Find it for dogs: how to play
Say "Find it", toss a treat, and let your dog hunt it down. The first scent game every dog should know.
- Time
- 5 min
- Energy
- Low
- Space
- Small room
You'll need
- small soft treats or kibble
Set up
Pick a quiet room with a rug or carpet so treats don't skid. Hold a handful of small treats behind your back. Your dog stands in front of you.
How to play
Say "Find it" in a happy, calm voice, then drop a treat right by your dog's front feet.
Praise softly while your dog eats it. Repeat 3 to 4 times so the words start to mean "food is on the floor".
Say "Find it" and toss the next treat a little to your left. Then toss one a little to your right.
Keep tossing left and right, a bit farther each time, until your dog happily trots back and forth.
Toss one treat into a spot your dog didn't see land, like behind a chair leg, so the nose has to do the work.
End with "All done", show empty hands, and walk away calmly.
House rules
- Say the cue once, then toss.
- Every "Find it" means there really is a treat to find.
- Keep treats tiny so 20 finds don't add up to a meal.
- Make it easier
- Drop the treat where your dog is already looking, or use a bright treat on a plain floor.
- Make it harder
- Toss into long grass, onto a textured mat, or behind furniture. Later, use it on walks when something worrying appears, keeping treats close to you.
Signs it's having fun
Nose down, tail loose and wagging, quick return to you for the next round.
Stop if you see
Your dog stops eating the treats, keeps looking around nervously, or shows stress signs: lip licking, yawning, whale eye (whites of the eyes showing), tucked tail, freezing or turning away.
Safety
Safety- Count treats as part of the day's food.
- Skip if two dogs are near each other and either guards food; play with one dog at a time.
Sources
Written from these sources and checked against vet and trainer guidance. General guidance, not veterinary advice.
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