Manners & obedience
How to teach a dog scent games (find it)
A dog's nose is the part of them we tend to ignore. Scent games put it to work: a few treats, some cardboard boxes and a cue, and your dog gets a job that many dogs find both tiring and settling. This is nosework at home, the kind you can start tonight in the kitchen and grow into full searches across the house and yard.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026
First searches tonight
Start with tossed treats and easy hides.
A few housekeeping checks first. If you share the house with another pet, run searches with them in a separate room, since loose food can spark squabbles. Count the treats into your dog's daily food, and ask your vet first if your dog has a special diet. Pick soft, smelly treats, and clear away anything hazardous at nose height before the first search.
Say find it and toss a treat a short distance so your dog sees where it lands. Repeat a handful of times. Next, toss it behind a chair leg, then set out a few open cardboard boxes with one baited. Let your dog work it out with no pointing. When the boxes are easy, have an adult hold the leash at the doorway while you hide treats in the next room.
- Other pets in another room
- Treats counted into daily food
- Toss first, then hide
- No pointing or helping
Slips and proofing
Let the nose work it out, then widen the search.
Three mistakes stall scent games. Helping too much, by pointing or tapping, teaches a dog to watch you instead of sniffing. Jumping to hard hides too soon frustrates them. And repeating the cue over and over turns it into noise. Say find it once, step back and stay quiet. If your dog gives up, make the next hide easier and end on a win.
Proof it like obedience. Distance: hide in rooms further away, then across the yard. Duration: lay several hides so the search lasts longer. Distraction: search with the radio on, then in the backyard on a frosty Calgary evening, where wind, snow and neighbourhood noise all compete with the nose. Private Training at $150 + GST can build find it into a written weekly plan; for worried or reactive dogs, ask about a full assessment first.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
How do I teach my dog find it?
Say find it and toss a treat where your dog can watch it land, then repeat. Gradually hide treats out of sight, letting your dog search without help.
Are scent games good for dogs?
Many dogs find sniffing both tiring and settling, so scent games make good enrichment. They also give a dog a job on days when a long walk is not possible.
What can I use for nosework at home?
Cardboard boxes, a muffin tin with balls covering the cups, or treats tucked behind furniture all work. Keep hides safe, with nothing your dog could chew and swallow.
Can I play find it with a reactive dog?
Find it can be part of a plan for a reactive dog, but never toss treats toward a trigger. A professional assessment is the right step before using it on walks.
Keep reading
Give that nose a job
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