My Dog Sniffs All The Time – Why Would Doing Scentwork Benefit Further?
Dog’s do sniff all the time naturally. A dog’s nose is their primary sense and sniffing is their innate behaviour from the time they are born. Assimilating information from odours is how they gain crucial information for their survival. Here’s why scentwork training can be even more engaging and beneficial than your dog’s usual sniffing on walks:
- Focused sniffing: Scentwork training gives your dog a specific job to do with their nose. They learn to search for a particular scent, which is more mentally stimulating than random casually sniffing the environment.
- Problem-solving: Finding the hidden scent requires your dog to use their brain and problem-solving skills. This mental workout can be tiring in a good way, leaving them calmer and more focused overall.
- Reward and bonding: In scentwork training, you teach your dog to associate finding the scent with a reward, like a treat or a toy. This positive reinforcement strengthens your bond and makes training a fun activity for both of you.
- Structured exploration: While walks offer sniffing opportunities, scentwork provides a more structured exploration experience. It can help your dog learn to ignore distractions and focus on the task at hand.
Think of scentwork training as taking your dog’s natural sniffing to the next level. It’s a way to channel their love of smells into a game that provides mental stimulation, improves focus, and strengthens your bond.
Here’s an analogy: We all use our eyes to take in the world around us. But looking at a beautiful painting is a different experience than simply glancing at your surroundings. Scentwork training is like showing your dog a beautiful “smelly picture” and helping them appreciate it in a deeper way.
Even if your dog is content with their usual sniffing adventures, scentwork training offers a unique and enriching experience that can benefit them in many ways.
Mandy Rigby
Scentwork Instructor based in the UK
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