Top Five Scent Games to Play With Your Dog at Home

If you’re looking for practical, straightforward ways to give your dog something fun to do at home, scent games are a great place to start. These games are simple, require very little equipment, and tap into something your dog is already a natural expert at using their nose.

You don’t need a big garden, fancy equipment, or hours of spare time. What you do need is a small bit of curiosity and a willingness to let your dog take the lead with their sense of smell. It’s incredibly satisfying to watch them figure things out, and it can do wonders for their confidence and ability to settle afterwards.

Below, we’ve rounded up five of our favourite scent games that you can play today using things you probably already have in the house. These games work for dogs of all ages and energy levels, and you can adjust them to suit your space and routine.

1. The Towel Twist

This is a classic that ticks all the boxes. It’s quick to set up, encourages problem solving, and slows down fast eaters too.

Start with a regular towel or tea towel and a few small treats or pieces of kibble. Lay the towel out flat, then scatter the treats across it. Next, roll the towel up into a loose sausage shape, and twist or knot it so the treats are tucked inside the folds. Give it to your dog and let them figure out how to unroll, sniff out, and nibble the hidden treasure.

You’ll want to supervise this one the first few times, especially if your dog is a bit of a shredder. If your dog finds it too easy, you can increase the challenge by adding more knots or switching to a larger towel with deeper folds.

What we like most about the towel twist is how easy it is to make it part of your daily routine. You can even use part of their breakfast or dinner and make it a slower, more engaging way for them to eat.

2. Find It Around the Room

“Find it” is a game that builds a strong nose to brain connection. It’s incredibly versatile and works just as well in a one bedroom flat as it does in a big open plan space.

Start small. With your dog watching, toss a treat a short distance and say “find it”. Let them run over and eat it. Do this a few times, so they start to associate the words with using their nose. Then make it harder. Ask them to wait (or have someone hold them), place a treat behind a table leg or under a cushion, and give the cue again.

You don’t need to use high value treats. Even their usual food will work if your dog is keen. Over time, you can send them into different rooms, or even out of sight, while you hide the treats in advance.

Dogs love this one because it gives them a job to do. You’ll see them using their whole body to follow scent trails, and it’s a great way to calm a busy or anxious dog. Just remember to keep it fair. If it’s too hard too soon, they may lose interest.

3. The Box Game

This one’s great for dogs who like to dig or nose around in things. You’ll need a few empty cardboard boxes of different sizes. Delivery boxes, cereal boxes, and egg cartons all work well. Scatter a few treats or bits of food into one of the boxes and mix it up with scrunched up paper, safe soft packaging, or even old toilet roll tubes.

Then place that box among a few others that are empty, or have just paper inside, and encourage your dog to explore. You can sit back and let them choose where to sniff and how long to stick with each box.

This game can get messy, but it’s worth it. It gives your dog a chance to make decisions and engage in natural searching behaviours in a safe, low pressure way.

If your dog is nervous or hasn’t played before, start with just one or two boxes, and keep the contents simple. The goal is for them to enjoy using their nose, not to feel confused or overwhelmed.

4. The Cup Shuffle

This one’s as fun for people as it is for dogs, and it’s surprisingly good at getting them thinking. You’ll need three or four identical plastic cups or paper beakers and a few small treats.

Start by placing a treat under one of the cups while your dog watches. Let them sniff or tap the right cup to reveal the treat. Give lots of praise and repeat a few times. Once they get the idea, start shuffling the cups around before letting them choose.

You don’t need to go full magician mode. Slow, steady movements are fine. The goal isn’t to trick your dog but to build up their focus and engagement. If they get frustrated, go back a step and keep things predictable.

Some dogs use their nose, others might paw at the cups. Let them find their own way and resist the urge to point or guide them. The learning is in the doing.

5. Scatter and Search

This one is perfect for winding down after a walk, filling time on a rainy day, or giving your dog a bit of mental stimulation when you’re short on energy. It’s as basic as it sounds. Take a handful of food or treats and scatter them across a safe space like a rug, mat, or patch of grass.

At first, your dog might rush through it. That’s fine. But over time, they’ll slow down and start to use their nose more than their eyes. This taps into deep seated searching behaviour and can be surprisingly calming.

You can use different textures to mix it up. Try scattering over a snuffle mat, into the corners of a room, or under furniture. As long as it’s safe and you’re happy with them searching there, anything goes.

It may not look like much, but this game has a real effect on many dogs. It encourages focus, movement, and choice making all without asking them to sit or stay or perform.

A Few Extra Thoughts

Scent games don’t need to be perfect. You’re not training your dog for formal scent work (unless you want to). The point here is engagement. Let your dog take the lead. Watch how they approach the problem. Do they dive straight in? Do they pause and think? Do they get quicker over time?

You might be surprised by how tired they are after just ten minutes of sniffing and searching. Mental work often leaves dogs more settled than long walks, especially if your dog gets overwhelmed easily or reacts to too much noise or stimulation.

If your dog is hesitant, unsure, or completely uninterested, it’s okay. Go at their pace. You can warm up with something easier, use higher value food, or even just sit with them and let them watch you prepare the game. Curiosity tends to follow.

And of course, if your dog guards food or tends to swallow things quickly, adapt these games to keep everyone safe. Supervise where needed and keep things simple until you know what works best for your own dog.

Why These Games Matter

These scent games aren’t just time fillers. They can help dogs learn to settle, build tolerance for frustration, and feel more in control of their environment. They’re especially useful for puppies, rescues, and dogs who are new to structured play.

Most importantly, they give your dog the chance to be a dog. To sniff, to problem solve, and to use the part of their brain that often gets ignored in day to day life. You don’t need to spend money, follow a script, or carve out a whole afternoon. Just give it a go. Watch what happens. And enjoy what your dog shows you.

Curious about what Paws Academy has to offer? Have a look at our online training hub and see what might work for you and your dog.