Episode 12: Let Your Dog Use Their Nose

Hello and welcome back to our next episode of Let’s Go for a Walk. Today we are outside. It is about 40 degrees, which is quite cold compared to the 70-degree weather we have been having recently. Since we are out on a walk, I thought I would talk about a topic that is very important to me, and that is the benefits of olfaction.

I am not going to cover this topic comprehensively, but I will talk about the benefits of scent work, particularly for behavior and enrichment.

Dogs have an extremely refined olfactory system. As someone who trains search and rescue and detection dogs, I see the incredible things dogs can do with their noses all the time. However, many people undervalue olfaction when it comes to their pet dogs and do not think about how important sniffing is, both for enrichment and for mental health.

If you look at wild canids, they are hunters and scavengers. That is why domestic dogs still have such an impressive olfactory system.

Dogs have between 215 and 300 million olfactory receptors. Humans, by comparison, have about five to six million. Humans rely heavily on vision, so we do not need our sense of smell in the same way.

In addition to having many receptors, dogs also have an olfactory bulb in their brain that takes up about one-sixteenth of the entire brain. If you have ever seen the anatomy of the canine olfactory system, it is incredibly complex. I will not go into all the details here, but if you are interested, there are some excellent videos that explain the structure of the canine olfactory system.

The important point is that dogs have a highly developed scenting system, and they need to use it.

Modern life makes things very easy for dogs. We feed them and house them. They no longer need to hunt for food. In many cases, they rarely get the opportunity to explore with their noses in a meaningful way. When you take your dog outside in the morning, you may notice them sniffing the dew-covered ground. On walks they may sniff every mailbox or tree. For many domestic dogs, that is the extent of their scenting opportunities.

Then we wonder why dogs develop behavioral problems, particularly in highly developed countries. In my experience in the United States, dogs often do not get many opportunities to use their noses in a productive way. They sniff briefly, but they rarely engage in sustained scent work.

Dogs need opportunities to sniff for their overall well-being. Sniffing is a species-specific behavior and a fundamental part of what makes dogs who they are.

As mentioned earlier, I train search and rescue and detection dogs. One thing I notice consistently is that when dogs are actively working their nose, they tend to ignore many things that normally distract other dogs. For example, explosives detection dogs often work around food, people, and many other distractions. Obviously there is a lot of training involved, but I have seen pet dogs with reactivity issues become much more focused once they begin scent work training. They are less hyper-focused on triggers because they are engaged in purposeful work.

Scent disciplines have a unique effect on dogs. Other activities such as obedience can provide engagement, but scent work often produces an even deeper level of focus.

There has also been research supporting the calming effects of sniffing. One study found that when dogs engaged in active sniffing for about four minutes, their circulating stress hormone levels decreased significantly. Four minutes of sniffing is not very long for a dog, but it can have a measurable calming effect.

This is one reason why activities such as sniff walks are recommended for dogs with behavioral concerns. During these walks, the dog is allowed to lead the exploration and sniff freely, ideally on a long line or off-leash in a safe environment. Dogs that regularly engage in this type of activity often show improved relaxation and fewer behavioral problems at home.

So how can you incorporate more sniffing into your dog’s daily life?

There are several easy ways to do this.

One option is to play scent games such as hiding treats around your house or yard. Your dog then searches for the treats using their nose. This activity mimics natural foraging behavior and provides excellent mental stimulation.

These types of games can even help dogs that struggle with separation anxiety when used alongside other therapies.

Another excellent option is off-leash walks. If your dog has a reliable recall and you have access to a safe environment, off-leash exploration is one of the best forms of enrichment available. Long-line walks can provide many of the same benefits if off-leash walking is not possible.

Ideally, these walks take place in natural environments where dogs can explore different smells such as wildlife trails, tall grass, and wooded areas. When choosing locations, think about what will be most enriching from the dog’s perspective rather than what is most convenient for humans.

You can also introduce scent sports such as nose work or scent work. These activities typically involve essential oils as target odors and can be taught through classes or online programs. These disciplines are structured but still provide many of the same benefits as working detection dogs experience.

Another option is enrichment toys where dogs must search through materials such as towels or paper tubes to find treats. These are useful activities but they usually involve short bursts of sniffing rather than the sustained scenting that dogs benefit from most.

When planning olfactory activities for your dog, prioritize activities that involve longer periods of active sniffing and allow your dog some freedom to explore.

If you live in a city and do not have easy access to natural areas, there are still options. Services like Sniffspot allow you to rent secure spaces where your dog can safely explore off-leash in a new environment. Even occasional visits to these types of locations can be very beneficial.

You can also ask friends or family members who have land if you can walk your dog there occasionally. If the space is not being used, many people are happy to allow it.

Those are some starting ideas for incorporating more scent-based enrichment into your dog’s life.

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