Scentwork with treats

What Is Scentwork?

Scentwork is a fun activity where a dog uses their incredible sense of smell to locate a specific scent they’ve been trained to detect. It’s not just something you do in your living room—scentwork can happen anywhere! For example, if your dog struggles to focus at the park, taking scentwork with you and giving them the job of finding a “hide” can really help improve their attention and focus.

Scentwork is also a gentle way to introduce dogs to new environments or situations. When your dog is busy working and problem-solving, they’re less likely to feel anxious. Of course, this works best if your dog genuinely enjoys scentwork and has had plenty of practice in a safe, comfortable setting.

Another bonus? Scentwork strengthens your bond and communication. As a handler, you need to watch your dog closely and read their body language to notice the subtle signs when they’re getting closer to the target scent.

Why Should You Do Scentwork With Your Dog?

There are so many benefits to scentwork—it’s hard to list them all! One of the biggest is that the dog becomes the leader in the team. You have to trust them to guide you to the “find,” the target scent. This builds confidence for both of you, while giving your dog a real opportunity to problem-solve and focus.

Scentwork is also incredibly fun and, dare we say, addictive! It’s a great way to satisfy your dog’s natural sniffing instincts and mentally tire them out. Sniffing and problem-solving are surprisingly exhausting, making scentwork perfect for days when the weather isn’t ideal for long walks.

Scentwork at Home – Game 1

For this game, use smelly, high-value treats—dried sprats or mild cheese work perfectly.

• If your dog can do a solid stay: they can watch you hide the treats.

• If your dog can’t stay reliably: keep them in one place while you hide the treats. You can have a helper hold them, or place them behind a baby gate or in their crate.

This sets your dog up for success and keeps the game fun and stress-free. Have your dog stay, or have a helper gently hold them. Place a treat in front of your dog, making sure they can watch you do it. Return to your dog and give the cue “Find it” or “Search.” With practice, your dog should go straight to the treat. Repeat this several times to reinforce the game and build their confidence.

Once your dog is confidently finding the treats immediately, you can start hiding them in slightly trickier—but still obvious—spots, such as behind the edge of a kitchen counter or around the side of a chair. At this stage, it should still be easy enough for your dog, as the goal is for them to actively search for the treat without getting distracted by other items in the room.

Time to Take a Break!

Using their nose is surprisingly tiring for dogs, so a short break is a good idea.

To add another level of difficulty:

1. Pop your dog into another room.

2. Hide at least 5 treats in the first room.

3. Release your dog back into the search room and let their nose get to work.

By this stage, your dog should be eagerly hunting for the treats. Repeat the process, hiding at least 5 treats again, and encourage your dog to keep searching after finding the first one until all treats are located.

Scentwork Outdoors

Working outdoors requires lots of smelly, high-value treats, as the environment is full of distractions. Here are a few fun games to try:

Sticky Chicken Tracking – Game 2

Teach your dog to follow a scent track using sticky chicken (or another strong-smelling treat).

1. Choose your track area and place a marker at the start.

2. Gently drag the sticky chicken along the ground from start to finish.

3. Return to your dog, start them at the beginning of the track, and cue “Find it.”

This is a great way to engage your dog’s nose and problem-solving skills while outdoors.

Finding Their Toy

Instead of playing fetch, challenge your dog to find their favourite toy or tennis ball.

• Use the same setup as Game 1, but hide the toy instead of treats.

• This turns a classic game into a scentwork challenge.
  

Finding Treats – Game 3

This is similar to the indoor treat-finding game but adapted for the outdoors.

1. Choose a search area—fallen trees, benches, and tree stumps make for interesting hiding spots.

2. Have your dog stay, or secure their lead around a treat (using a harness).

3. Hide at least 5 treats in the area.

4. Return to your dog and release them with the cue “Find it.”
   

Adding difficulty:

• Hide treats higher up on objects—cheese sticks well to tree trunks, and dried sprats fit nicely in between pieces of bark.