Dogs see the world through their olfactory system. In their daily life, they are barraged with an onslaught of scents, from plants, animals, humans to exhaust fumes and chemicals.
Our goal is to help our puppies' build a strong foundation so that they can cope with a variety of scents. For this reason, we work on Early Scent Introduction (ESI). In these early days, we introduce them to a variety of natural smells such as herbs, plants, and foods. As they continue to develop, we will expose them to more advanced smells, particularly those that they will experience as a family pet. We have to imagine all the scents they might experience at the park, with other animals, with other people, on a busy street, etc. Some dogs can act a little "unhinged" when they are overloaded by a variety of scents. We want our puppies to become mature adults that can handle the stress of an overstimulated olfactory system.
Ultimately, these experiences will set them up to be more mentally robust in their future.