Every single dog regardless of age, breed, or temperament can enjoy scent based activities. Scent is the primary sense for canines. It is the very first sense to develop in newborn puppies in order for them to find their mother's milk. Wolves and wild canines use it to find food and avoid danger. Whilst these things are no longer relevant in today's society, teaching dogs to use their nose in a meaningful way has a massive host of benefits. Your dog does not have to be a working high energy breed to reap the rewards of scentwork! You also do not need prior experience or heaps of time to dedicate to it, either.

 

What's the deal then? What are the TRUE benefits of starting scentwork with your dog? Still unsure whether to take the leap? Here's the low-down:

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Scentwork helps build confidence! When dogs are rewarded for exploring new areas whilst on the hunt for target odour, the confidence transfers into other areas of their daily life. A study done in 2019 by C. Duranton & A. Horowitz showed that dogs who completed just two weeks of scentwork training made them significantly more likely to investigate an ambiguous stimulus (ie an object that previously held no value amongst others that did). The study labeled this "optimistic behaviour"

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Scentwork exercises the brain AND body. You may have heard the phrase "10 minutes of scentwork is equivalent to an hour's walk". This is true (partially). The key is that you can choose how easy or how difficult your training is. If you have a low-energy dog, then ten minutes of scentwork will be a fulfilling and satisfying activity for them. If you have a high-energy dog, it can work as a standalone activity or can be incorporated into their other activities to make them more exciting without having to exhaust them physically. 

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Scentwork reduces anxiety & improves mood! Allowing dogs to perform natural sniffing behaviours can significantly decrease cortisol levels in their body. Lower heart rates, fewer stress behaviours, and improved quality of rest were all observed in dogs in a huge number of studies. Click this link to read the research review- it is really fascinating! There is overwhelming scientific evidence to suggest that scentwork can vastly improve the quality of life for both you and your dog. 

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On a personal note; over two thirds of my Trail Hunt International clients report reduced environmental reactivity in their dogs that are participating in the sport. Previously reactive dogs are now able to work calmly in the presence of distractions and triggers. What are you waiting for? Join the club of happy dog owners :)