SCENT-WORK For Dogs: The Power of Smell

What is Scent-work and why is is it good for our dogs?

Have you ever noticed the slits at the sides of a dog’s nostrils? When a dog sniffs, air is drawn in through the front of the nostrils, while exhaled air is directed downwards and sideways through these lateral slits.

This helps avoid blowing scent directly away and draws fresh, odour-laden air towards the nose. During active sniffing, this rapid cycle repeats several times a second, allowing dogs to gather an extraordinary amount of information about their environment.

I’ve touched on PLAY, an important emotional system as identified by Jaak Panksepp….. (a link for fellow nerds)

A dog’s sense of smell is closely connected to areas of the brain involved in emotion and memory. Giving dogs opportunities to use this remarkable ability provides rich sensory enrichment, encourages independent problem-solving and allows dog and handler to work together as a team.

For me, this is the peak of the dog–human relationship: dog and handler working together, communicating and trusting one another while the dog uses one of their greatest natural abilities. I cannot emphasise enough how beneficial and rewarding scent work can be for dogs.

Affordable one-to-one scent work

I want to keep scent work affordable and accessible because I would love more dogs and their people to discover its benefits.

During our one-to-one sessions, I’ll introduce your dog to a target odour and begin the process of imprinting—learning and remembering that particular scent. I’ll then show you how to work together as a team as your dog begins searching for and locating the odour.

Scent work is mentally and physically engaging, provides an outlet for a dog’s natural abilities and is wonderful fun for dog and handler. Watching a dog understand the task and begin using their nose with purpose is genuinely beautiful.

A future local Scent Club

As interest grows, I plan to find a local venue and establish an affordable Scent Club for people and dogs who have learnt the foundations with me. It will provide somewhere to practise regularly, develop searches and enjoy working alongside other scent-work teams.

Contact me to book a one-to-one session or register your interest in the future Scent Club.

One-hour one-to-one scent-work session: £40