November can change our routines. Daylight disappears earlier, the rain hangs around, and an evening walk sometimes feels less inviting than it did a month ago.
This is a good time to add a few simple scent games to your dog's day. You don't need special equipment or an elaborate setup. Start with a safe space, a little suitable food, and an opportunity for your dog to explore.
Why offer scent games?
A small study involving 20 pet dogs compared two weeks of nosework with heelwork. Dogs in the nosework group showed a more positive response to an ambiguous test location afterward. The findings suggest nosework may benefit emotional wellbeing, although they don't establish that sniffing will calm every dog or resolve anxiety. 1
For everyday enrichment, we can keep the goal simple: offer an enjoyable activity and watch how the individual dog responds.
Start with an easy food search
Place a few pieces of your dog's usual food or suitable treats across a clean, washable mat. Let your dog see the setup, then give them space to investigate.
Use an open area so the food is easy to find. There's no need to make the first attempt a puzzle. Finding the food is the reward.
Supervise, use food that fits your dog's diet, and count it toward their daily allowance.
Try a gentle room search
Once your dog understands the game, place a few pieces of food in easy, accessible spots around one room.
Start in plain sight. As your dog gains experience, try placing a piece just behind a safe object at floor level. Avoid anything that requires climbing, jumping, opening cupboards, or squeezing into a tight space.
If your dog seems frustrated or loses interest, make the next search easier, or finish for the day. You don't need to insist they find every piece.
In homes with several dogs, give each dog their own turn without competition over food.
Make space for sniffing outdoors
When conditions are safe, leave some room in your walk for your dog to investigate.
Choose a suitable route, keep the leash comfortable, and allow pauses where practical. Watch for litter, unsafe food, and other hazards.
You might cover less distance during that part of the walk. That's fine: the purpose is to give your dog time to explore.
Keep it enjoyable
Begin with a brief session and adjust to your dog's interest. Let them take breaks or walk away. Scent games can sit alongside appropriate exercise, rest, social connection, and training.
Service dogs can enjoy suitable off-duty enrichment too. Keep these games separate from established task cues and expectations; a household food search is not medical-alert training.
Try one easy search this week. Notice what your dog enjoys, and build from there.
Would you like help finding enrichment activities or training approaches that suit your dog? Contact Pawsitively Service Dogs Inc.:
British Columbia: jenn@pawsitivelyservicedogs.ca
Nova Scotia: melanie@pawsitivelyservicedogs.ca
General enquiries: info@pawsitivelyservicedogs.ca
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