Dogs experience much of the world around them through their sense of smell. Nose games allow dogs to channel their love of sniffing while also enriching their minds and they are a great way to keep your dog mentally stimulated indoors.
Dogs have a natural instinct to smell; it’s how they’d survive decades ago.
They’ve turned into pets since then–but their instinct to sniff hasn’t gone, in fact, a dog’s sense of smell is so strong that it can detect certain types of cancer.
You’ll already recognise that dogs love to smell by the way they always have their nose to the ground when exploring a new place.
But why do they rely on their noses so much?
It’s because sniffing is mentally stimulating for dogs.
It’s a great source of canine enrichment, and tires out their brain as much as their legs. Not only that, but another benefit of Nose Games is that they build confidence. Shy, timid or afraid dogs can learn to trust their own abilities. They’ll learn to trust and follow their nose–and see that when they do, there’s a treat at the end!