Is Scent Work Tiring for Dogs?

Most people are aware of exercising their dogs physically. They will take their dogs for a walk, run, or even a hike. Not many people think about stimulating or challenging a dog’s mind. Recently dog trainers have been promoting the need to exercise a dog’s mind. There are several ways to do this. One of the recommended ways is scent training with a dog. Responsible owners may wish to know why scent training stimulates the dog’s mind and whether it is tiring.

Scent work is tiring for dogs as it challenges their brain and body. Scent activates a dog’s olfactory cortex and limbic system. The brain uses energy as it functions. Dogs have millions of scent receptors. The sensory stimulation and associated processing and cognition are immense.   

Dog’s olfactory sense is so powerful that they can smell a substance when there is only one drop in the equivalent of twenty Olympic-sized swimming pools. That is quite a feat.

Scent Work Is Brain Work For Dogs

Dogs have, on average, three hundred million olfactory receptors. Humans have only six million, so you can imagine all the rich details a dog’s nose detects. The information received by the olfactory receptors must be processed. This is done in the olfactory bulb of the dog’s forebrain.

A dog’s olfactory bulb is forty times more powerful than a human’s olfactory center. In people, the dominant sensory region is the visual cortex. Dogs’ dominant sensory area of the brain is the olfactory cortex.

Smell is a completely developed sense in puppies, unlike sight and hearing, which only develop as the puppy matures. This fact emphasizes the importance of smell for dogs.

People are often tired after going to a shopping mall and cannot understand why the outing is so exhausting. It is largely because so much visual stimulation is channeled to the brain.

For dogs, scent work is like visiting a scent shopping mall. Their brain receives thousands of sensory signals that must be cataloged and stored. Previous memories associated with the smells must be accessed, and new associations formed.  

Why Is Brain Work Tiring For Dogs?

When a dog is using its brain for a task, the brain needs fuel and energy. Glucose is the primary energy source that powers the brain, and it can burn through it rapidly.

Glucose is converted into adenosine triphosphate, a chemical that allows energy to be stored and transferred between brain cells. Lowered glucose levels result in the dog being tired after brain or scent work.

Glucose fuel is needed as the brain functions as a complex computer. Multiple neural pathways are activated in the brain. The olfactory system receives stimulation and messages when the dog smells a scent. The scent must be processed, and cognitive pathways are activated that allow the dog to follow the scent as it changes locality.

Why Is Sensory Stimulation Of The Brain Good For Dogs?

Part of the olfactory sensory information is directed from the olfactory bulb to the limbic system found in the primitive brain region. The limbic system is responsible for emotions.

Stimulating the limbic system through scent work triggers or creates memories and emotions. The emotional response to smells usually makes the dog feel relaxed and happy. Researchers have found that when dogs complete scent tasks, their heart rate and blood pressure decrease, indicating a relaxed state of mind.

Some trainers use scent training when working with emotionally unstable or aggressive dogs. Scent training requires the dog to solve problems that can refocus reactive dogs’ attention. The dogs are less likely to be aggressive or anxious.

Sometimes dogs may have a negative memory related to a smell. This is usually a more extreme reaction seen in hypersensitive dogs. Some dogs cannot be cadaver dogs as they find the smell of death disturbing. They will feel unsettled and unhappy after encountering this smell.

A dog’s brain thrives on sensory stimulation. It is common knowledge that people need sensory stimulation for wellness – the same is true for dogs. Psychologists have shown that depriving people of sensory stimulation is a form of torture and results in mental or emotional disorders. Dogs also require sensory stimulation to be stable. For them, the most important sense is smell.   

Scent Work Is Often Paired With Physical Exercise

Scent training is often paired with physical exercise where the dog must track a scent for some distance. The combination of physical exercise with mental stimulation is very tiring for dogs. Both the body and the brain are active, using up fuel.

Body activity increases the demands on the brain, which must coordinate and regulate movement while keeping track of the scent location. Most dogs will sleep for hours after completing an activity like this.   

Scent Work For Old Or Disabled Dogs 

Scent training or tasks does not have to involve physical exercise. It can be done by activities such as the dog sniffing out where the treat is hidden under a choice of containers. There is minimal movement required for this task.

Using scent activities with minimal movement components can be a useful way of stimulating older dogs or those who have limited mobility. It is an excellent activity for dogs confined to cage rest for medical reasons. One of the hardest elements of cage rest is the frustration dogs experience. This can be alleviated by scent games or training.

Scent training games can be used with dogs that live in small homes or apartments when the owner needs additional enrichment for their canines. Scent games can be done in limited space, and vertical scent tracking games are also possible.

Conclusion

Scent work is tiring for dogs as it involves a lot of brain work. It is useful when the dog needs to expend energy and can be a life saver for owners of high-energy breeds. Scent work can also help relieve frustration and limit anxiety and aggression. It does not need extensive space and can be completed with minimal movement by the dog if this factor needs to be considered.

References

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/sports/many-uses-benefits-scent-work/

https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2019/09/scent-and-scent-ability.html

https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/dog/scent-work-for-dogs

https://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/genie-tuttle-cpdt-ka-cnwi/playing-nose-work

https://ourfamilydog.org.uk/scent-work-for-dogs

https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/training/nose-work-is-great-exercise-for-dogs/

https://phoenixvetcenter.com/blog/214731-how-powerful-is-a-dogs-nose

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