Five Indoor Scent Games to Calm Your Dog

When your dog is restless, anxious, or bouncing off the walls, the answer often isn't more physical exercise. Try activating one of their Core Emotions like Seeking.

Sometimes, what they need is to engage their core seeking system and it helps them regulate. It slows them down instead of revving them up. And scent games do that.

They're not complicated. You don't need special equipment or training to do it. You just need your dog's nose, something worth seeking out, and a safe space to let them use it.

Here are five indoor scent games that settle dogs quickly.

Why Indoor Scent Games Settle Dogs

Before we get to the games, here's why this works.

When dogs use their nose, they activate their seeking system - the part of the brain that engages their core emotion of reward and satisfaction. It's the opposite of the core emotion of panic and frustration.

Seeking feels good. It creates focus without any added pressure.

Sniffing also helps to calm the nervous system. When they lower their head and take deep breaths, it triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the rest-and-digest state. 

The heart rate decreases. Tension eases. The entire body relaxes.

This is why scent work is so beneficial for anxious dogs. It provides more than just a distraction; it truly helps regulate their nervous system.

And you can begin immediately, in your living room, using items you already possess.

Game 1: Scatter Feeding

Sandy seeking kibble from a kibble toss

This game is incredibly straightforward, yet it's highly effective.

Spread your dog's food (or a portion of it) over the floor, in the grass, or throughout a room. Allow them to hunt for each piece. Try to hide some to make it more of a challenge.

Reason for its effectiveness: Scatter feeding decelerates dogs' eating pace. Rather than devouring their food in ten seconds, they take ten minutes to find it. This searching process engages their seeking system, maintaining a calm and focused state.

Most evenings, Sandy receives a kibble toss. He's brave and driven by food, yet he tends to worry. Tossing kibble is beneficial during storms, like the one we just experienced, when Sandy was quite anxious. It provides him with a rewarding activity that doesn't increase his arousal, helping him to settle down nicely afterward.

Getting started: Use kibble or treats. Begin in a small space to help them gain confidence in finding items easily. Gradually increase the difficulty by distributing food over larger areas or concealing pieces under towels or behind furniture legs.

Game 2: Towel Rolls

Take a towel, sprinkle treats along it, and roll it up loosely. Let your dog unroll it with their nose and paws to find the food.

Why it works: This game requires problem-solving without pressure. Dogs can go at their own pace. There's no wrong way to do it. The combination of sniffing and gentle physical manipulation keeps them engaged but calm.

Darcie loves towel rolls because there's no pressure to perform. She can take her time, work it out herself, and succeed every time.

How to start: Roll the towel loosely at first. As your dog gets confident, you can roll it tighter or fold it into different shapes. You can also tie loose knots in the towel with treats inside.

Game 3: The Muffin Tin Game

Get ready for some fun! Pop some treats into the cups of a muffin tin, and then cover each one with a tennis ball, crumpled paper, or small towels. Your dog will have a blast uncovering each surprise to find their tasty reward!

Why it works: This game combines scent work with gentle problem-solving. Dogs have to think, but the solution is always achievable. The success builds confidence. The sniffing settles the nervous system.

Get ready to dive in! Grab a muffin tin with six cups and start by placing treats in just half of them. This way, your dog will quickly enjoy some wins! Once they catch on, feel free to use all the cups or mix it up by changing which ones hold the tasty surprises.

If you don't have a muffin tin, use small bowls or cups turned upside down.

Game 4: Box Searches

Fill a cardboard box with crumpled paper, old towels, or scrunched-up newspaper. Hide treats throughout. Let your dog dig through and search.

Why it works: This game gives dogs permission to use natural foraging behaviors - sniffing, digging, manipulating objects. It's deeply satisfying. The physical activity of digging through paper is repetitive and calming, not arousing.

Labby was a shut-down rescue dog from Mexico. 

Labby on the deck with the pack

Box searches were among the initial activities that encouraged him to open up. There was no pressure or interaction with me involved, just the pleasure of searching. He could participate on his own terms.

Getting started: Begin with a shallow box to prevent it from being too overwhelming. Generously add treats to ensure easy success. As your dog's confidence grows, transition to deeper boxes or include more layers of material for them to search through.

Game 5: Find It Around the Room

Conceal treats throughout a room while your dog is waiting or not watching. Use a cue such as "find it" to release them and allow them to search.

Why it works: This game builds duration and focus. Dogs have to concentrate, scan the environment, and work methodically. It's mentally tiring in the best way. They settle afterward because they've genuinely worked.

We had a game we played when I grew up in Sweden we called 'Fågel, fisk eller mittemellan', translated - 'Bird, Fish or in between'.

To play the classic hide-and-seek variant:

1. One player leaves the room while the others hide a small object.

2. The player returns and searches for it, while the hiders give clues using the three phrases.

3. "Fågel" (Bird) means you are close, "Fisk" (Fish) means you are far away, and "Mittemellan" (In between) means you are getting closer.

To use this technique for dogs you can add seeking commands to the game by saying things like 'good' if they are getting close and moving in the right direction, or 'turn around' if they are moving away. And 'seek' if they are very close. You can even add more advanced words like higher or under etc.

Amicus cherished this game, even during the worst of his pain following ACL surgery. It allowed him to move slowly, at a comfortable pace, and the act of searching provided a positive distraction. For Alfina, the game was a favorite because it diverted her attention from the cancerous lumps that troubled her so much she felt like chewing them off.

How to start: Hide treats in obvious places at first - on the edge of the sofa, next to a chair leg, on a step. Make them easy to find. Success builds confidence.

As your dog improves, hide treats in harder spots - under the edge of a rug, behind a plant pot, tucked into furniture crevices.

Watch Your Dog

The idea with this kind of scent work is that it's challenging but also doable for your dog. It takes them out of their comfort zone enough to enrich their life, but isn't overwhelming. 

Assist them if necessary, but ensure they still have the chance to succeed independently. 

These simple exercises will genuinely improve your dog's life, helping to calm them, make them more settled and confident, and create a touch of joy.