The power of sniffing! 👃

We get it, you’re on a walk with your pooch and you think to yourself “do you have to sniff that blade of grass for 5 minutes?!”. But did you know that your dog’s smell is anywhere from 1000 to 10,000 times better than ours? So whilst this sniffing session might seem boring to us, it’s packed with plenty of benefits for your pooch. 

It’s a form of communication 

When dogs sniff others or a spot where they have urinated, they can pick up on a lot of pheromones. These pheromones pack information about that dog including their sex, age and reproductive status. Although we might find it gross, sniffing these areas allows for dogs to communicate and find out about each other. Pretty cool, hey? 

It’s relaxing 

When a dog sniffs, a natural chemical called dopamine is released in their brains. This allows for them to feel happier and calmer! A good sniffing session can positively boost your dog’s mental wellbeing and keep them in a calm mood.

It’s enriching 

Whilst physical exercise is important for dogs, mental enrichment is just as important. A 20 minute walk that includes lots of sniffing can be just as tiring as a 60 minute fast paced walk. 

It’s natural 

Whilst it might seem boring to us, a dogs sense of smell is their main sense and it is vital that they get to use it. Allowing our dogs to act how they naturally should and not just how we want them to behave is essential in keeping them happy and healthy.  

So next time you’re out on a walk. Why not “stop and take time to smell the roses”? 🌹