Human beings don’t always appreciate what our five senses give us each day, especially the sense of smell. However, our furry best friends make the most out of that power when you take them around the neighborhood. Learning why dogs smell everything during their walk helps you become more patient as they explore the same tree stump repeatedly.
The Power of Smell
If you are a new dog parent or dog sitting for a friend, you’ll quickly find the pup’s propensity to sniff everything under the sun during their walks. It’s easy to become impatient when they stop and sniff every few seconds, but allowing them to sniff at their leisure is critical.
Dogs acquire more information from their sniffing abilities than you can with your eyes. They can decipher who (or what) was there, how many there were, what they ate, and even the mood of someone. Hence, dogs often know when you’re departing for a few days, sensing that doggy daycare is in their future.
What Dogs Can Recognize From Sniffing
Your dog will easily recognize the strongest odors, gravitating toward them until they conclude a thorough investigation with their snout. What makes a dog’s sense of smell so staggering is that they can recall any smell.
Dogs can identify other species of canines and lock them into their brain. This superpower helps them in case they encounter a certain type of dog personality, triggering a memory that helps them make the next decision. Your pup will likely stop and smell the grass often because there are several scents they can pick up.
Should I Let Them Sniff?
You may be questioning yourself if you should let them sniff or should you pull them away to keep the walk moving along. Simply put, let your dog sniff to their heart’s content. Dogs use their noses to function, making it the equivalent of someone coming to cover your eyes while you are trying to look at something. Allowing them to sniff makes them happy, leading them to bounce from pillar to post as soon as you use one syllable of the word “walk.”
How Long Should I Let It Happen?
Since you know smelling is healthy for the pooch, the next question to answer is how long you should let it happen. There is no need to pull out your phone and set a timer, but you should let your dog sniff until they understand what they are smelling. If you pull your pooch away too quickly, they might not have acquired enough information to put it in their memory bank. Thus, let them get a good whiff before you signal your pup that it’s time to move on.
Knowing why dogs smell everything during their walk provides reasoning for their behavior. It may frustrate you that they have to investigate the neighborhood daily like they are Sherlock Holmes, but it’s a healthy behavior you shouldn’t prevent from happening.
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 