S 2, E 4Your Dog Is Bored: Making Enrichment Flexible and Easy

Chris Chandler talks with Celeste Lo, cofounder of Sniffworthy, about the card deck Your Dog Is Bored and the thinking behind making dog enrichment more accessible. The conversation centers on why dogs often need more than walks, how to choose activities that fit a dog’s temperament, and how to use simple household materials to build play, decompression, and problem-solving into daily life. Celeste also shares the real-life story behind the deck, shaped by her reactive dog Mochi, and how enrichment became especially useful during recovery after Mochi’s spinal surgery.Key topicsIn this episode, Celeste explains that the deck grew out of her own need to manage a reactive rescue dog with limited social options and a strong need for structured engagement.Chris and Celeste discuss the tagline “they’re not bad, they’re bored” and how it reframes unwanted behavior as unmet needs rather than defiance.The deck is organized into four categories:Mental burnPhysical burnSafe destructionDecompressionCeleste says the goal was to make enrichment easy, low-cost, and accessible by using things people already have at home.Chris highlights the value of a physical card deck over a book or a phone-based list because it is easier to grab, shuffle, and use in real life.Celeste walks through how each card works, including the why behind the activity, step-by-step instructions, difficulty level, time estimate, safety notes, and easier or harder variations.They discuss how to match activities to the individual dog, especially for nervous, anxious, or easily frustrated dogs that need slower introductions.The deck includes cross-references so if a dog enjoys one activity, you can quickly find a related card in the same category.Chris shares examples of combining activities, like mixing paper shredding with treat-finding games, to create a more challenging enrichment session.Celeste describes Mochi as an American bully rescue who is loyal, goofy, smart, treat-motivated, and wary of water, which shaped many of the deck’s design choices.They talk about how enrichment can be especially valuable during recovery, crate rest, or restricted activity after illness or surgery.Celeste previews possible future editions, including puppy, senior, winter, and summer versions.Timestamps00:00 - Introducing Celeste Lo and the Your Dog Is Bored deck01:14 - “They’re not bad, they’re bored” and the idea behind the deck03:33 - Turning scattered enrichment ideas into one usable system04:32 - Why structure