Sorry to come at you like that, but I'm nearly certain you aren't using your dog's nose to its full advantage. It is likely your dog's strongest scent, yet as humans, we rarely use it to its full advantage and even sometimes discourage sniffing...
Our dogs understand the world around them through their nose. They can't speak to us and they sure can't read, so instead, they use their noses.
A dog's nose is said to be over 1,000 times stronger than the human nose. That's why there are drug-sniffing dogs and not drug-sniffing humans.
So instead of being bothered by your dog sniffing on a walk, here is what you can do.
Related Reading: Dog Nose Facts and Nose Care & Cleaning
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HOW TO LET YOUR DOG USE THEIR NOSE MORE FULLY
1. GO ON SNIFF WALKS
Don't pick a destination, just let your dog lead the way with their nose. This freedom and exploration will work wonders for your dog's mind!
Related Reading: 5 Types of Enrichment for Dogs
2. INCORPORATE ENRICHMENT THAT USES THEIR NOSE
There are so many different enrichment games to play with your dog. With most of these toys, a lot of the enrichment comes from smelling and searching out treats, etc.
Here are a few different games:
- Foraging Boxes
- With this game, you can get a few different boxes you have laying around your house, and put a few treats in them. Then place smaller boxes in the larger ones, and give to your dog to let them sniff out!
- Hide and Seek
- Put your dog in a separate room and go hide treats (or toys) in a few different places. Then let your dog in the room and have them explore!
- Snuffle Mats for Dogs
- Get a snuffle mat and place some treats (or their food) in the mat. Then let your dog go at it! If needed, make it easier at the start and leave some of the treats visible so your dog knows what to do!
For more enrichement ideas, click here.
Related Reading: Contrafreeloading & Dogs
The main thing to remember is your dog's sense of smell should be encouraged! Let them explore, let them find new smells, let them explore on walks, let them be a dog!!
