With more and more social media posts popping up about rehoming unwanted puppies — often because they’ve become bored, noisy, or destructive — we wanted to share some ideas on how we, as pet parents, can nurture our pups into happy, confident, and well-rounded adult dogs. Think of a young corgi like a toddler: until they’re about three years old, they’re not just going to “settle in” quietly. They need mental stimulation, consistent structure, and healthy outlets for their natural instincts to thrive.
Excessive barking, chewing, or attention-seeking often stems from boredom or unmet needs. A basket of toys is a good start, but toys alone can become repetitive or get destroyed. Corgis love human interaction and that’s where enrichment comes in.
What Is Enrichment?
Enrichment (Cambridge Dictionary): The act or process of improving the quality or power of something by adding something else.
For dogs, enrichment means making their lives more meaningful, rewarding, and engaging. It helps fulfill their natural drives and prevents unwanted behaviours from developing into bad habits that destroy the joy of dog ownership.
Corgis are clever little thinkers and absolutely love their food — which means treats are a big win! This makes training both fun and effective, giving you the perfect chance to use simple, budget-friendly activities to keep them happy in body and mind. Because they’re quick learners when food is involved, you can teach new tricks or commands in no time. And once they’ve mastered the skill, you can phase out the treats — they’ll still be keen to show off what they know.
Food-Based Enrichment
Scatter Feeding
Instead of feeding from a bowl, scatter your corgi’s kibble or treats around the yard. Use grated cheese, chopped fruit or veg (like carrot or apple), or even cereals like rice bubbles or cornflakes. Let them sniff and forage—it’s instinctual, calming, and mentally stimulating.
Sniffing is how dogs explore, communicate, and understand the world. It activates their brain and lowers stress levels.
Important notes:
- Deduct any enrichment food from their daily meal allowance to avoid overfeeding.
- Cut fruit and veg into kibble-sized pieces to ensure this activity lasts longer and engages their senses.
- Avoid toxic foods like grapes, sultanas, onions, and chocolate.
Rolled Towel Treat Hunt
A simple rolled towel can become a fun and challenging puzzle for your corgi. Hide kibble or small treats inside the folds of a towel, roll it up tightly, and let your dog sniff, unroll, and forage.
This activity encourages problem-solving, nose work, and fine motor skills—all while being gentle on joints and suitable for indoor play.
You can also tie the towel in loose knots with treats tucked inside, or layer multiple towels for added complexity.
Tip: This is a great rainy-day activity, best done on a hard floor for easy cleanup.
Lickimats
Lickimats are textured rubber mats designed to hold soft foods like peanut butter, Greek yoghurt, mashed pumpkin, or wet dog food. Spread a thin layer across the surface and let your corgi lick away.
Licking is a calming activity that releases endorphins and helps reduce anxiety. It’s especially useful during stressful times like thunderstorms or vet visits.
Freeze the mat for longer-lasting engagement, or use it as a distraction during grooming or nail trimming.
Slow Feeders
Slow feeders are bowls with ridges or compartments that make it harder for dogs to gulp down their food. They turn mealtime into a mini puzzle, encouraging slower eating and more mindful foraging.
These are great for corgis who eat too quickly or need extra mental stimulation during meals.
You can even alternate between slow feeders and scatter feeding to keep things fresh and exciting.
Chewing
Chewing with Milk Bottles
Empty milk bottles (with lids, rings, and labels removed) can be repurposed into chew toys or puzzle feeders. The scent alone can spark curiosity, and placing a treat inside adds a challenge.
Chewing is instinctual. It mimics bone-chewing in the wild and helps dogs self-soothe. It releases endorphins, reduces anxiety, and satisfies their need to gnaw and explore textures.
Bonus: Chewing supports dental health and keeps your corgi busy in a positive way.
Shredding with Cardboard Boxes
Dogs love shredding, and it’s not just for fun. It taps into their prey and foraging instincts, offering sensory and emotional enrichment.
Use cardboard boxes of various sizes to create shredding puzzles:
- Hide treats or toys inside.
- Spread dog-safe foods like peanut butter, Greek yoghurt, or Vegemite on the inner walls.
- Let your corgi sniff, tear, and discover the goodies.
Tip: This is a great rainy-day activity—best done on a hard floor for easy cleanup.
Think empty muesli-bar boxes, toilet rolls, etc.
Safety First:
- If using larger shipping boxes, remove all tape, staples, and plastic.
- Supervise to ensure they don’t ingest large pieces.
Exploring with SniffSpot
Sniffspot is often described as “Airbnb for dog parks”. It’s a platform where private landowners rent out their yards, fields, trails, or other dog-friendly spaces by the hour to provide safe, off-leash play and training environments for dogs.
Perfect for:
- Reactive dogs
- Dogs with poor recall
- Puppies or seniors needing gentle space
New environments offer fresh scents, textures, and terrain. Ideal for scent work, confidence building, and reducing anxiety.
Sniffspot listings are available throughout Australia, including in your area:
- In New South Wales, you’ll find a variety of private parks–from fenced yards to agility courses and indoor spaces.
- In Sydney specifically, there are around 25 spots, including:
- 22 fully fenced parks
- Fields
- Agility arenas
- Dog beaches
- Indoor spaces
These can be filtered by size, fencing, and distraction level.
Final Thoughts
These enrichment ideas aren’t just for bouncy young corgis — older dogs love them too! They’re a great way to spark curiosity, engage the senses, and let your dog tap into their natural instincts. And here’s something worth remembering: dogs don’t feel guilt the way we do. That “guilty” look is usually confusion or appeasement, not an admission of wrongdoing. Harsh discipline, like smacking, won’t solve the problem — it only teaches fear. Instead, focus on redirecting unwanted behaviour and giving your dog positive, engaging outlets for their energy.
When your corgi’s needs are met, they’re content, relaxed, and a joy to live with — and that happiness spreads through the whole home.