I Think I Broke My Dog’s Sniffer…

This one hit a little closer to home this weekend.

Because it wasn’t just “dogs in general”… it was Harvey.

And if you’ve been following along, you know I’ve been working him back to baseline… clearing out what I call that heavy metal fog — where things just feel dull, slow, disconnected.

———————

The dogs were looking a little board, so I went to do one of my favorite reset games… “feed the chickens.”

Tossed the food out across the yard.

And instead of doing what a dog is wired to do… he

• watched the pieces fall

• ate only what he saw land

…and then stopped.

No sniffing. No searching. No curiosity.

Looked right back at me… then at the bag of “treats”… like that was where the food actually came from.

Not the ground. Not their nose. Me.

———————

Somtimes, we Accidentally Rewire the System

Bowls. Puzzles. Hand feeding. Structured everything.

We unintentionally teach them:

• food comes from us

• food is visible

• food requires very little effort (aka free)

And over time…

That natural seek → sniff → find system just… goes quiet.

With Harvey, It Was Even Deeper

This wasn’t just about enrichment.

Harvey has been working through that “foggy” state — where:

• engagement drops

• curiosity fades

• processing feels slower

• instincts don’t fire as quickly

I’ve seen it many times with him and many other dogs — they don’t know how to dog.

So when I saw no sniffing?

That wasn’t just “he’s used to a bowl.”

That was: his system isn’t fully online yet.

And that matters.

Back to Basics — On Purpose

I didn’t push him.

I worked to rebuild it.

• Started on the patio (small, easy, obvious wins)

• Repeated daily

• Let him figure it out instead of showing him

• Slowly expanded back into the yard

And little by little…

You start to see life come back through the nose:

• nose dropping to the ground

• slower, more intentional movement

• actual searching vs waiting

• that spark of curiosity returning

That’s neurological engagement coming back online.

———————

Why Foraging Is So Powerful

Foraging supports:

• nervous system regulation (calmer, more grounded state)

• dopamine in a healthy, balanced way

• confidence building

• reconnection to instinct

• mental clarity and engagement

• digestion (slower, more natural eating pattern)

For a dog coming out of a sluggish, overwhelmed, or “toxic load” type state…

This is foundational work.

We’ve been using Smack Pet Food for this.

• easy to scatter

• real food, not synthetic-filled

• holds up well outside

• complete meal, so this is the feeding — not just treats

If Your Dog Just Stares at You…

Good.

That’s information.

It tells you:

• they’re relying on you instead of their instincts

• their sniffing brain needs practice again

• their nervous system may be a little “checked out”

Don’t rush it.

Don’t over-direct it.

Let them relearn how to be a dog.

Watching Harvey shift over just a few days…

That nose coming back online… that curiosity starting to flicker again…

That’s the stuff I pay attention to.

Because when the nose comes back — a lot of other things start to follow.

———————

Feed The Chickens: k9coach.dog/blog/feedin…

Smack: