In this episode, I’m digging into an often-overlooked (but wildly powerful) category of dog enrichment: environmental enrichment. I’m talking about changing or adding things to your dog’s physical environment so they can do more “dog things”—sniffing, exploring, climbing, navigating obstacles, and making choices. And yep, I’m sharing a study that genuinely surprised me: the enrichment that moved the needle most wasn’t a stuffed Kong or puzzle toy…it was bacon-scented bubbles and a toddler’s playhouse. I break down a 2022 study (Hunt + Vaterlaws-Whiteside) that rotated seven enrichment activities with assistance dogs in training and measured relaxation and alert behaviors. The biggest boosts in relaxation came from playing with another dog, bacon-scented bubbles, and the playhouse—while food toys showed the smallest improvements, likely because the dogs were already used to them. The big takeaway: novelty and variety matter. To make this actionable, I share three easy ideas you can try this weekend: a “weekend playhouse” you rotate (even better if you share with dog mom friends), a DIY “pop up adventure park” (aka my surface circus) using stuff you already have at home, and seasonal snuffle boxes that bring the outdoors in. And I wrap with a listener Q&A on safely starting paddleboarding with a water-loving puppy (train on land first, add a life vest early, and wait for vaccines before shared water).