What We Get Wrong About Dog Enrichment (And How Nature Holds the Answer)

You know how everyone talks about "enrichment" for dogs these days?
And how, nine times out of ten, it basically means stuffing treats into a puzzle toy?

There's a lot more to it than that.

Don't get me wrong, food toys are great. We love them around here!
But real enrichment — true enrichment — is so much deeper than just keeping your dog busy for a few minutes while you answer emails. It’s about letting dogs actually be dogs.

One book that really changed the way I think about this is Canine Enrichment for the Real World by Allie Bender and Emily Strong. It breaks down what a lot of us get wrong: enrichment isn’t a bonus or a fancy extra. It’s about meeting your dog’s actual needs — the ones hardwired into them after thousands of years of living close to nature.

At Loblola, this idea is everything to us. We don't just make nature-inspired toys because they’re cute (though they are). We make them because nature is enrichment.

Where We Miss the Mark With "Enrichment"

Here’s the thing: dogs aren’t just cute little eating machines who need food puzzles to keep them occupied.

They’re sniffers.
They’re diggers.
They’re explorers, shredders, hunters, foragers.
They’re little wild things wrapped up in a pet dog's body.

When we only focus on food toys, we miss so many of the behaviors that dogs naturally need to do to feel good in their skin.

True enrichment means giving your dog safe, healthy ways to act wild — to do all the sniffing, tearing, problem-solving, and exploring their instincts are screaming for.

Why Nature Is So Important

If you think about it, dogs evolved to work with the land — not sit on the couch waiting for kibble to drop into a bowl.

They were built to sniff out trails, dig into dirt, splash through streams, rip apart weird textures with their teeth. That’s the stuff that lights their brains up.

But today, a lot of dogs live pretty sterile lives. Flat sidewalks. Neatly mowed lawns. No messy smells, no cool textures, no chances to make decisions or figure things out.

That's why, at Loblola, we design everything to bring a little wildness back into your dog’s life. A toy that looks like a pinecone isn't just pretty — it's a way for your dog to paw, nudge, and forage the way their ancestors would have.

Our toys are a bridge between the modern world and your dog’s wild heart.

It’s Bigger Than Toys (But Toys Help)

Honestly, some of the best enrichment you can give your dog doesn’t cost a thing:

Let them sniff every single blade of grass on your walk, even if it takes 20 minutes to go one block.
Build a digging spot in the backyard or sandbox.
Make a "shredding box" out of old packages and newspapers.
Take them somewhere new just to explore — woods, beaches, fields, anywhere their nose can lead the way.
Sit at the edge of the woods and let them watch for birds.

Toys like ours are just a tool to add more options into the mix — especially when life gets busy or muddy adventures aren’t in the cards that day. Think of them like mini adventures you can bring indoors.

Real Enrichment Feels Wild

At the end of the day, enrichment isn’t about keeping your dog busy so you can get things done. It’s about giving them chances to be curious. To be messy. To problem-solve. To do what their instincts are dying to do.

Because a tired dog isn’t necessarily a happy dog.
A fulfilled dog — a dog who gets to feel like a dog — is a happy dog.

And where do dogs find that fulfillment?
In the same place they always have: nature.

That’s what we believe at Loblola. That’s why every toy we make is a love letter to the wildness inside your best friend.

So let them be wild, let dogs be dogs.