When walking your dog, it’s easy to focus on the goal of completing the route or getting exercise, but experts recommend that you let your dog take the time to sniff around during their walk. Here’s why:
Sniffing is Their Way of Exploring the World
For dogs, the world is understood primarily through their sense of smell, not vision. As Dr. Andrea Y. Tu, a veterinary behavior specialist, explains, a dog’s walk is more about exploration than exercise. Dogs experience their surroundings through scents, just as humans engage with social media. Imagine a teenager being told how to scroll through TikTok — it wouldn’t be enjoyable. Likewise, a walk is not just about moving from point A to B for your dog. It’s their opportunity to explore, connect with their environment, and have fun. “Your walk is not for you, it’s for your dog,” Dr. Tu stresses. Letting them sniff, at their own pace, is part of letting them “control” their experience.
Sniffing as Mental Enrichment
Trainer Daniel Neale emphasizes that sniffing isn’t just a habit; it’s a biological need. It’s mentally enriching and provides significant benefits to your dog. Sniffing helps calm them down, lowers stress levels, and can alleviate behavioral issues. For dogs, particularly those without a backyard or space to roam freely, these walks serve as an essential outlet for mental stimulation. Neale compares it to a blend of yoga, Sudoku, and scrolling through social media — a fulfilling activity that helps dogs relax and mentally engage with their world.
The Importance of Allowing Natural Behaviors
Dr. Tu highlights how we often suppress natural behaviors in our pets because we find them inconvenient or believe it shows dominance. However, suppressing activities like sniffing can limit their enjoyment and lead to a less enriched life. Dogs, as companions to humans, live in smaller, controlled environments, and providing them opportunities to engage in behaviors like sniffing is an easy and vital way to enrich their lives.
A Calmer, Happier Dog
Allowing your dog to stop and sniff during walks leads to a calmer, happier pet. Research shows that dogs who sniff more during walks are less likely to exhibit behavioral issues at home and are more relaxed overall. Rather than rushing through a walk to “get it over with,” consider the walk as an opportunity for your dog to experience the world at their pace.
So, next time you’re out with your dog, let them enjoy their sniffing sessions. It’s not just about exercise, it’s about enriching their experience, reducing stress, and giving them a moment to explore their world in a way that feels natural to them.
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