Outdoor adventure for mental health

This last week has been so therapeutic for Sheila and me. I've been in a funk lately but poor Sheila was struggling. We were staying at our trailer so I could work on the renovation but a fly got inside. Sheila is terrified of flying things when they're indoors. (Outside she just tries to bite them.)

She was so distressed by it and I could never find it to get rid of it. We were doing CBD and her weighted blanket and lots of treats and walks but she was still slinking around the house hiding from the dreaded fly. So I said forget this, we're going camping.

So I loaded up Sheila and a few things and hopped in the car. 

We ended up spending 4 nights at a nearby lake. The water is still too cold for me but Sheila was not deterred. She spent her days sniffing, rolling, digging, splashing, and doing dog stuff. One day she spent hours splashing up and down the beach following minnows and looking for underwater sticks she could bring me. I fed her in her wobble and let her get as dirty as she wanted. And for 1 night our besties came to stay and she played so hard!

I spent my days reading, writing, enjoying the sun, and watching her play and enjoy herself. I know for most people seeing your dog play is nothing new, and Sheila is a very playful dog. But she's often anxious or stressed by little things so I just love to watch her be totally at ease and out of her shell.

All of this is to say, enrichment isn't just toys and puzzles. Letting your dog BE a dog is the ultimate form of enrichment. If you don't have access to safe places where your dog can be off leash check out SniffSpot or check with people you know that have fenced yards. And if all else fails, a 30ft (or longer) long line is an amazing tool to let your dog have the freedom to be a dog.