Putting your dog's scenting abilities to work will not only give you satisfaction; it will also give your dog immense satisfaction and he will find it absolutely thrilling to expand his natural abilities. Give it a try and you'll see what we mean!


Here is how you play:

Have your dog sit and stay. Hold a treat up to his nose and tell him "sniff" or "smell". As soon as the nostrils start moving, click and treat. Practice this until he knows how to smell without grabbing at the treat.

Once this is accomplished, proceed to "find it". Drop or place the treat a few feet away. Now say: OKAY! Find it! Click as soon as the dog is about to pick up the treat to eat it.

Practice these until he neither grabs for the treat nor breaks to go find it.

Gradually begin placing the treat farther and farther away. Your dog will enjoy this game immensely by now! He is now ready to find the treat when it is hidden and out of sight. You can let him see you carry it in the next room. Place it in an obvious spot at first, making sure he will find it right away. You can then graduate to more challenging hiding spots.

***It is important to make sure that your dog succeeds every time to build up his self-confidence in finding things.

Eventually, you can make the hunt more difficult, always encouraging your dog and ensuring success. Once your dog is a pro, you can leave your clicker behind and use praise instead. VOILA! A fun game for you and your dog, that uses his most innate sense! Enjoy!