Watch the video guide about how to teach your dog to search on the cue "Find it!"
After watching the video guide, we recommend continuing reading the source article by Doggozila Magazine on the link below: π
π https://doggozila.com/how-to-teach-your-dog-to-search/
π
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0:00
Hey everyone and welcome. Have you ever
0:02
looked at your dog and just known
0:04
there's a superhero in there just
0:05
waiting for their theme music to start?
0:07
Well, today we're giving them their
0:08
cape. We're about to unlock a superpower
0:11
they already have. And believe it or
0:13
not, it all starts with two simple
0:15
words. Find it. So, let's get into it.
0:18
Here's our official mission briefing
0:20
coming straight from the geniuses over
0:22
at Doggozilla Magazine's virtual
0:24
classroom. They pose this question. What
0:27
if the secret to a better life with your
0:29
dog isn't about some complicated
0:30
training, but about tapping into
0:32
something they were literally born to
0:34
do? That's exactly what we're going to
0:36
find out. You know, every great hero
0:38
story starts with the hero discovering
0:40
their power. And for our dogs, oh, their
0:43
power is beyond anything we can even
0:45
imagine, and it's sitting right there on
0:47
the end of their nose. It's time to tap
0:49
into their natural genius. Okay, get
0:52
ready for this. Your dog has up to 300
0:57
million olfactory receptors in their
0:59
nose. To put that in perspective, we
1:01
humans, we have a pathetic 6 million.
1:04
This isn't just a good sense of smell
1:06
people. It's a biological masterpiece.
1:09
They're not just sniffing the world.
1:11
They are reading it in glorious high
1:13
definition. So why does this matter so
1:15
much? Well, because when we channel this
1:17
superpower, it's not a trick. It's
1:19
basically therapy. It taps right into
1:22
that deep primal need to hunt and to
1:24
problem solve. You know, for a shy dog,
1:27
every single successful find is a
1:28
massive victory that builds incredible
1:30
confidence. And for a dog with tons of
1:32
energy or anxiety, this kind of mental
1:35
workout can be more tiring than a long
1:37
walk, leading to a much calmer, happier
1:39
companion. And here's the cool science
1:42
behind all the fun. Whenever your dog is
1:44
searching and they find what they're
1:45
looking for, their brain gets a little
1:47
hit of dopamine. That's the feel-good
1:48
chemical. So, what does that mean? It
1:51
means the act of searching itself
1:52
becomes the reward. We're literally
1:54
tapping into their brain's natural joy
1:56
circuit. How cool is that? All right.
1:59
Every hero needs a training montage. You
2:01
know, the part in the movie with the
2:02
upbeat music. This is it. This is where
2:05
we forge their skills. And our main
2:07
tools are a whole lot of enthusiasm and
2:09
some really, really good treats. The
2:11
goal here is simple. Make this the best
2:13
game ever. So, here's how we build that
2:16
solid foundation. First, you got to gear
2:18
up. And look, this is not the time for
2:20
their boring old kibble. We're talking
2:22
little pieces of chicken, cheese, hot
2:24
dogs, something totally irresistible.
2:26
Next, we link the queue. Just say, "Find
2:29
it." And toss a treat right in front of
2:30
them for an easy win. Finally, do a
2:33
little practice run. Scatter some
2:35
goodies on a towel or in the grass. Say
2:37
the Q and just let them sniff away. It's
2:40
all about building a super positive,
2:41
can't fail association with those words.
2:44
Okay, our hero has totally mastered the
2:46
basics. Now it's time for their first
2:49
real mission, the blind hide. This is
2:52
the moment, the big one, where they
2:54
learn to stop relying on what they can
2:56
see and start trusting their true
2:58
superpower. And we get there in three
3:01
simple phases. First, let them watch you
3:03
place a treat in a pretty easy spot.
3:05
Easy peasy. Then we add a sit and wait
3:08
to build up some of that anticipation
3:09
and impulse control. And finally, the
3:12
main event. You hide the treat while
3:14
they're out of the room. This right here
3:16
is where the magic really happens. And
3:19
this brings us to the big test, the
3:21
ultimate question. When they walk back
3:23
into that room and the prize isn't right
3:24
there in plain sight, are they going to
3:26
get confused? Or is that incredible
3:28
instinct just going to take over? This
3:30
is the moment we've been training for.
3:32
Can our hero trust their nose over their
3:34
eyes? Yes, they can. Oh, that amazing
3:39
moment when their nose leads them
3:40
straight to the target. The tail starts
3:42
going a million miles an hour and they
3:45
look up at you at that triumphant I did
3:47
it look. That's the payoff. They've
3:49
trusted their power and they've
3:50
succeeded. This is a huge, huge
3:53
confidence boost and it's the heart of
3:54
the whole game. Okay, so with their
3:57
first mission a roaring success, it is
3:59
time for some advanced hero training. A
4:01
true hero never stops learning, right?
4:03
So, we're going to level up the game to
4:05
keep their mind sharp and totally
4:07
engaged. So, how do we level up? Easy.
4:10
First, we expand the search area. Let's
4:12
go from one room to the whole house.
4:14
Then, we add a little complexity by
4:17
hiding the treat on a chair, maybe a low
4:18
shelf, or in an open drawer. Finally, to
4:21
really refine their skills, we introduce
4:23
a decoy, an identical toy or object, but
4:26
with no treat inside. This teaches them
4:28
to focus purely on the scent, not just
4:30
what the object looks like. But you
4:32
know, even the greatest heroes run into
4:34
obstacles sometimes. What happens when a
4:37
training session just kind of goes off
4:39
the rails? First thing, don't panic.
4:41
Getting stuck is just part of the
4:43
journey. Let's look at some common
4:44
challenges and their heroic fixes. So,
4:47
what if they get distracted? Well, the
4:49
room might be too busy, or maybe the
4:51
treats just aren't exciting enough. The
4:53
fix? Go to a quiet room and upgrade that
4:56
reward. What if they keep using their
4:58
eyes? That just means we need to go back
5:00
to doing 100% blind hides for a bit. And
5:03
if they get so excited they kind of
5:05
forget to even sniff, a little sit and
5:07
wait practice before the game starts can
5:09
really bring their focus back. See, easy
5:12
fixes for any challenge. Now, the
5:14
absolute best part about this superpower
5:16
is that it's not just for formal
5:18
training missions. Not at all. We can
5:20
weave it right into daily life, turning
5:22
even boring routines into amazing
5:25
opportunities for our dogs to be the
5:27
heroes of the household. So, the key is
5:29
making this a part of your daily life.
5:31
And as you can see here, there are so
5:32
many ways to do it. That first bar for
5:35
fun, well, that's as simple as hiding
5:37
their favorite toy and letting them have
5:38
a blast searching for it. Then there's
5:40
for practicality. And yes, you can
5:42
absolutely teach your dog to find your
5:43
keys. But check out that last bar for
5:45
routine. This is where you get the most
5:48
powerful consistent enrichment by
5:49
weaving it right into their day, like
5:51
turning meal time into a super fun
5:53
foraging game. Making this a daily habit
5:56
is so easy, and the source suggests a
5:58
few great ways to do it. Looking at this
6:00
chart, you can kind of see how a day of
6:01
find it fun could break down. That big
6:04
slice there, the pre-dinner kibble hunt,
6:06
turns a 5-second meal into a 10-minute
6:08
mental workout. Then you've got a
6:10
calming seek and settle game before bed,
6:12
hiding treats in their blanket to help
6:14
them wind down. And that last slice, a
6:16
search trail on walks, that makes a
6:18
potty break an exciting scent adventure.
6:21
All these small integrations add up to a
6:23
huge boost in their daily happiness. And
6:25
really, this is what it's all about. As
6:28
the source material puts it so
6:29
beautifully, this is so much more than
6:31
just a command. You're learning to read
6:34
your dog's body language, to understand
6:36
their world, and to celebrate their
6:38
unique genius. You're building a
6:40
partnership. And you know what? That
6:42
partnership benefits everyone. For your
6:45
dog, our hero, it builds confidence,
6:48
provides fulfillment, and gets rid of
6:49
boredom. And for you, the mentor, it
6:52
strengthens your bond. It helps create a
6:54
calmer household. And it gives you this
6:56
wonderful fun activity you can share.
6:59
So, I guess the final question isn't
7:00
just how to teach this, but when will
7:03
you start unlocking your dog's inner
7:05
hero?
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