Sniff Sniff

I think that one of the reasons why children are able to connect so strongly with dogs is because they are quite naturally highly ‘aware’.  Their unconscious minds are in the process of developing so they still pay attention to the myriad of things happening in their universe... in this very moment... just like dogs.

Take a simple game like blowing bubbles... This is so incredibly fascinating for children. An observer of this game might notice that children are capable of focussing on all the bubbles at once... or simply a single bubble as it floats around through the air.  And most astonishingly, they do this for more than just a few seconds...  In this scenario, children are truly living in the moment.  They’re tuned in...their level of awareness is very high.

I offer this analogy because this how I imagine a dog absorbs his information when he’s sniffing.  The fragrances and scents might flutter through the air... or carry in a breeze...or freeze in snow and gradually release as it melts.  A fragrance of decay might permeate through the soil... I imagine all of this is quite similar to floating bubbles from a child’s point of view.  This is why your dog’s nose is always moving, hovering, and collecting information.

Getting inside the mind of your dog is well worth the effort.  A glimpse at the world from his point of view allows you to be more compassionate to his needs.  Insight into his point of view will allow you to lead him more effectively... with less effort... with more trust...and with better results.

At my doggie daycare when we do our ‘mental stimulation’, we always incorporate the scent of the reward to enhance their level of focus on us.