January 19, 2026 · Enrichment

Wild West Gold Rush, Week 3: The Sheriffs’ Plan

Why enrichment? Enrichment gives dogs an outlet for their natural instincts (sniffing, searching, solving) and works their brain, not just their legs. A few minutes of sniff-and-search or puzzle work takes real effort, so dogs go home happily tired: body exercised, brain satisfied, confidence a little bigger. How our enrichment works

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In week 3 of the Wild West Gold Rush (January 2026), Metro Animals daycare dogs in Fort Worth and Plano explored a sensory tray of textures and scents and maneuvered through jail cell bars and under a bridge.

In week three, the Barksville sheriffs started cooking up a plan to finally nab Shadow and his Bone-faced Bandits. There was just one catch: for the plan to work, the town first had to pan for every last bit of gold. So the week was all about getting down in the dirt.

What the pups did

Gold Dust Sensory Tray — gold panning brings up dirt, mud and more, so this tray offered different textures and scents to explore without being too overwhelming.
Through the jail cell bars — to reach all the nooks and crannies where the gold was hiding, dogs maneuvered through the jail cell bars, went under a bridge and used the watering hole, growing their confidence while getting things into place for the plan.

Midweek, Shadow and his bandits were spotted in Barksville again, looking pretty tough. The town needed all the help it could get, and the sheriff crew kept growing. Sheriff Sadie proved a pretty girl can take down the bad guys too. Sheriff Claudia-Jean showed the newbies how it’s done, since this was not her first rodeo. Sheriff Molly Lance took her time and spotted the little details and clues the town needed. And Sheriff Beastie, small as he is, had all the skills for snooping.

Sheriff Claudia-Jean in a cowboy hat and pink bandana with a gold sheriff star in the Barksville set

Sheriff Molly Lance in a cowboy hat and pink bandana, sitting beside a gold pan in the Barksville set

Pup with a drawn-on scar and red bandana, standing in cowboy boots as one of Shadow’s bandits

Sheriff Beastie, a fluffy black pup in a teal bandana and sheriff star, beside a money bag

Watch the week

Watch this reel from Metro Animals on Instagram

This month’s adventure

The story begins (week 1)
Week 2: Trouble Rides Into Town
Week 3: The Sheriffs' Plan (this post)
Week 4: The Fool's Gold Swap

How to join the next adventure

Enrichment is an add-on to any daycare day at Metro Animals — ask for it at drop-off, by the day, the week or the whole month. It’s part of the program that earned us the highest score in the country at the 2024 Dog Gurus Daycare Games. Read more about how our enrichment works, and if your pup is new to the pack, find your nearest location — every new dog’s first day is free.

It’s a great day to play!