Why Dogs Sniff on Walks

Hold onto your leash! Let’s talk about one of your dog’s superpowers: the incredible sense of smell! The Dodo recently shared an article by Ellen Schmidt all about the wonders of your dog's olfactory abilities and why you should be more patient when your dog wants to stop and sniff everything in sight. Read the full article here.

According to experts cited in the article, including Dr. Justin Padgett from St. Clair Animal Care and several other animal behavior and training specialists, your dog’s nose is 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than yours! A dog's ability to interpret smells is impressive, partly because the section of their brain dedicated to analyzing scents is about 40 times larger than that of humans.

Dogs rely on their noses to gather information about their world, whether it’s reading pheromones from other dogs, checking out new environments, or even finding their way home. It’s like they’ve got a built-in navigation system that relies solely on their sense of smell. And while they’re sniffing around, physiological changes happen that help them relax and lower their heart rate. But the benefits don't stop there! When your dog follows a scent, dopamine—a feel-good chemical—is released, creating a calming effect and enriching their lives.