles and scent detection. Puzzle toys & food-dispensing games: Keeps their minds busy when you’re not around or when you are around of course. They don’t have to be all super difficult – easy ones can be just as much fun. You could set also some different ones up to keep it ‘spicy’.
- Herding balls or flirt poles
- (Pack) walks with tasks (e.g., carrying a backpack) or hikes
- Tug-of-war and controlled bite work: Especially useful for breeds with a strong grip and drive.
3. Terriers (Including Staffies): Tenacious and Game-Loving
Examples: Jack Russell Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, Cairn Terrier
Terriers are bold, curious, and bred for hunting small animals. They love to dig, tug, and chase—and often don’t know when to quit.
Enrichment ideas:
- Tug-of-war and structured tug release games
- Dig boxes (sand or ball pits with toys/treats)
- Nose work or barn hunt activities
- High-intensity fetch or flirt pole play
Staffies often combine terrier drive with a social, affectionate temperament. They thrive on interactive enrichment, physical contact, and food-based games.
4. Bully Breeds: Strong, Social, and Sensitive
Examples: American Pit Bull Terrier, American Bully, English Bulldog, American Bulldog, Staffordshire Bull Terrier
These breeds are powerful yet affectionate. Contrary to outdated stereotypes, they are people-oriented and eager to please—making them ideal for structured, interactive play.
Enrichment ideas:
- Power chews (durable toys like Kong Power Chewer Toys)
- Obedience and impulse-control games. I love to add arousal up and down training to manage arousal levels into my training with bully breeds. This is not only fun but also an essential in order to help your dog regulate (help them understand that there’s more than 0 and 100).
- Weight pulling or resistance training (for healthy adults)
- Puzzle feeders and treat-dispensing toys
- Tug-of-War
Many bully breeds are sensitive to boredom and social isolation, leading to destructive behavior or anxiety. Enrichment should include bonding time. As we all know they are actual big lap dogs 🙂
5. Toy Breeds: Smart, Social, and Stimulation-Hungry
Examples: Chihuahua, Pomeranian, Maltese, Shih Tzu, Yorkshire Terrier
Though compact, toy breeds are often intelligent and alert and enjoy mental stimulation. They may not need miles of exercise but still crave stimulation and engagement. They often thrive in short bursts of focused activity.
Enrichment ideas:
- Short training sessions with treats: Teach tricks, names of toys, or even mini agility. Keep an eye on your dog’s daily food allowance!
- Snuffle mats, treat balls or puzzles: Encourage natural foraging behavior.
- Hide-and-seek with people or toys. Hide-and-seek games: Let them sniff out your hiding place or their favorite toy.
- Basic trick training
- Short, structured fetch or even a little obsicle course
- Interactive companions: Many toy breeds bond closely and enjoy being included in household routines.
Be mindful of “over-pampering” —many toy breeds enjoy independence and can become bored or vocal without enough engagement.
6. Scent Hounds: Born to Sniff
Examples: Beagle, Basset Hound, Bloodhound, Coonhound
Scent hounds live through their noses. Without a scent trail to follow, they may become restless or howl to express boredom. With noses that never stop working, scent hounds need sniff-based stimulation and time to follow their instincts. In Short: Follow That Nose!
Enrichment ideas:
- Trail scenting with treats or essential oils. Scent trails in the yard: Use treats or essential oils to create a path. Dragging a saussage on a string through your garden works very well.
- Tracking games in safe, enclosed areas
- Sniff walks (slow-paced, sensory-rich walks)
- Dig boxes scented with food or toys
- Scavenger hunts indoors: Hide treats or toys in boxes, under furniture, or behind curtains.
- Long-line walks in varied environments: Give them space to sniff safely.
These breeds often respond better to nose-driven tasks than obedience drills
7. Guardian & Mastiff Breeds: Calm, Watchful, Purposeful
Examples: Great Pyrenees, Cane Corso, Akita, Anatolian Shepherd, Bullmastiff
Guardian breeds are typically calm indoors but alert and protective by nature. They need purposeful activity to feel satisfied and less prone to over-guarding. Guardian breeds prefer calm consistency and often display territorial behaviors. Enrichment should offer controlled responsibility.
Enrichment ideas:
- Controlled perimeter walks (on your property)
- Boundary training games: Engage their natural protectiveness constructively.
- Obedience with calm reinforcement
- Carrying objects or pulling carts: Physical work that feels like a “job.” Alternatively maybe cart-pulling or backpack walks – see what your dog enjoys.
- Calm games like scent discrimination
- Controlled socialization: Keeps them confident and balanced with strangers.
Enrichment for these breeds should balance structure and calm. Overexcitement may lead to reactivity.
8. Companion & Lapdog Breeds: Close and Connected
Examples: French Bulldog, Bichon Frise, Havanese, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
These breeds were bred primarily for companionship. These breeds bond deeply with humans. They thrive on close interaction with their humans and suffer when left alone for long periods. They often prefer low-impact physical activity and thrive on emotional connection.
Enrichment ideas:
- Interactive play with you: Tug, gentle chase, or toy retrieval in the living room.
- Cuddly training games (e.g., targeting, touch cues), ie Training games that involve praise and touch: They’re often more motivated by affection than food.
- Interactive dog puzzles
- Social Doggy playdates: Many love social time with other dogs. Or to hang out with their favourite humans and their human friends.
- Sensory stimulation (textures, sounds, gentle toys)
- Window watching or “TV for dogs”: Controlled visual stimulation can reduce boredom.
9. Village Dogs & Free-Roaming Dogs: Independent Thinkers
Examples: Native Indian Dogs, African village dogs, Bali dogs, Carolina Dogs, “street dogs” from various regions
These dogs evolved for self-sufficiency. They are intelligent, cautious, and often excellent problem-solvers. Many are adopted from shelters or rescue programs.
Enrichment ideas:
- Slow introduction to puzzles and toys (start with scent-based)
- Foraging games and natural sniff trails
- Cooperative training and recall practice
- Natural exploration in low-stimulus environments
Village dogs often enjoy quiet observation over intense socializing. Enrichment should support confidence-building and gentle exposure.
10. Mixed Breeds: Unique Combinations, Unique Needs
Mixed breeds are a beautiful blend of instincts and temperaments. Identifying their dominant traits helps you craft the right enrichment mix.
Enrichment ideas:
- Variety! Create a rotating enrichment menu: Include physical, mental, and sensory activities to see what your dog loves most.
- Use dog DNA testing (like Embark or Wisdom Panel) to learn about your dog’s breed traits. This can help you identify breed-specific tendencies and tailor enrichment accordingly.
- Behavior-based enrichment: Watch what lights them up
Let your dog’s behavior guide you. Many mixed breeds are wonderfully adaptable and respond well to variety.
Final Thoughts: Enrichment is Not One-Size-Fits-All – and it’s Essential! Not OPtional
Tailoring enrichment to your dog’s breed type (or breed mix) allows you to tap into their natural drives in a fun, healthy way. By meeting their individual needs—whether that’s sprinting, sniffing, solving puzzles, or snuggling—you’ll have a more balanced, content, and well-behaved companion.
Remember: A tired dog is a happy dog, but a fulfilled dog is an even happier one.
Whether your dog is a purebred border collie or a lovable village rescue, enrichment keeps them balanced, confident, and fulfilled. The right mix of activity helps prevent behavioral issues, anxiety, and boredom—and deepens your bond in the process.
✨ Key takeaway: Know your dog. Feed their instincts. Let them explore who they were born to be.
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