June 2025
In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education blog, Tabitha Kucera, RVT, VTS (Behavior), CCBC, KPA-CTP and owner of Chirrups and Chatter Behavior Consulting, reviews the importance and possibilities of post-surgery enrichment for dogs. The post-surgical environment has a huge impact on patient wellbeing, recovery, and return to normalcy. Read on to learn how to optimize the post-surgical recovery period for the patient and owner!

Post-Surgery Enrichment: Calming Techniques for Recovery

By Tabitha Kucera, RVT, VTS (Behavior), CCBC, KPA-CTP

Activity restriction is a cornerstone of post-operative care—but for many caregivers, it’s also one of the most challenging parts of recovery to implement. Dogs accustomed to walks, play, and freedom of movement can quickly become frustrated, anxious, or depressed when those routines are taken away. Their humans often feel helpless and overwhelmed, especially when they see their dog struggling to settle.


Without thoughtful support, this shared stress can lead to setbacks in healing, decreased caregiver compliance, and an overall decline in quality of life for both the patient and their people. But with a few simple tools and proactive communication, veterinary teams can turn this difficult period into an opportunity to build resilience, trust, and calm.

What Is Enrichment and Why Is It Essential During Recovery?

In veterinary medicine, we often focus on physical healing—but a successful recovery also requires attention to the patient’s emotional wellbeing. That is where enrichment comes in.

Enrichment is the process of meeting an animal’s mental, emotional, and behavioral needs by giving them opportunities to express species-typical behaviors in safe and appropriate ways. For dogs, this includes sniffing, chewing, foraging, exploring, problem-solving, resting, and positive and predictable social interactions.


During recovery, these natural outlets are often restricted—but that doesn’t mean they have to disappear entirely. With a bit of creativity and guidance, we can help families provide safe, calming forms of enrichment that:

  • Reduce frustration and stress
  • Improve recovery outcomes
  • Support medication compliance
  • Strengthen the human-animal bond
  • Increase caregiver satisfaction and engagement

Building a Recovery-Friendly Enrichment Plan

Effective enrichment during recovery looks different than it might for a healthy, active dog. It needs to be aligned with the dog’s current physical limitations and needs. Enrichment should include involving all five senses—smell, sight, touch, sound, and taste; offering variety and predictability, and tailored to the individual dog’s personality, preferences, and stage of recovery.

When recommending enrichment, consider the following key components:

Comfortable, Thoughtful Spaces

Encourage caregivers to set up a recovery space that:

  • Includes a quiet area where the dog can rest undisturbed
  • Offers visual access to the household to reduce isolation
  • Has traction-friendly flooring to prevent slipping
  • Incorporates soft bedding and familiar items to promote comfort

Sensory Enrichment

When mobility is limited, sensory enrichment becomes even more important. Dogs explore the world primarily through their noses, so scent-based activities are an excellent low-effort outlet for mental stimulation:

  • Introduce calming scents like lavender or chamomile using cotton balls, paper towel rolls, or scent boxes.
  • Rotate scents regularly to maintain novelty.
  • Hide small amounts of food or treats in a snuffle mat or around a single room to promote light, supervised foraging.
  • If cleared for brief outings, offer a short car ride with the windows slightly cracked to expose the dog to new smells without physical exertion.
  • Background music or “Dog TV” with slow-moving visuals can also provide gentle visual and auditory stimulation.

Food-based Enrichment

Eating can be both nourishing and enriching. Recommend tools and activities that promote calm, slow feeding and light problem-solving, such as:

  • Frozen or stuffed food toys (like KONGs®, Toppls®, licky mats)
  • Puzzle feeders to encourage mental engagement
  • Scatter feeding (inside or in a small, secure outdoor area)
  • DIY puzzles, such as kibble hidden in a box filled with paper and their toys or place treats covered by tennis balls/other balls into a muffin tin, where each ball has a treat hidden underneath it! For smaller dogs, use an egg carton in a similar way. Make sure the balls are always large enough to not pose a choking hazard.


These activities not only engage the brain but also offer a calming effect through licking and chewing behaviors that release feel-good endorphins.

Simple Cognitive Games

Short 2-6 minutes sessions of training can help a recovering dog feel more in control and connected to their caregiver. Try suggesting:

  • “Which Hand?”: Hide a treat in one of two closed fists and reward the dog for choosing correctly.
  • “Which Cup”: Place two to three plastic cups overturned on top of something your dog wants, like a treat. Then, mix up the cups (as a magician might!) and challenge your dog to “tell” you which cup the item of interest is hidden beneath. Note that your dog may “tell” you which cup with a gaze, their nose, or their paw. As soon as they focus in on one of the cups, overturn it to show what lies beneath. If they get it right, they immediately get the treat, plus an extra reward to reinforce their correct choice. If the dog gets it wrong, you can overturn that cup, show that it’s empty, and then overturn the cup that contains the treasure. To keep your dog from getting discouraged and giving up on the game initially, give him a treat anyway for trying. Then, once the dog is used to the game, you may opt to reward only the correct choice on the first try.
  • Targeting: Teaching a nose or paw target can provide mental stimulation with minimal movement.

Always remind caregivers to use positive reinforcement and keep sessions brief 2-6 minutes to start.

Tactile Comfort

Identify the kind of touch the animal appreciates:

  • Brushing
  • Light massage or petting
  • Cuddling with soft blankets, stuffed animals, or bolstered beds
  • Offering a variety of textured items like snuffle mats or fleece pads

Emphasize the importance of watching body language and giving the dog choice and agency in interactions.

Keep It Predictable: Routines Reduce Anxiety

Recovery often disrupts a dog’s normal routine, which can increase stress and confusion. Encouraging consistency in the daily schedule, such as set times for meals, medications, enrichment activities, and rest can help dogs feel more secure. Predictable structure also supports caregiver success, especially when families are juggling post-op care with their usual responsibilities.

A Few Clear Guidelines for Caregivers

To make enrichment safe and effective, offer these basic tips:

  • Always supervise new toys and activities.
  • Avoid rough play, high-arousal games, and squeaky toys.
  • Rotate enrichment items to maintain novelty and engagement.
  • Allow the dog to disengage—rest is just as valuable as activity.

Provide examples that match the patient’s mobility and stage of healing and be sure to tailor your recommendations to the individual dog’s energy level and preferences.

How the Veterinary Team Can Help

Veterinary professionals are uniquely positioned to support both the patient and their family during recovery. Including guidance on appropriate enrichment builds trust, improves compliance, and supports better outcomes.

Here are a few easy ways to integrate enrichment support into your post-op care:

  • Add a “Post-Surgical Enrichment Ideas” sheet to your discharge packet.
  • Share a few trusted links to products or demo videos.
  • Use follow-up calls to check on behavioral well-being—not just appetite and incision sites.
  • Highlight 2–3 enrichment activities that match the dog’s current recovery stage.

When we normalize enrichment as part of recovery, we shift the focus from restriction to support. Even small changes—like adding a frozen food toy to the recovery kit or teaching a caregiver how to play “Which Hand?”—can transform a frustrating experience into one filled with calm, connection, and healing.

Please note that the opinions in this blog are expressed by the author, and not directly endorsed by VETgirl.

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