Dogs see the world through their nose, and it’s estimated that dogs smell 1,000-10,000 times better than we do. Dogs can do remarkable things with their sense of smell; from detecting hidden explosives and narcotics to finding missing people, trained dogs can assist their handlers with finding something that our humans are incapable of. Although the dog lying at your feet might not have a future as a professional detection dog, you can still play scent work games at home with your dog. Introducing them to scent work activities has significant benefits for your dog.
About Scent Work:
Scent work is a recreational and competitive sport where dogs are trained to find and alert to hidden scents. For playing this game at home with your dog, you can hide anything, including treats and toys, for your dog to find. You can also teach your dog to identify objects with your scent or items scented with essential oils. The American Kennel Club has a virtual scent work program where dogs (mixed breed and purebred) can earn titles from home, searching for a ball, a toy, and a hidden treat in various hiding locations. Other competitive programs, including The American Kennel Club and the National Association of Canine Scent Work, involve dogs searching for the location of q tips scented with different essential oils, generally: birch, Anise and Clove oil, and Cypress.
Increasing Mental Stimulation:
One of the primary benefits of scent work games for your dog is that this sport and these activities allow your dog to use their instincts. This can be stress-releasing for dogs and provide mental stimulation for them. This game can be done with dogs of all ages, sizes, and physical abilities. If you have a dog who can’t do more strenuous exercise, scent work can provide a great mental outlet that can be just as rewarding for dogs as physical sports.
Builds Relationship with Your Dog:
Unlike many sports and activities where we teach our dogs behaviors or how to do things, our dog’s nose is leading the way. In scent work, your dog shows you where the hidden smell is. This gives you the unique ability to see the world how your dog sees it. Engaging in smell can be enlightening and help you understand how remarkable your dog is.
Scent work is a unique sport because your dog is the leader, and you, as a handler, must rely entirely on your dog’s nose and subsequent alerts to be successful. As a result, training and engaging in any sport, game, or activity with your dog can strengthen and improve your relationship with your dog. Regardless of if you ever compete, playing these games with your dog is a fun way to spend quality time together and can help foster a stronger relationship.
Confidence Building:
It builds their confidence when dogs are allowed to explore and excel at things that come naturally to them. Scent Work is an activity that, to some level, virtually any dog can enjoy, even if it’s just a casual game of finding the hidden ball or treats. Giving your dog opportunities to do what comes naturally can help make it more confident. This increase in confidence can help your dog navigate daily life and other dog training.
Easy To Practice:
Unlike other dog sports requiring large amounts of equipment and a lot of room to train, scent work can be practiced practically anywhere. You can start by hiding treats or toys your dog likes in easy-to-find locations. When your dog finds their toy or treats, praise and encourage them. Pay attention to your dog’s body language while searching for their hidden treasure. After a few repetitions, you’ll notice subtle cues in your dog’s movement and behavior that they are following the scent and getting close to the hidden toy/treat. The better your dog gets at the game, you’ll be able to start to place hides in increasingly tricky locations for your dog to sniff and discover.
