Canine Sensory & Enrichment Park
Shaping calm, confident companions through purposeful exploration
At Lovelocks, we believe the way puppies are introduced to the world matters deeply. Early experiences shape how they handle change, connect with people, and move through life.
Our Canine Sensory & Enrichment Park is designed to nurture those early experiences with care and purpose.
It's more than a place to play — it's where our puppies begin to develop resilience, curiosity, and a sense of trust in both themselves and their environment.
Timing Matters: Developmentally Led Exploration
Every Lovelocks puppy enters this space in line with their developmental stage.
They begin life in a nurturing whelping space, then transition through thoughtfully designed areas that gently prepare them for more complex experiences.
By the time they reach the enrichment park, they’re ready — emotionally and physically — to explore, investigate, and grow. And when they do, we're right there with them, guiding each step.
This pacing is grounded in canine behavioural science: positive early exposure to new experiences builds stress tolerance, flexibility, and confidence. Puppies who feel supported through these stages are better equipped to handle life’s unpredictability later on.
That’s why we’ve included a calming scent garden in the enrichment park, filled with lavender, rosemary, and native grasses. Puppies are free to explore it at their own pace, using scent as a gateway to calm curiosity and engagement with the world.
Why Scent Matters
A dog’s primary way of understanding the world is through their nose.
Scent-based exploration doesn’t just stimulate their senses — it stimulates their brain.
Research shows that scent work in puppies:
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Enhances emotional regulation
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Lowers stress hormone levels
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Builds problem-solving ability
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Supports early cognitive development
Encouraging Movement and Confidence
The park’s varied terrain introduces:
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Natural textures — gravel, mulch, stone, timber, sand
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Balance logs and climbing areas — building body awareness and coordination
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Digging zones — offering enrichment and an outlet for natural behaviours
This kind of early movement experience supports proprioception — a dog’s internal sense of body position and balance. It also teaches adaptability, encouraging puppies to try, reassess, and try again in a way that feels safe and empowering.
Following the Leader: Group Walks & “Let’s Go”
Our open spaces allow for gentle group walks, where puppies begin learning early skills in connection and direction. We introduce the cue “Let’s Go” to build focus and trust, gently shaping the foundation for:
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Loose-lead walking
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Recall
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Handler engagement
This isn’t obedience — it’s building the relationship.
Puppies learn that following their person brings safety, fun, and shared adventure. And over time, that bond becomes the anchor for confident, connected behaviour.
The Heart of It All
In the end, it’s not about logs or sand or flowers.
It’s about what those things help create: a dog who is calm in new places, curious instead of fearful, and steady in themselves.
We don’t rush puppies through this process. We guide them, support them, and let them tell us when they’re ready.
Because raising emotionally sound dogs starts long before they leave for their new homes — it starts here, in the quiet confidence of early exploration, with someone beside them who encourages without enabling every step of the way.
“You can’t teach true confidence — you grow it.
The enrichment park lets me gently stretch each puppy’s world while making sure they feel safe, supported, and seen. It’s one of the most powerful tools I use — not just as a breeder, but as someone raising dogs who are meant to be anchors in their families’ lives.” - Lisa