The Lab’s Sense of Scent & Associated Tricks

Labrador Retrievers have been used for hunting and retrieving through the ages. Thus a Lab is blessed with a very keen sense of smell. This gift can be used for pursuing occupations such as tracking missing people, locating misplaced articles, sniffing out contraband drugs, narcotics, or even bombs, and for trailing miscreants too.

Tracking

This is something that your Lab will love to do. It was the very lifeblood of his ancestors as they hunted and retrieved game.

• 1 Allow you pooch to sniff at an object like a bunch of keys or handkerchief.
• 2 Then ask someone else to take that object out doors, go some distance, and hide it in the bush or amongst a clump of plants or grass.
• 3 Place your pooch on a leash and take him outdoors.
• 4 Tell him to "trail" and "find."
• 5 He will follow the scent and run along it.
• 6 Once he reaches the object, he will be overcome with excitement and probably begin barking at it.
• 7 This is an indication to you that he has found the object.

Reward and praise him well. Developed along a more serious note, this is the principle used by dogs that work in "Search & Rescue" operations.

Find objects outdoors

This is such a useful trick. Your Lab is familiar with all the objects in your house and they carry smells that he is very familiar and comfortable with.

• 1 Allow him to sniff a particular object. It could be anything like a handkerchief, bunch of keys, glove, or a pouch.
• 2 Then take it and hide it somewhere outdoors.
• 3 After some time tell him to “find” and “fetch.”
• 4 Use a leash at least in the initial stages. Later you can let him off the leash to run and locate the object.
• 5 Remember to gesture in the general direction of the object before you release him to find it.

After a little practice your pooch will be able to pick out your belongings from a heap of mixed articles that do not belong to you.

Indoor hunts

These are good variations of hide & seek with objects to play indoors. Especially when the weather does not permit you to go out for some good doggie entertainment.

• 1 Let him smell an object of your choice.
• 2 Then take it away and hide it. Do not let him see where you are hiding it.
• 3 Say, “Find it.”
• 4 Your doggie will be able to sniff out the trail of scent left by the object and follow it to its hiding place.

Reward him amply for work well done!

Guess which hand?

This is another favorite trick that kids like to play with their dogs!

• 1 Take a doggie treat and hide it in one of your hands.
• 2 Clench both your fists and place them in front of your doggie.
• 3 Ask, “Which hand?”
• 4 Your doggie will sniff at both your fists and nudge the one holding his treat with his nose.
• 5 At this moment catch hold of his paw and place it on the fist with the treat.
• 6 When he does that, praise him so he knows that this is what you expect him to do.
• 7 Repeat the process until he begins to lift his paw and place it on your fist by himself.

This trick guarantees loads of fun for your children and their friends.