Week 8

[Day 53] Sniffing fun for dogs - foraging as perfect exercise

October 1, 2024

Time to read 8 min

Basic obedience: Day 53 of 56

This video and training is part of the Grunge Obedience Concept, a structured programme to promote obedience and the bond between humans and dogs. The concept is carefully didactic and methodical to ensure that each exercise builds on the previous one for maximum effectiveness. It is crucial that you carry out the training in the intended order to achieve the best possible results for your dog.

Dogs love to sniff - it's one of their most natural and important activities. But sniffing is not just a passion, it's also a great way to keep your dog physically and mentally challenged.

Foraging, a simple form of nose work, offers you an ideal opportunity to encourage your dog's curiosity and concentration. At the same time, it strengthens the bond between you as you work together on a task. Whether young or old, active or calmer - this method is suitable for dogs of all breeds and fitness levels.

In day 53 of the training plan, you will learn how to use foraging in a targeted way to offer your dog an exciting and species-appropriate task. We'll show you why sniffing is so effective, what benefits it has and how you can easily integrate the exercise into your everyday life.

Goal: Horizontal activation of the dog's nose and foraging

Equipment: pieces of food (treats, dry food or similar), Harness, Long Leash

Location: low-stimulus environment with few to no dogs

Trainingsplan Download

The advantages of foraging

Foraging is more than just a game - it is one of the most natural and effective forms of exercise for your dog. Through this simple activity you can not only challenge your dog's nose, but also improve their concentration and emotional balance.

Sniffing challenges your dog' s cognitive performance. As he searches for the scattered pieces of food, he has to use his nose purposefully, follow scent trails and concentrate fully on the task at hand. This form of mental work can be just as strenuous as physical exercise - and it is particularly effective at keeping your dog happy and busy.

Searching for pieces of food trains your dog's ability to focus on a task. Dogs that are easily distracted or get stressed benefit particularly from focussing their attention on a specific task. Foraging also trains problem-solving behaviour, as your dog has to learn to follow the scent and track down hidden pieces of food.

Sniffing has a calming effect on dogs, as fewer stress hormones such as cortisol are produced during nose work. Instead, the body releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that creates feelings of happiness. After a successful sniffing session, dogs are often much more relaxed and calm down more quickly - ideal for nervous or agitated four-legged friends.

Foraging is flexible and can be done almost anywhere - whether in the garden, in the forest or even at home. What's more, the difficulty can be easily adjusted so that both beginners and experienced dogs can experience new challenges time and time again.

Foraging offers your dog an activity that not only fulfils his natural instincts, but also challenges him physically and mentally.

Golden Retriever sits in front of a lake and next to him are two packets of treats

Cynological knowledge: The nose as a key organ of the dog

The nose is your dog's most important sensory organ. With up to 300 million olfactory cells (compared to around 5 million in humans) and a highly developed olfactory brain, the nose is specially designed to perceive and process even the finest odours. Nose work is therefore not only a natural need, but also a highly specialised skill that can be specifically encouraged when searching for food.

As soon as your dog uses his nose, his brain is working at full speed. It has to pick up odour particles from the air or the ground and analyse them. This process requires enormous concentration and energy. In fact, sniffing is considered one of the most strenuous activities for dogs as it uses both their cognitive and sensory abilities.

ℹ Dopamine and the motivation to search

During nose work, dopamine is released in your dog's brain - a neurotransmitter that provides drive and motivation. Dopamine plays a central role in the dog's reward system and gives him the feeling of fulfilling a rewarding task. The size of the pieces of food has a direct influence on this:

Small pieces of food: They require a more intensive search and trigger a stronger release of dopamine, which particularly stimulates your dog. This is ideal if you want to activate your dog before you do another exercise, for example.
Large pieces of food: They are easier to find and have a more calming effect, as the dog has to exert less effort and releases endorphins more quickly when eating, which have a relaxing effect.

Practical tips for foraging

Foraging is a simple and flexible exercise that provides your dog with mental exercise and fun. However, many dog people have concerns about letting their dog forage for food on the ground due to the fear of poison bait. To make sure your dog is safe during this exercise, there are some important points to consider.

Choose the right environment
When foraging, choose a safe and low-stimulus environment where you have a good view of the ground. Your own garden, a sheltered area in the park or a wooded area that is not heavily frequented are ideal. Avoid busy dog parks or urban areas where the risk of poisoned bait could be higher.

Alternatives to the tramp

If you are unsure or want to prevent your dog from eating directly from the floor, you can use safe alternatives. One option is to hide the food in dummy food containers or small food tins, which you then place in the neighbourhood. These containers protect the food and prevent your dog from picking anything up from the floor.

You can also hide food on raised surfaces such as tree trunks, stones or benches. Alternatively, crevices in tree stumps or similar hiding places that your dog can reach with its nose are suitable. These alternatives keep the exercise exciting and safe at the same time, as your dog has to search specifically without coming into contact with potential dangers on the ground.

With variations like these, you can integrate foraging into your daily routine without hesitation and at the same time ensure that your dog works in a controlled and protected manner.

Use a suitable lining
Choose food that is clearly visible and appealing to your dog. Small pieces of food such as grated cheese or Training Treats are suitable for dogs that need to search more intensively. Larger pieces of food are ideal if you want to make the search calming. Make sure that the pieces of food are easily recognisable for your dog to make the search easier.

Release with the search signal
Give your dog a clear signal such as "search" to encourage him to look for food. Support him with a hand gesture by pointing to the area or a piece of food. This teaches your dog that he is only allowed to search with your permission - a valuable control that also helps to prevent uncontrolled picking up of food from the ground in everyday life.

One of the most important rules when searching for food is that your dog learns to search for food only when you give a signal. This control not only helps during training, but also in everyday life, as your dog will react better if you forbid him to eat something from the ground. If you are worried about your dog searching for food in an uncontrolled manner, you can do the exercise on a Long Leash better control his movements.

ℹ Fear of poisoned bait

Fear of poison bait is understandable, and it's important to take this concern seriously. If you're unsure where your dog is allowed to sniff, choose controlled environments or work with portable sniffer mats that you can use when you're out and about. Alternatively, you can do the exercise in safe places such as your garden or a known woodland area to avoid danger.

Trainingsplan Download

You'll find the perfect equipment with us

Summary

Foraging is a simple, flexible and extremely effective way of mentally exercising your dog and encouraging his natural abilities. By specifically activating his nose, you not only train his ability to concentrate and his problem-solving behaviour, but also offer him a species-appropriate activity that is fun and relaxing.

Thanks to the numerous variations - whether with small pieces of food, food dummies or hiding places on raised surfaces - you can constantly reorganise the exercise and adapt it to your dog's individual needs. Safety is particularly important here: controlled environments and alternatives to scattering ensure that your dog is encouraged without risk.

Over the next few days, you can look forward to more exciting activity ideas that will further strengthen your bond with your dog and keep him mentally and physically active. With simple exercises such as foraging, you can enrich your dog's everyday life and intensify your time together at the same time.

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Australian Shepherd standing on a park bench

[Day 52] Degility in everyday life - mastering obstacles together

The authors: Paulina & Lui

Paulina and Lui are the heart and soul behind Vitomalia [Dogstraining & Store]. Her journey in dog training began with the adoption of her first list dog, Vito. This experience sparked her deep interest in teaching other dog owners about dog behaviour and training. Initially this was just a hobby, but with the adoption of the American Pitbull Amalia, who had been relinquished several times due to severe behavioural problems, her passion developed into a true vocation. Amalia's particular behavioural challenges intensified her interest in dog training and behavioural therapy. This turning point led Paulina and Lui to leave their original career paths, undergo intensive further training and dedicate themselves fully to the subject of dog training. Their work with human-dog teams also revealed a gap in the dog market: there was a lack of safe, high-quality dog accessories specifically for medium-sized and large breeds.

From this realisation, Vitomalia [Dogstraining & Store] was born, a combination of their commitment to professional dog training and the need for quality dog accessories. Paulina and Lui bring their personal experience, extensive knowledge and passion for dogs to every product to help human-dog teams live together.