Out of all the five senses, the smell seems the most important one for dogs. This sense helps stimulate their brains and it is similar to what reading does for human beings. It is also a means of communication with other beings. Additionally, it allows them to receive information from the outer world. For all these reasons, it is important to pay special attention to this sense and to stimulate it.
Sniffing Can Be Fun!
When you bring a new dog home and you just stay in, dogs do not exercise their smell as much. Here are some recommendations to strengthen the sense of smell in a fun way!
1- Walk your dog regularly. Longer leashes may be ideal for these walks. Keep a regular or slow pace so that your dog feels a sense of freedom and remains calm. Choose places rich in smell that they will enjoy exploring. Keeping silent company without restrictions allows their instinct to flow naturally.
2- Play hide and seek with food! Hide bits of food around the house and then invite them to find it. Don’t help them. They may not find it all and they may look at you for it. When the smell is not trained enough, it will be difficult for them at first. Ignore them if they want your help. The search will continue until they get better at it!
3- Encourage them to find their toys. Hide them nearby first and instruct them to look for it. Find different places and let them search until they locate the toy wherever in the house.
4- Hide yourself every now and then when you are together in the park. They will rely on their smell to find you. When they do not see you, they will try to find you. If they do not find you, call them once with a whistle or use their names. The sound will guide them. When they find you, reward them with some food and congratulate them!
Follow these recommendations to strengthen the sense of smell in your dog. Living in a house and spending most of their time there becomes a challenge for the development of this sense. Create opportunities for them, which will certainly help!
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