We Gave Bobby the Basset Hound 10 Treats, Guess Which One He Chose (hint: the stinkiest one!)
When you live with dogs long enough, you learn there are two kinds of sniffing.
There’s the casual neighborhood sniff, where a dog checks the pee mail and moves on.
And then there’s Basset Hound sniffing, which is basically a full-scale sensory expedition run by a long-bodied detective with droopy ears and absolutely zero interest in your timeline.
That was Bobby.
We decided to do a fun scent session with him, not formal scent training yet, just a chance to let him explore some different smells and treats and show us what lit up that famous Basset nose. And Bobby did not disappoint. He came in ready. Drooling. Pacing. Looking at us like, “I know you’re hiding something delicious, and I take that personally.”
Bobby’s backstory started with pain and too many returns
Before Bobby became the star of this goofy smell test, he had a rough start.
When I first found him at the shelter, he was limping and crying out because something was wrong with his paw. On top of that, he had already been returned to the shelter three times in one year, and he’s still just a young dog. That’s a lot for any dog, but especially one as sensitive and expressive as Bobby.
We got him to the vet and learned he was dealing with pano, short for panosteitis, a painful condition that can happen in growing dogs. The good news is that Bobby’s paw has been doing much better. He’s healing, he’s feeling better, and now we’re getting to see more of who he really is when he’s not leading with discomfort.
And who is Bobby, exactly?
A charming, stubborn, hilarious, food-motivated Basset Hound with a serious nose and a few things still to learn, like boundaries, separation anxiety support, and how not to act like every snack is his final mission on Earth.
Why scent work is basically made for a Basset Hound
If you’re talking about breeds built for scent work, the Basset Hound is not just invited to the party, he’s probably hosting it.
Bassets were bred to track by scent, with noses powerful enough to follow a trail for long distances. Their low-to-the-ground build helps keep them close to scent paths, and those long ears actually help stir scent up from the ground toward their nose. Nature really looked at this dog and said, “Let’s make a velvet torpedo for smelling.”
That’s why scent games are such a great fit for Bobby.
Sniffing isn’t just entertainment for dogs. It’s mental work. It helps them decompress, focus, and engage with the world in a way that feels natural. For a dog like Bobby, giving him a chance to use his nose isn’t just fun, it’s enriching. It taps into what he was made to do.
The official Bobby smell test got off to a very wobbly start
We had cucumbers, carrots, sardines, peanut butter, strawberries, hard boiled eggs, burger patties, and some fresh-baked dog treats from the bakery, including a donut and a little dessert burger slider.
In theory, this was a gentle little progression from mild smells to the big leagues.
In reality, Bobby was already acting like he’d caught the scent of a backyard barbecue from three zip codes away.
We tried to start civilized with cucumber.
Bobby’s response was basically, “That’s cute. Do you think I’m a rabbit?”
He looked personally offended.
Carrots went better. Not wildly better, but enough that we started to suspect Bobby might have a tiny wellness influencer living inside him. He crunched away like a pro, and honestly the carrot ASMR was pretty spectacular.
But everybody knew the real fireworks would start once we brought out the stinkier stuff.
Sardines unlocked Bobby’s inner swamp creature
The second the sardines came out, the whole room changed.
His tail got going. His focus sharpened. The air quality declined dramatically.
This was Bobby’s moment.
He was patient, he gave us a sit, and then he went all in. Sardines are one of those smells dogs find irresistible, and for Bobby, it was like we had finally started speaking his language. He was licking the bowl, trying to eat around the bowl, and generally behaving like a dog who had just discovered treasure at the bottom of the sea.
It was disgusting.
It was beautiful.
It was very Bobby.
He had opinions, and they were strong
One of my favorite parts of doing something like this is realizing dogs are not just eating. They are choosing. They’re evaluating. They’re making tiny, hilarious food judgments.
Bobby rejected cucumber like it had insulted his family.
He gave the carrot a respectable showing.
He zeroed in on the stinkiest, richest stuff fast, which makes perfect sense for a scent-driven dog who follows his nose first and asks questions never.
He also proved that while he might need work in some areas, being engaged is not one of them. Bobby was tuned in the whole time. He wanted the game. He wanted the interaction. He wanted the rewards. That matters.
Because training doesn’t start with perfection. It starts with interest.
And Bobby has plenty of that.
What Bobby’s behavior tells me about his training potential
This wasn’t formal scent training, but it still told us a lot.
Bobby is curious, highly food motivated, and naturally drawn to scent. That is a fantastic combination for future enrichment and training. Dogs like Bobby do especially well when training feels like a game instead of a lecture.
For him, the biggest opportunities are going to be:
Building impulse control
We kept asking for little sits before rewards, and while Bobby wasn’t exactly trying to get into obedience school valedictorian territory, he did show he can pause and work for something when he understands the payoff.
Channeling his nose productively
Instead of letting that big Basset nose get him into trouble, scent games can give him a job. Puzzle toys, treat searches, sniff walks, and beginner scent exercises would all be great for him.
Supporting his confidence and routine
Because Bobby has been bounced around so much, structure matters. Predictable routines, calm handling, and enrichment that helps him succeed can do a lot for a dog with separation anxiety or a little emotional wear and tear.
The scoop on the treats
Since Bobby was living his best snack-forward life, here’s the quick scoop.
We kept it to dog-safe treats and simple foods in moderation: carrots, cucumber, strawberries, peanut butter, sardines, eggs, burger patties with no salt or bun, plus bakery-made dog treats. This was absolutely a treat day, not a balanced meal plan unless your nutrition philosophy is “chaotic tasting menu for hounds.”
And yes, we joked we’d probably be paying for it later in toots.
That felt medically probable.
Why Bobby is going to make somebody very happy
Bobby is one of those dogs who makes you laugh without trying.
He’s got the face. He’s got the ears. He’s got the dramatic reactions. He’s got that Basset Hound blend of sweetness, stubbornness, and accidental comedy that can turn even a simple snack test into an event.
But underneath all of that is a dog who has been through too much instability and still shows up ready to connect.
That says a lot.
He doesn’t need to be perfect. He needs someone who understands that dogs like Bobby aren’t furniture. They’re companions with instincts, needs, quirks, and a little baggage. Give him patience, guidance, things to sniff, and a soft place to land, and I think Bobby is going to keep getting better.
What’s next for Bobby
Bobby is healing well, staying busy, and continuing to work on the skills that will help him thrive in a home. We’ll keep giving him enrichment, toys that make him think, and chances to use that incredible nose.
And hopefully, sooner rather than later, Bobby won’t be doing scent games with us because he’ll be off in a loving home, making someone laugh, sniffing every blade of grass in the yard, and reminding his new family that life is a little better when you slow down and follow your nose.
Because if Bobby taught us anything during this whole adventure, it’s this:
Cucumber is a scam. Sardines are king. And Basset Hounds always know where the good stuff is.
