How to Teach Your Dog to Find It
Unlock your dog's natural scenting ability with the Find It game—mental stimulation and bonding combined.
How to Teach Your Dog to ‘Find It’
Our canine companions possess one of the most remarkable senses in the animal kingdom—their sense of smell is exponentially more powerful than our own. Yet in our daily interactions with our dogs, we often suppress this incredible natural ability. When they pause during walks to investigate their “pee mail” on fire hydrants and trees, we hurry them along. When they greet new friends with an enthusiastic sniff, we redirect their attention. By consistently limiting our dogs’ sniffing time, we’re denying them access to a sense that’s as vital and important to them as our eyesight is to us.
Teaching your dog to play the “Find It” game represents a transformative approach to enrichment that celebrates rather than restricts this natural ability. This engaging activity encourages your dog to use and refine their impressive scenting skills while providing a level of mental stimulation that surpasses many other types of partner play. Whether you live in a spacious house or a compact apartment, whether you have a rambunctious puppy or a senior dog, the Find It game offers something special for every canine.
Why the Find It Game Matters
Understanding the value of the Find It game goes beyond simple entertainment. This training exercise serves multiple important functions in your dog’s life:
- Unleashes Natural Instincts: Dogs are descended from wolves and have retained powerful hunting and tracking instincts. The Find It game taps into these ancestral abilities in a safe, controlled way.
- Provides Mental Exercise: A single session of Find It can mentally tire your dog as effectively as a long physical walk. Mental stimulation is crucial for preventing boredom-related behavioral problems.
- Builds Confidence: Successfully finding hidden items boosts your dog’s self-esteem and confidence in their abilities.
- Strengthens Bond: Working together on this collaborative game deepens the relationship between you and your dog.
- No Space Requirements: Unlike games requiring large yards, Find It can be played in apartments, small homes, or any indoor or outdoor space.
- Suitable for All Ages: Puppies, adult dogs, and senior dogs can all enjoy and benefit from this game.
- Easy to Teach: Most dogs quickly grasp the concept, making it an accessible training activity for beginner trainers.
Getting Started: Foundation Building
Selecting the Right Toy
The first step in teaching Find It is choosing an appropriate toy. Select a toy your dog absolutely adores—something they’re genuinely excited about. Even better, invest in a brand new toy specifically for this game. The novelty and appeal will make the game significantly more engaging and rewarding for your dog.
Creating the Right Environment
Begin your training in a quiet, distraction-free environment. A single room in your home works perfectly for initial sessions. As your dog progresses, you can gradually introduce more challenging settings with additional distractions.
Positioning Your Dog
Before you begin the actual hiding process, you’ll need to keep your dog from following you to the hiding spot. You have several options: ask your dog to sit and stay if they know this command, use a leash to anchor them to a heavy piece of furniture, or ask a friend or family member to gently hold them in place. The goal is to prevent them from watching exactly where you hide the toy while still building anticipation.
Stage One: Hide in Plain Sight
The Initial Hide
With your dog held in position, “hide” the toy in an obvious spot where it’s still clearly visible. Good initial hiding spots include:
- Peeking out from behind the couch
- Just beneath the edge of a throw rug
- Partially visible under a cushion
- Sticking out slightly from under a chair
Let your dog watch the entire process of placing the toy in its hiding spot. This visual information is crucial at this stage because it shows your dog exactly where to find the toy and builds their understanding of the game.
Building Anticipation
Once the toy is hidden, wait a few moments. This short pause builds anticipation and excitement in your dog. You should see their body language shift—they may start whining, pawing, or showing other signs of eagerness.
Releasing and Rewarding
Now release your dog with the phrase “Find It!” delivered in an excited, encouraging tone. If your dog knows a reliable stay command, simply release them from the stay. If you’ve anchored them with a leash or had someone hold them, let them go.
It won’t take long for your dog to locate the toy—after all, they can practically see it. When they find it, make a very big deal about their success. Celebrate enthusiastically with praise and play. Have a brief play session with your dog and the toy, letting them enjoy their victory. This positive reinforcement is essential for building their enthusiasm for the game.
Repeating and Progressing
“Find It” is what trainers call a “teach-as-you-go” cue. Because the corresponding action—searching and finding—is naturally obvious to your dog, it typically doesn’t take many repetitions before they understand that the phrase “Find It” means “search for a semi-hidden item.” Repeat this process multiple times during your first training session and subsequent sessions.
As you repeat the hiding process, gradually make each hiding spot slightly more challenging. Move from toys that are clearly visible to those that are partially obscured. Try placing the toy inside a partially closed closet door, just outside the room where you’re playing, or in other locations that require your dog to use their nose more than their eyes.
Stage Two: Blind Finds
Transitioning to Search Without Sight
Once your dog has completed several successful repetitions and clearly understands the connection between the “Find It” cue and actually searching for the toy, you’re ready to introduce blind finds. This is where your dog’s incredible sense of smell truly comes into play.
The First Blind Find
To guarantee your dog’s success during their first blind find, place the toy in one of the exact spots you used during the introductory training phase. Remove your dog from the room temporarily—have them wait in another area of your home with a family member or friend.
Once your dog is out of sight, place the toy in its hiding spot, then invite your dog back into the room. Tell them “Find It” with confidence and enthusiasm.
Allowing Independence to Emerge
Your dog may appear confused at first and look to you for guidance. This is a critical moment in training. While it’s tempting to point toward the toy or lead your dog directly to it, resist this urge. Avoid leading your dog to the hiding spot because doing so creates dependence on your human guidance rather than building confidence in their own scenting ability.
Providing Strategic Support
If your dog seems reluctant or genuinely stuck, you can provide subtle assistance. Praise your dog enthusiastically as they get closer to the hidden toy—this verbal encouragement acts as a beacon. In a worst-case scenario where your dog seems completely stumped, you can stand near (but not directly next to) the hiding spot, which helps guide their search without doing the finding for them.
Stage Three: Advanced Hiding Techniques
Creative Placement Strategies
As your dog becomes increasingly proficient at finding hidden toys, embrace creativity in your hiding locations. The variety keeps the game engaging and continues to challenge your dog’s scenting abilities. Consider these advanced hiding spots:
- Inside a shoe or boot
- On a kitchen chair that you’ve pushed under the table
- Resting on top of a door knob
- Tucked between two cushions on a couch
- Inside a paper bag
- Behind a door that’s slightly ajar
Hiding Above Nose Height
Don’t limit yourself to ground-level hiding spots. Place the toy on a shelf, railing, or other elevated location above your dog’s nose height. While your dog won’t be able to reach the toy in its elevated perch, they’ll still be able to locate it using their sense of smell. Your dog will find creative ways to communicate their discovery—they may sit in front of the shelf, bark at the location, or paw upward toward the toy.
Maintaining Challenge and Engagement
The key to maintaining your dog’s enthusiasm is balancing challenge with success. If the hides become too difficult, your dog may become frustrated. If they’re too easy, your dog may lose interest. Gradually increase difficulty while ensuring your dog continues to experience frequent success.
Tips for Training Success
Keep Sessions Short and Sweet: Dogs have limited attention spans for training. Most dogs will be mentally exhausted after just a few rounds of Find It. Brief, focused sessions are more effective than extended marathon training sessions.
Use High-Value Rewards: The toy itself should be rewarding enough, but you can increase motivation by using additional treats or special praise during the play session that follows the find.
Maintain Enthusiasm: Your excitement and positive energy are contagious. If you’re enthusiastic about the game, your dog will be too.
Avoid Repeating Hiding Spots: While your dog will reliably find the toy in familiar locations, varying the hiding spots keeps the game fresh and continues to build scenting skills.
Watch for Fatigue: Mental exercise can be more tiring than physical exercise. Stop before your dog becomes overly tired or loses focus.
The Remarkable Power of Your Dog’s Nose
The Find It game celebrates and harnesses one of your dog’s most amazing abilities. Dogs have up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, compared to about 6 million in humans. They process scent information differently than we do, creating a rich, multi-layered sensory experience we can barely imagine. By playing Find It, you’re not just providing entertainment—you’re validating and celebrating one of your dog’s most fundamental ways of experiencing and understanding the world.
Regular Find It sessions can provide mental stimulation equivalent to significantly longer physical exercise sessions. A dog that has had their mind thoroughly engaged with scent work will be calmer, more satisfied, and often better behaved than a dog who has received only physical activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: At what age can I start teaching Find It?
A: You can begin introducing Find It concepts to puppies as young as 8 weeks old, though their attention spans will be shorter. Adult dogs and even seniors can learn and enjoy the game. There’s no upper age limit.
Q: What if my dog isn’t interested in the toy?
A: Try selecting a different toy or item. Some dogs are motivated by toys, while others prefer treats or specific textured items. Experiment to find what truly excites your individual dog.
Q: Can Find It be played outdoors?
A: Absolutely. Once your dog is proficient indoors, you can transition to outdoor environments. Start in a confined, familiar space like a fenced yard before moving to more complex outdoor settings.
Q: How often should I play Find It with my dog?
A: Find It can be played several times per week as part of your regular enrichment routine. Most dogs benefit from 2-3 sessions weekly, though some dogs may enjoy it daily if you keep sessions brief.
Q: My dog seems to only want to follow my movements rather than use their nose. What should I do?
A: This is common in early training. Make sure you’re not leading your dog or giving away the location through your body language. Have someone else hold your dog while you hide the toy and leave the room. This removes any visual cues and forces your dog to rely on scent.
Q: Is Find It suitable for all dog breeds?
A: Yes. While breeds with strong scenting histories like hounds and retrievers may take to it particularly enthusiastically, dogs of all breeds can learn and enjoy Find It.
Q: What should I do if my dog gives up too easily during searches?
A: Ensure your hides aren’t too difficult. Return to easier hiding spots and gradually increase difficulty. Use verbal encouragement as your dog searches. Make the reward (play session with you) especially rewarding so your dog is motivated to persist in searching.
The Lasting Bond of Play
Beyond the mental stimulation and physical enrichment, Find It offers something invaluable—it’s a bonding experience that celebrates your dog for being exactly what they are: a creature with extraordinary scenting abilities. Every time you play together, you’re validating their instincts, celebrating their skills, and strengthening the relationship between you.
Your dog will absolutely adore playing Find It, and you’re bound to be amazed by the skills contained within that adorable sniffer. Watch as your dog confidently locates hidden items, see their tail wag with pride at their accomplishment, and witness the pure joy they experience when engaging in this fulfilling game. Find It transforms your dog’s remarkable natural ability into a shared adventure—a game that enriches both your lives.
References
- How to Teach Your Dog to ‘Find It’ — Chewy Education. 2024. https://www.chewy.com/education/dog/training-and-behavior/training-training-tips-how-to-teach-your-dog-to-find-it
- Your Essential Guide to Basic Dog Obedience Training — Chewy Education. 2024. https://www.chewy.com/education/dog/training-and-behavior/sit-stay-and-beyond-weve-got-the-essential-guide-to-basic-dog-obedience-training
- Clicker Training for Dogs 101: Everything You Need To Know — Chewy Education. 2024. https://www.chewy.com/education/dog/training-and-behavior/clicker-training-for-dogs
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