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When Operation Freedom Paws conducts training sessions with both pet owners and service dog handlers, we emphasize the importance of “nose work”. As each new six-week training session starts for pet owners, we meet dogs that lack confidence. This makes them more likely to be startled and reactive to other dogs, to people, and to their environment. Usually these dogs are carrying their mouths open, which is something we can easily point out to their owners. Dogs that use their eyes to learn about their surroundings are not relying on their amazing sense of smell. They usually close their mouths and use their noses to “read pee-mail” when they’re looking for that perfect potty spot, but most of the remaining time they are scanning with their eyes. This goes back to dogs communicating via body language. Domestic dogs copy people’s body movements, and begin turning their heads to watch things like we do. Sixty percent of a dog’s brain is devoted to processing smells; sight is their weakest sense. Their daytime vision is estimated at only about 20:70. One of the most rewarding results of training is watching a dog begin to use its nose is to process the surroundings, and stop being startled by movement. It can be a lot of fun to play nose games with dogs, like the “which hand has the treat” or hiding treats and having them find them. By watching your dogs’ body language you’ll start to learn when they are identifying scents, either close up (nose down) or farther away (nose up air-scenting). Using---and depending---on their sense of smell gives dogs more confidence and brings them into balance. They can determine from a distance whether another dog is a threat by smelling hormones and chemistry. Humans domesticated dogs to take advantage of their amazing sense of smell and hearing, so bringing your canine partner’s senses into balance benefits you both.