Top 12 'At-Home-Adventure' Scent Games to use for beginners building confidence in a shy rescue pup. - Goh Ling Yong
Bringing a shy rescue pup into your home is an act of pure love. You see the incredible dog hiding behind those worried eyes, and you're ready to do whatever it takes to help them shine. But building confidence in a dog who has known fear or uncertainty isn't about grand gestures; it's about a series of small, joyful victories. It’s about creating a world where they feel safe, capable, and in control.
One of the most powerful and often overlooked tools in our confidence-building toolkit is our dog's own nose. Their sense of smell is a superpower, a direct line to their brain that can bypass fear and trigger feelings of satisfaction and success. When a dog is "sniffing," they're not just smelling—they're processing, learning, and problem-solving. Engaging this natural instinct through scent games turns your home into a safe and exciting landscape of discovery.
These "At-Home Adventures" are more than just a way to pass the time. They are carefully designed to empower your shy pup. By allowing them to use their nose to find a reward, you are letting them lead, make choices, and succeed entirely on their own terms. This process releases calming hormones, reduces stress, and rewires their brain to associate their environment—and you—with fun and predictability. Let's dive into 12 simple yet transformative scent games to start building that rock-solid confidence today.
1. The "Find It" Foundation
This is the quintessential starting point for all scent work. It’s incredibly simple, which means the success rate for your dog is virtually 100%. The goal is to build a positive association with the act of searching and to introduce the verbal cue, "Find it!"
To play, grab a few small, high-value, and extra-smelly treats (think tiny pieces of cheese, chicken, or freeze-dried liver). Let your pup sniff the treat in your open hand. In an excited, happy tone, say "Find it!" and toss the treat a short distance away on the floor, making sure they see where it lands. When they go to it and eat it, praise them enthusiastically! "Good find! Yes! You're so smart!"
Repeat this 5-6 times in a short session. Keep it upbeat and fun. The key here is not to challenge them, but to build a pattern of success. You're teaching them that the phrase "Find it!" means a fun, easy game with a delicious reward is about to happen. This simple act builds immense value for the game and for your interaction.
2. The Muffin Tin Puzzle
Ready to add a tiny layer of problem-solving? The muffin tin puzzle is a perfect next step. It encourages your dog to use their nose to pinpoint a scent and their brain to figure out how to access the reward. All you need is a standard muffin tin and some toys to act as covers, like tennis balls or balled-up socks.
Start easy. Place a treat in each of the muffin cups, leaving them all uncovered. Set the tin on the floor and let your dog go to town. This lets them get comfortable with the tin itself. Once they've mastered that, place a treat in just a few of the cups, still leaving them uncovered. Now, they have to use their nose to check each cup instead of just gobbling everything in sight.
The final step is to start covering the treats. Begin by placing a treat in one cup and covering it with a tennis ball. Cover a few empty cups as well to encourage sniffing. Your dog will have to nudge or lift the ball to get the reward. This is a huge confidence booster! They are physically manipulating their environment to solve a puzzle.
3. The Towel Roll-Up
This game is fantastic for dogs who might be a bit cautious about new objects. A towel is soft, familiar, and carries comforting household scents. The Towel Roll-Up, also called a "treat burrito," is a simple way to engage their foraging instincts.
Lay an old towel flat on the floor. Sprinkle a few treats along one of the short edges. Then, simply roll the towel up, not too tightly at first. Place it on the floor and encourage your pup to investigate. Their nose will immediately tell them something delicious is inside. They will have to use their paws and snout to nudge and unroll the towel to reveal the treats.
As your dog gets more confident, you can roll the towel tighter or even tie it in a loose knot to increase the difficulty. This game is incredibly calming for many dogs, as the unrolling and sniffing process is a naturally soothing behavior.
4. The Cardboard Box Buffet
Don't throw away that delivery box! A low-sided cardboard box can become a five-star foraging experience for your pup. This game, often called a "snuffle box," creates a rich sensory environment that encourages exploration in a safe, contained space.
Find a box your dog can easily step into and out of. Fill it with dog-safe "filler" material. This can be crumpled-up packing paper, empty toilet paper rolls, old t-shirts, or their own soft toys. The more varied the texture, the more enriching the experience. Once the box is full, sprinkle their kibble or some tasty treats inside.
Place the box on the floor and let them explore at their own pace. For a very shy dog, just sniffing the edge of the box is a win! They'll quickly learn that rooting around in the box yields amazing rewards. Always supervise this activity to make sure your pup isn't eating the filler, but most dogs are too focused on the food to care.
5. Three Cup Monte (Canine Edition)
This is the classic shell game, adapted for your four-legged friend. It’s a brilliant way to teach your dog to trust their nose over their eyes and to build their focus and concentration. You'll need three identical, lightweight plastic cups or small containers.
In the beginning, play with just one cup. Let your dog watch you place a smelly treat on the floor and cover it with the cup. Encourage them to knock the cup over to get the treat. Once they understand the concept, you can move to the full game. Line up all three cups. Let them watch you place a treat under one.
Slowly, slide the cups around a little. Then, encourage them to "Find it!" At first, they may use their paws randomly, but with practice, they'll learn to sniff each cup to locate the prize. When they nudge or paw at the correct cup, lift it with a flourish and let them have their reward!
6. The Snuffle Mat Quest
A snuffle mat is essentially a mat with long fleece strips tied to it, designed to hide dry food and mimic foraging in the grass. It's one of the best enrichment tools you can own, especially for an anxious dog. As a trainer, I, Goh Ling Yong, have seen firsthand how the simple act of using a snuffle mat can visibly calm a stressed dog.
You can buy a pre-made snuffle mat or easily make your own using a rubber sink mat and fleece strips. To use it, simply sprinkle your dog’s daily portion of kibble or some small, dry treats deep into the fleece. Set it on the floor and let them have at it.
The act of sniffing and searching for every last crumb is mentally tiring in the best way possible. It lowers their heart rate and provides a calm, self-directed activity. It turns mealtime from a 30-second gulp-fest into a 15-minute brain game, leaving them feeling satisfied and relaxed.
7. Hide-and-Seek (Human Edition)
This game is a double-whammy: it's a fun scent game that also strengthens your bond and builds a powerful recall. For a shy dog who may have some separation anxiety, it reframes you being out of sight from something scary into the start of an amazing game.
Start very easy. Have your dog in a "stay" (or have a family member hold them). Step just around a corner or behind a door where they can still partially see you. In a happy, encouraging voice, call their name or a fun cue like "Ready or not!" When they come to you, shower them with praise and a jackpot of treats.
As they get the hang of it, increase the difficulty. Hide in another room, behind the sofa, or under a blanket. The goal is for them to use their nose and ears to pinpoint your location. The reward of finding you is one of the most powerful reinforcers in the world for your dog.
8. The Treat Trail
A treat trail encourages your dog to explore their environment with confidence, one treat at a time. It’s a wonderful way to help a nervous dog investigate a new room or area of the house they might be hesitant to enter.
Start by creating a simple trail with small, visible treats. Place them about a foot apart, leading from your dog's current position to a "grand prize" – a favorite toy, a small pile of high-value treats, or a stuffed Kong.
Walk them to the start of the trail and encourage them to "Find it." Let them follow the trail at their own pace. This game allows them to move through a space on their own terms, focused on a fun task. As they get better, you can make the trail longer, space the treats further apart, or have it go over different surfaces like a rug or a mat to build their environmental confidence.
9. The "Scented Toy" Search
This is a fantastic step up from finding food. In this game, you teach your dog to find a specific item based on its scent. It gives them a "job" and a huge sense of accomplishment.
Choose one specific toy to start with—ideally, a soft toy that holds scent well. To make it extra appealing, "charge" the toy by rubbing a tiny bit of a high-value treat on it or by storing it in a bag with smelly treats overnight. Let your dog sniff the toy. Then, in an easy "hide" (like on the other side of a chair, in plain sight), place the toy and say "Find your toy!"
When they go to it, reward them enthusiastically the moment their nose touches the toy. Over time, you can fade the food scent and just use the natural scent of the toy. You can also make the hides more challenging. This game is the foundation of official "Nose Work" sports and is incredibly fulfilling for dogs.
10. The Layered Laundry Pile
Similar to the snuffle box, this game uses soft, familiar items to create a foraging paradise. A pile of your old (but clean!) laundry is perfect because it's filled with your comforting scent, which can be very reassuring for a nervous pup.
Create a loose pile of old t-shirts, blankets, or towels on the floor. Don't make it so dense that it's intimidating. Scatter some treats throughout the different layers of the pile.
Invite your dog over to investigate. Their nose will lead the way, and they'll have to dig and burrow through the soft layers to find all the hidden treasures. It's a low-pressure, high-reward activity that taps into their natural instinct to den and dig.
11. The "Choose Your Hand" Game
This is a simple, close-contact game that's perfect for building a positive association with hands, which can be a source of fear for some rescue dogs. It's a quiet, one-on-one game that requires no setup.
Place a treat in one of your hands and close both into fists. Present both fists to your dog, about at their nose level. Let them sniff. When they sniff or boop the hand with the treat in it, say "Yes!" and open that hand to give them the reward. It's also helpful to open your empty hand afterwards to show them it's gone.
This game teaches your dog that interacting with your hands leads to good things. It also teaches them a simple way to communicate "this one!" with a nose touch, which is a great skill to build on for other types of training.
12. The "Scent Tube" Challenge
This game uses a free and readily available resource: empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls. These simple cardboard tubes can be used to create a variety of fun and challenging scent puzzles.
The easiest version is to simply drop a treat into a standing paper towel tube. Your dog will have to knock it over and work to get the treat out. To increase the difficulty, you can fold in the ends of a toilet paper roll with a treat inside, creating a simple puzzle box they have to tear open.
For a bigger challenge, collect a few tubes and place them in a box or bin. Put a treat in just one of the tubes and let your dog use their super-sniffer to identify the correct one. This is a fantastic, budget-friendly way to keep your pup's brain engaged.
Your Adventure Awaits
Remember, the goal of these games isn't perfect performance; it's participation. Every sniff, every nudge, every tentative step is a victory worth celebrating. Here at the Goh Ling Yong blog, we believe that building a dog's confidence is a journey of a thousand small, happy moments.
Keep your sessions short, always end on a positive note, and go at your dog's pace. Scent work is a gift you give your pup—the gift of being a dog, of using their incredible natural talents to feel successful and safe. By turning your home into a landscape of fun and predictable adventures, you are showing your shy rescue that the world, starting with their world with you, is a wonderful place to be.
Now it's your turn. Which of these at-home adventures will you and your pup embark on first? Share your experiences and any questions you have in the comments below. We love hearing about your training wins
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
Stay updated with the latest posts and insights by following on your favorite platform!