Why Does My Dog Sniff So Much On Walks?

Ever wondered why your dog loves to stop and smell everything in sight during walks? According to an article from The Dodo by Danielle Esposito, dogs have a super sense of smell that’s about 50 to 1,000 times more powerful than ours, thanks to their large olfactory epithelium and millions of receptors. Dr. Andrea Tu, medical director at Behavior Vets NYC, provides expert insights into why dogs are such avid sniffers. The following is a brief summary of the article, which you can view in full here. 

Sniffing isn’t just your dog’s favorite pastime—it’s also an essential part of how they explore new environments, engage in social behaviors, and communicate with other dogs. In fact, dogs can begin developing their sense of smell as early as in utero, learning about the world around them even before they’re born!

Dr. Tu recommends letting your dog take their time to sniff during walks, as it’s akin to us scrolling through social media, gathering information about our surroundings. For dogs that can't get enough sniffing, there are fun nose-based games you can play at home, like Hide&Scent.