As a dog owner, you will want to have a well-behaved and happy dog. If you’ve just welcomed a puppy into your home, you will want your puppy to feel loved and part of your family. But your puppy will need to learn the rules of your home so you can learn to respect and trust each other.
If you have bought your puppy from a respectable and responsible dog breeder, then they’re very likely to have started training the puppies. They should be able to advise you on where the puppies are at and the next stage of their training. They will likely write this down for you in your puppy pack so you have everything you need when you take your puppy home.
But have you considered how you are going to train your puppy? We should always use positive reinforcement training when we are training a puppy or an adult dog. The idea of positive reinforcement training is to encourage good behaviours. Consider attending dog obedience classes if you have not had a dog before.
Traditionally, dog training begins with basic commands such as ‘sit’ and ‘stay’, moving on to ‘walk’ and ‘come’. These commands help you work with your dog, keep them safe, and enjoy time together, especially when out and about, perhaps on a hike or at the local dog park.
There is a type of dog training that is gaining in popularity, which uses the dog's natural tendency to sniff, and this can be helpful for dogs that are very distracted by scents, particularly when out and about. This is scent training.
Scent training for dogs utilizes dogs' natural abilities to identify scents and can be a highly effective way to train your dog for certain behaviours. It can also be mentally enriching for your dog and something they can really enjoy. Studies have shown that scent training for dogs can improve behaviour and stimulate a dog's brain, and help with problem-solving. It can help them emotionally regulate as well.
Scent training is specialized training for dogs to identify and locate specific scents. This training is often used for working dogs involved in police work or search and rescue. Scent training can be as simple as hiding treats or as complicated as training working dogs to locate people, for example, in search and rescue.
Scent discrimination and tracking are advanced techniques used by experienced trainers of working dogs. At home, you could use hiding treats to distract your dog from anxious moments, for example, when your dog is afraid during a thunderstorm.
Dogs are happier when they have mental stimulation, and scent training is perfect for your puppy to use up their energy! It will help them stay intelligent and build a bond between you. Plenty of mental stimulation for dogs can help prevent them from engaging in destructive behaviours due to boredom or anxiety. Scent work when you are away can help keep your dog from suffering from separation anxiety.
Scent training will also help your dog be focused, as they have to learn not to be impulsive. This can help reduce barking, jumping, etc. It can also help them to be more patient and use their nose carefully. It can also help them to focus on you and help you build a positive bond together.
It can also help dogs to build confidence, as their anxiety reduces due to the mental stimulation, and they enjoy scent tracking. They will have a sense of achievement when they manage to scent track and earn a positive reward for their efforts. Scent training with your puppy can help you communicate with each other and learn to trust each other.
Scent training in dogs can help distract them from otherwise destructive behaviour, such as barking or chewing, as when they are following a scent, they are engaging with their instincts and a fulfilling activity to use their energy positively.
All breeds of dog can enjoy scent training, and all ages, from puppies to older dogs, though if your dog is older, they might need a more gentle approach to scent training. You can start simply by hiding treats or a favourite toy. Then encourage them to find it with their nose. Start with a shorter training time, like 10 to 15 minutes, and build on this time as your dog gets more experienced.
As your dog gets better at finding the treat or the toy, you can make the hiding place more challenging. Reward your dog with a treat for positive reinforcement each time they identify the scent. Ensure your dog finds the activity fun and engaging.
You can also make it more challenging by getting your dog to choose between different scents, or make it harder for them by making the search more complex.
Scent training is a great way to improve the behavior of your dog, teach them new obedience skills, and provide them with both physical and mental enrichment. Scent training in dogs can be as simple as hiding treats for your dog to find or as smart as working dogs learning search and rescue skills. Scent training makes the most of your dog's natural sensory abilities. It can be excellent for building your dog's confidence and developing communication and trust between you and your dog.
Scent training can help improve behaviour and increase their confidence, and in turn, this can help reduce anxiety. It’s also a great way to build a relationship with your new puppy. It can be a great way to help your dog engage in positive actions rather than destructive behaviours such as barking and chewing.
Check out the puppy profiles on Puppy Hero, and be sure to ask the breeder what training they do with the puppies before they find new homes. Then you can plan your training program to build on the great start they have provided their puppies!
18 September, 2025