The Versatility of the "Find It" Game

If you have food driven dogs, then this game is for you.  We call it "Find It."  I hide small treats around the house and tell the dogs to "Find It."  They can be placed just about anywhere, in, on, and under things to be found.  It is a great nose work game.

What you may not realize and that I just discovered this past summer is what a powerful ally the game "Find It" really is.

All it took was another night of fixing dinner with Chance clinging to me and Blaze right under my feet when I took a handful of treats and tossed them all over the floor.  "Find It!"  And as they scurried all over gobbling up treats, I finally had my work area clear.  And I did it again and again.  When their noses were "turned on" I started making the treats more difficult to find.  When they ran to the tossed treats, I would hide more in the other direction.  It worked out great!  I got my kitchen back and they got fun treats by using their noses.

My second discovery for using the "Find It" game was with Chance and Blaze again.  Both being keepers of the front yard they charge the fence and bark intensely at people and dogs that passed by.  This discovery was a happy accident as we were playing "Find It" out in the yard and both dogs took less interest in the walkers and their dogs.  It didn't stop their barking, but it did curb the intensity and length of it while also paying less attention to the passersby which meant they didn't charged the fence.  HUGE improvement for Chance and Blaze.  JUMBO!

My third discovery for playing "Find It" is to get stubborn Brut in the house when he knows I am leaving.  I have tried everything to get him in the house.  I have to bribe him with a milkbone.  So I tried the game on him, leaving the door open and dropping treats all over the room.  I had Brut at hello the first drop.  :)  At it is still working like a charm.

I have a few ideas about using the "Find It" game when I'm walking the dogs and we run into others and their dogs.  I'll let you know if it works.  Or maybe I could use it on our socializing walks with Callie and my friend, L.  The uses are endless.

What I love about it is all it takes is a handful of small yummy treats (we use a cheap, off brand dog kibble that is tiny bits and the dogs love) and some imagination.  Nothing else.  And we all have a little of that!  You can make it as easy or difficult as your dog can handle for the situation.  Doesn't take a lot for your dog to learn and is as simple of finding a fallen treat.  You can do it inside and outside and their is no end to the fun.

Do you play the "Find It" game?  What are the ways you have used it?