Calm Enrichment Activities for Dogs

Gentle ways to support your dog’s mind without adding energy

Not every dog needs high-energy games or constant activity to feel fulfilled. In fact, many dogs benefit most from calm enrichment—activities that engage the senses and the brain while encouraging relaxation rather than excitement. Dogs need plenty of rest throughout the day, and some dogs (we’re looking at you, Isla!) have a lot of energy and sometimes need a little help gearing down to get into a rest mode.

Calm enrichment is especially helpful on busy days, during bad weather, for senior dogs, or anytime your dog seems overstimulated. These activities fit naturally into everyday life and often use things you already have at home.

What Is Calm Enrichment?

Calm enrichment focuses on mental engagement without physical intensity. Instead of running, jumping, or problem-solving at high speed, dogs are invited to observe, listen, sniff, or relax in a way that still feels interesting.

These activities:

• Support emotional balance
• Encourage settling and rest
• Reduce boredom without raising energy
• Fit easily into quiet routines

Calm enrichment isn’t about doing nothing—it’s about offering gentle stimulation that feels safe and satisfying.

Looking Out a Window

Watching the world go by can be surprisingly enriching for dogs. For some dogs, it might be a little TOO enriching. If the sight of people walking by or a squirrel running up the tree is too stimulating to your dog, you might have to pass on this activity–or save it for a time when you can sit with your dog while he’s enjoying the window view so that you can pull the curtains if he becomes too excited.

If your dog is generally a calm dog, however, window watching can be very enriching, a way to see passing cars, birds (some people even mount a bird feeder on the window sill for enrichment), the weather and changes in light throughout the day.

This kind of passive observation allows dogs to process information at their own pace. For many dogs, simply having a comfortable spot near a window provides daily mental engagement without effort or excitement. Rotating window access throughout the day can add variety without changing routines.

Watching Dog TV or Nature Videos

Another way to let your dog observe–while having a little more control over what he sees, is with dog-friendly programming, DogTV and nature videos can offer gentle visual and auditory stimulation.

These programs often feature:

• Slow-moving animals
• Calm sounds
• Repetitive, predictable visuals

For some dogs, especially those who enjoy watching movement, this can be a soothing way to engage the senses. The key is keeping volume low and sessions short—it works best as a background activity, not constant entertainment.

Tip: If your dog loses interest, that’s fine. Calm enrichment should always be optional.

Listening to Music

Music can have a calming effect on many dogs, especially when it becomes part of a predictable routine.

Soft music may help:

• Mask outside noise
• Create a relaxing atmosphere
• Support rest during downtime

Some dogs respond well to classical music, ambient sounds, or quiet instrumental tracks. Others simply enjoy consistency—hearing the same type of music during rest times can signal that it’s okay to relax.

Even a white noise machine can be a great way to mask outside sounds and signal to your dog that it’s rest time.

Another option are podcasts or audio recordings. If you have a dog with separation anxiety, you can even think about recording your own voice reading a favorite book. You can loop the video to play for an extended period.

If you have a dog who reacts to sirens or loud sounds, any of the above options can be better choices than live radio. You never know when a commercial featuring a siren might come on–and don’t forget about the monthly tests of the Emergency Alert System (EAS)!

Tip: Keep the volume low and observe your dog’s response rather than assuming a particular style will work.

Quiet Sniffing Activities Indoors

Sniffing doesn’t have to be energetic to be enriching.

Calm sniffing ideas include:

• Hiding a few treats in a folded towel or scattering some treat around the room.
• Letting your dog sniff a new household item such as grocery bags.
• Offering a scent from outdoors. Our dogs love it when we bring in firewood. They enjoy sniffing the split logs which have so many different scents for them to explore.

Sniffing engages the brain in a focused, calming way, often helping dogs settle afterward. These activities work well when you want enrichment without raising energy levels.

Licking and Chewing for Relaxation

Licking and gentle chewing are naturally soothing for many dogs.

Options include:

• Lick mats. Lick mats encourage slow, repetitive licking, which many dogs find naturally calming. The steady rhythm helps dogs focus and settle, making lick mats especially useful during quiet times, stressful moments, or when you want to support relaxation without adding excitement.
• Stuffed food toys. Stuffed food toys give dogs something to work on at their own pace, combining gentle problem-solving with licking and chewing. Because dogs control how quickly they engage, these toys offer mental enrichment while encouraging calm, focused behavior rather than bursts of energy.
• Safe, long-lasting chews. Long-lasting chews provide sustained engagement through slow, rhythmic chewing, which can help dogs relax and unwind. Chewing satisfies a natural need while giving dogs an outlet for calm focus, making these chews a good option during downtime or when dogs need help settling. In our home, we use bully sticks for long-lasting chews (we’ve had too many broken dog teeth through the years to serve marrow bones or even hard plastic chews–but consider your dog’s chewing style. Some dogs are more gentle chewers than others!)

These activities encourage slow, repetitive movements that support relaxation and focus. They’re especially useful during quiet afternoons or in the evening when it’s time to wind down.

Resting Near You During Quiet Activities

Sometimes enrichment is simply being together.

Dogs often enjoy:

• Lying nearby while you read or work. I have a dog bed beneath my desk that is Barli’s favorite.
• Sitting quietly during a calm routine
• Sharing space without interaction

This kind of shared downtime reinforces comfort and security. For many dogs, proximity and predictability are deeply enriching on their own.

Creating a Calm Enrichment Routine

You don’t need to offer multiple activities every day. One or two gentle options woven into your routine is enough.

A calm enrichment routine might include morning window time, some soft music during an afternoon rest and a lick mat or sniffing activity in the evening.

A Gentle Reminder

Calm enrichment doesn’t need to look productive.
It doesn’t need to fill time.
It doesn’t need to impress anyone.

If your dog has opportunities to observe, listen, sniff, and rest, you’re supporting important mental needs—quietly and effectively.

Sometimes the most meaningful enrichment happens when life slows down!

Paris Permenter is the award-winning author of over 30 pet and travel books and 2000 magazine articles for publishers ranging from Reader’s Digest to Simon and Schuster. Paris is a certified canine enrichment specialist with a focus on enriching your daily dog walks.

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