Beginner Scent Work: Teach Your Dog to Find a Tea Bag

Before you and your pup become a dynamic scent-sleuthing duo, you’ll need to gather a few simple supplies. The goal is to keep things fun and low-pressure, so think of this as setting up for a new board game.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• A Strong-Scented Herbal Tea Bag: Peppermint or chamomile tea works wonderfully because the scent is distinct and pleasant. Important: Stick to one type of tea to avoid confusing your dog, and make sure it’s a non-caffeinated, dog-safe herbal variety.
• Several Identical Containers: Start with 3-5 small, identical containers. Small cardboard boxes, clean plastic tubs (like from yogurt or butter), or even paper cups are perfect. Using identical containers ensures your dog is using their nose, not just looking for the ‘special’ box.
• High-Value Treats: These are the treats your dog goes absolutely bonkers for. Think tiny pieces of chicken, cheese, or their favorite smelly training treats. The reward needs to be exciting enough to make the game worthwhile!
• A Positive Attitude: This is the most crucial item on the list! Your energy and encouragement will be your dog’s biggest motivator. Keep it light, fun, and celebrate every small success.

Ready to play? Find a quiet space with minimal distractions. We’ll break this down into simple, fun phases. Remember to keep sessions short—just 5-10 minutes at a time is perfect to keep your dog engaged and wanting more.

1. Step 1: Make the Scent Mean ‘Party!’ (Scent Association)

   The first step is to teach your dog that the smell of the tea bag predicts a delicious reward. Hold the tea bag in one hand and your treats in the other. Present the tea bag to your dog. The moment their nose gets near it or touches it, say an enthusiastic “Yes!” and give them a treat right at the source (your hand with the tea bag). Repeat this 10-15 times. You’re building a powerful connection: Tea Smell = Awesome Treat.

2. Step 2: The Easiest Game of ‘Find It’

   Now, place one of your containers on the floor. With your dog watching, place the tea bag inside it. Give your verbal cue—something fun and consistent like “Find it!” or “Seek!”—and encourage them to investigate. When they sniff the container, shower them with praise and treats. You’re teaching them the basic concept of the game.

3. Step 3: Introducing a Choice (The Shell Game)

   Line up two containers. Let your dog watch as you place the tea bag in one. Give your cue and let them sniff. If they go to the empty box, don’t say anything—just wait. When they sniff or nudge the correct box, have that treat party! “Yes! Good find!” Once they are confidently choosing the right box out of two, you can add a third, and then a fourth.

4. Step 4: Upping the Ante

   Once your dog is a pro at finding the scented box in a simple line, you can start making it a little more challenging. Spread the boxes out around the room. Eventually, you can start hiding the single scented box (without your dog watching) in easy-to-find spots—like next to a table leg or in a corner—and send them on their search.

Expert Tip: Always reward your dog right at the source of the scent. Drop the treats right next to or on top of the container they found. This reinforces that the box itself is the target, not you.

One of the coolest parts of scent work is learning to read your dog’s subtle signals. It’s like learning a secret language! At first, you might not notice much, but as you practice, you’ll start to see clear indications that your dog has caught the scent. This is called a ‘change in behavior.’

Look for these clues:

• The Head Snap: Your dog might be trotting along, sniffing casually, and then their head will suddenly snap to the side as they catch the odor cone in the air.
• Increased Sniffing Pace: The casual sniffing will turn into deep, rapid, and more frantic inhales. You might even hear them!
• Tail Changes: Watch their tail! It often changes speed. For many dogs, it starts wagging faster and higher when they are ‘in the scent.’
• Bracketing: This is when a dog works back and forth in a zig-zag pattern, narrowing down where the scent is strongest.
• The ‘Alert’: This is the final signal that they’ve found the source. It can be anything from a persistent nose touch, a pawing at the container, a down, a sit, or simply a focused freeze where they stare intently at the spot. It’s your job to watch and reward this final indication!

Scent work should always be a positive experience. It’s easy to make a few common mistakes when you’re starting out, but don’t worry—they’re simple to fix! Here’s how to keep the game fun and fair for your dog.

• Mistake #1: Making It Too Hard, Too Fast. It’s tempting to hide the tea bag under the sofa cushions on day one, but this can frustrate your dog. Success builds confidence. Always start easy and only increase the difficulty when your dog is winning the game almost every time.
• Mistake #2: Helping Too Much. We all want our dogs to succeed, but pointing to the right box or leading them to it defeats the purpose. The goal is for them to solve the puzzle. Stay quiet and be patient; let their nose do the work. Your role is to be the cheerleader at the end.
• Mistake #3: Scent Contamination. Your hands can easily spread the tea scent everywhere! Try to handle the ‘hot’ (scented) container as little as possible. If you can, use gloves or tongs to place the tea bag. Also, avoid touching the ‘cold’ (empty) containers after you’ve touched the tea bag or treats.
• Mistake #4: Using a Boring Reward. If your dog just gets a piece of their regular kibble for finding the scent, they might lose interest. Scent work is hard mental work, so make the paycheck worth it with high-value, super-tasty treats.