02/16/2023
THE BENEFITS OF SCENT OR SNIFF GARDENS FOR DOGS
If you are looking for an outdoor activity this coming week, how about some gardening for your dog?
Plant a scent garden. A scent garden for dogs is a safe, outdoor space that encourages a dog to use all of his senses. Not only can a scent garden provide mental stimulation for your pooch, but it is also confidence-building, stress-busting and highly enriching. Its a fabulous enrichment activity.
Here are some plant ideas you can put into pots or direct into the ground:
1. Catnip – this is great for dogs as well as cats, offering relaxation benefits
2. Lavender – a good plant for calming anxiety and nerves
3. Marshmallow – your dog will seek this out if he ever has an upset stomach
4. Valerian – another herb that is fantastic for anxious dogs and cats. This one is often sold as a supplement
5. Yarrow – helps with inflammation and urinary issues
6. Thyme, mint, rosemary, parsley, etc. will add to your dishes in the kitchen in addition to being a sniff fest for your dogs.
7. Calendula - English Marigolds
Happy planting!
Edit - this post is about SNIFFING and not EATING/INGESTING. Please note that not all plants agree with all dogs when ingested and some may have toxic effects on your dog. I'm not an expert in plants so please speak to your vet before choosing which plants to add to your garden if your dog likes eating plants. My dogs don't eat plants thankfully, so none of these plants when sniffed have proven toxic to them. Also all my plants are behind fences which facilitates sniffing as opposed to ingesting. Every pet is an individual so always supervise all enrichment where possible.
