Why You Should Let Your Dog Smell During Walks

When was the last time you took your dog on an enrichment walk?

I am referring to a slower walk where your dog is not constantly held in a heel position. Instead, they have the space and time to explore, sniff around, pee check, and just be a dog. These are perhaps the most satisfying walks for our dogs, but unfortunately, they are a type of walk that many pet owners overlook.

While it's pretty obvious that dog walks are great for physical exercise, did you know that these slower-paced "enrichment walks" (also known as "sniff walks") also mentally enrich our canine companions?

Stimulates their mind

Dogs have powerful sniffers. In fact, the canine nose can be 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than the human nose.

Take note: In a TedTalk by New York Times bestselling author and cognitive animal scientist/behavior Alexandra Horowitz, she shares: “Landmarks like fire hydrants and trees are scented bulletin boards with messages from who passed by, what they ate, and how they are feeling.”

Watch the video below for some impressive information about a dog's sense of smell! By sniffing, dogs are able to gather a great deal of information about their environment. Taking time to smell, learn and process this information helps keep our dogs' minds active and engaged.

Relieves Stress and Improves Mood

Sniffing is a calming activity for dogs as it releases various feel-good hormones. When your dog has the opportunity to sniff, the endorphins, which are natural pain relievers that help reduce stress and anxiety, start pumping. In addition, your brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate the brain's reward and pleasure centers. These hormones give dogs a general sense of calm, which can help reduce stress and anxiety.

It's fun!

Dogs are naturally curious creatures and love to explore their surroundings. By giving your dog time to sniff, you are satisfying his natural curiosity and improving his quality of life.

Tires them

Have you ever had to write a long research paper? After hours of reading, writing, editing, and more writing, you've probably shut your computer down mentally. And maybe afterwards he took a nap!

Well, just as mental activity can tire us out, it can also do the same to our puppies. After just 15 to 30 minutes of mental stimulation, your dog will likely feel a little tired, making him feel more relaxed and calm.

And you know what they say: a tired dog is a good dog, as they are less likely to engage in destructive or malicious behavior.

Other activities that promote smell

In addition to sniffing walks, let your pup play with puzzles! There are a variety of dog puzzles and education mats. They each require slightly different problem-solving skills and offer varying levels of challenge. But they all have one thing in common - you hide treats somewhere in the puzzle and your dog has to sniff them out and figure out how to retrieve the tasty reward.