How to Keep Your Dog Happy in a Small Space: Enrichment Ideas for Apartment Living
How to Keep Your Dog Happy in a Small Space: Enrichment Ideas for Apartment Living
Living in an apartment with a dog comes with unique challenges, but a smaller space doesn’t mean your pup has to miss out on fun and fulfilment! Dogs need mental and physical enrichment to stay happy and well-behaved - Without it, boredom and frustration can lead to unwanted behaviours like barking, chewing and excessive energy.
Here are some expert-approved enrichment ideas to help your apartment pup thrive!
1. Puzzle Toys & Interactive Feeders
Mealtimes are a great way to super easily include an enrichment activity. Ditch your dog bowl for any of the following ways to feed your dog and turn meal times into an engaging activity:
✅ Snuffle Mats - Snuffle Mats are a great way to encourage your dog to mimic natural foraging behaviour and slow down eating. If you have a dog that likes to pick up and shake a snuffle mat around (you've got a clever dog!) use a snuffle ball instead.
✅ LickiMats - If you have raw / wet food, using a Lickimat is a great option for meal times. You can also use any dog freindly leftovers from the fridge too such as natural yoghurt or left over dog safe veg from dinner! These can also be frozen for a longer lasting activity once they are good at using them.
✅ Kongs & treat-dispensing toys - Fill these with kibble or wet food. These are great options too once your dog is a Pro at the easier options above.
💡 Trainer Tip: Rotate enrichment toys to keep things fresh and exciting!
2. Indoor Scent Games
Dogs love using their noses, and scent work is a great way to mentally tire them out in a small space. Try:
🐶 Find the Treats - Hide treats around the apartment and let your dog sniff them out.
🦴 Which Hand? - Hide a treat in one hand and encourage your dog to choose.
🧇 Scent Trail - Drag a smelly treat along the floor and let your dog follow the trail.
🔹 Why it works: Scent work taps into your dog's natural instincts, reduces stress and increases confidence!
3. Short, Focused Training Sessions
Training isn't just for having a well trained dog - It's also a form of mental excercise! Spent 5-10mins a day teaching new tricks, refining behaviours, or playing impulse games like:
🚪 Wait and Release - Teach your dog patience by sitting and waiting for you to open the door before releasing your dog to leave the apartment.
🛑 Find it! - Toss a treat and cue your dog to search for it.
🐾 New Tricks - Teach fun behaviours such as a 'Spin' so that your dog can wipe its own feet on the mats in reception on the way home so you don't have wet pawprints following you through reception (your receptionist will thank you too!) or a 'High Five' to meet people instead of jumping up on people
👣 Lift Etiquette - 'Middle' is a great behaviour to teach your dog to ride in the lift. It encourages them to stay close to you and you don't have to worry about them getting trodden on or jumping up and saying hi to someone.
🌟 Bonus: Regular training deepens your bond and builds confidence in your dog!
4. Outdoor Adventures: Making the Most of City Walks
Since apartments don't usually have gardens, outdoor adventures are essential. Make walks more enriching by:
🏛️ Go on a 'Sniffari' together - Letting your dog sniff freely (It's their way of exploring the world!)
👃 Using different routes to provide new sights and smells on walks
🦮 Bringing along their favourite tug toy for interactive play with you on walks in open spaces.
💡 Struggle with puppy training, recall or reactivity? My Urban Dog Blueprint for Apartment & City Living can help with real-life city confidence!
Need More Help with Apartment Dog Life?
Keeping your dog happy in an apartment takes structure, enrichment, and training. If you are struggling with barking, toileting trainings, bordom, or excessive energy. I've got two ways to help:
FREE Apartment Training: A Free Online Course for Small Space Success - Get expert tips on lift etiquette, enrichment, and preventing problem behaviours.
Urban Dog Blueprint Training for Apartment & City Living - My three month in-depth training programme designed to help you and your city dog thrive.
👉 Click below to get started today!
