There’s a brand new trend within the dog world called sniff walks they usually could also be harming your dog’s health.
You’ll have heard the phrase “It’s your dog’s walk”.
Or perhaps, like me, you’ve felt the criticism of people that think that not letting your dog stop every 5 feet to smell something is mean and cruel.
From what I can tell, these owners often think they’re being higher pet owners by all the time letting their dog sniff the whole lot on walks at a leisurely pace.
But I believe that only happening sniff walks is what’s doing all your dog a disservice and potentially harming them.
What Is a Sniff Walk?
For those of you who haven’t encountered this term yet, it’s probably not a brand new thing – just a brand new name for it.
A sniff walk is where you are taking your dog for a walk and permit them to stop and sniff around as much as they need.
The concept is that dogs need to make use of their nose to explore their surroundings through scent and allowing them to smell around loads has advantages.
Scientists say letting your dog sniff builds latest neurons within the brain, this increasing cognitive function.
Sniff walks are also one strategy to provide mental stimulation, sometimes known as mental “exercise”.
I’m 100% behind the thought of providing your dog mental exercise and helping to develop their brain.
But there’s an issue with sniff walks.
What’s Improper with Sniff Walks?
There’s nothing inherently unsuitable with sniff walks. The truth is, they’re awesome on your dog!
Nonetheless, it is best to not make every walk your dog goes on a sniff walk.
I hear Dachshund owners steadily state that their dog walks slow all the time because they’re stopping to smell every 5 feet.
Some dog owners specifically search out “sniffing trails” or other areas which can be designed to supply dogs with a wide range of scents to explore.
I recently posted a video showing how I get my Dachshunds to stop sniffing and move along so we will cover far on our walk and get our heart pumping.
People exclaimed, “But they should sniff! It’s good for them!”.
While sniffing on walks is sweet for a dog, physical and mental exercise aren’t mutually exclusive.
And, if all you do is sniff walks, you might be very likely harming your dog’s health.
You’re doing them a grave disservice.
How Sniff Walks May Be Hurting Your Dog
There are several ways in which a sniff walk can harm your dog. Some literally and a few figuratively.
1) It’s not enough exercise
Most healthy, adult dogs need cardiovascular exercise to assist keep their heart healthy, joints lubricated, muscles strong, and keep them from becoming chubby.
Meandering along at a slow pace and letting your dog stop to smell the whole lot doesn’t achieve this.
2) They could eat what they’re sniffing
I can’t count the variety of times I let my dog sniff within the grass after which BAM! they scarfed down some unidentifiable substance that they shouldn’t have.
I worry because they might have eaten diseased cat poop, something containing chemicals, or something poisonous.
While more often than not, there isn’t a harm done or they get sick and throw up later that night, it might be worse.
Just like the time we needed to make an emergency trip to the vet because one in all my dogs ate a part of a toxic mushroom.
3) It teaches them bad habits
In case you only take your dog on sniff walks, they learn that they control the walk, not you.
While “It’s your dog’s walk” or “It’s your dog’s hike” are great reminders to acknowledge when your dog is drained, or injured, and it’s time to go home, not every walk must be dictated by your dog.
First, it teaches them bad leash manners.
Allowing your dog to guide your whole walks can teach them:
- To learn to tug on the leash.
- To dart backwards and forwards, potentially tripping the human walking them and making the experience difficult or unpleasant for the owner.
- That what’s over there and smells interesting is more vital than you might be.
When your dog doesn’t find you interesting or helpful, they’re less more likely to come if you call or take direction from you.
It might probably also make training might be tougher – training of vital commands that can help to maintain them secure and comfortable.
Should I Let My Dog Sniff on Walks?
Absolutely! Really, you possibly can’t stop it.
Dogs will smell the air, and should keep their nose down toward the bottom, to select up scents during a walk.
After I am out exercising my dogs and walking at a brisk pace, they do get to smell.
They get to smell for a couple of seconds once they find something interesting before I expect them to maneuver along.
They get to smell once we stop for breaks.
There isn’t any way I might deny them this.
Sometimes we even go on a correct sniff walk where I head out the door and go where my dog’s nose takes us.
Nonetheless, physical exertion is just as vital as mental stimulation, they usually don’t get enough exercise by leisurely strolling and stopping every 5 feet.
So not all walks must be sniff walks.
Colleen Demling-Riler, an in-house dog behaviorist expert for Dogtopia, recommends keeping your pup walking for 70% of the time and giving him the remaining 30% to smell and explore the environment.
The way to Stop a Dog from Sniffing All the pieces on Walks
Dachshund owners often ask me how I prevent my dogs, Gretel and Summit, from stopping on a regular basis on our walks to smell.
I never had a superb answer… I just taught them to not… but I’ve been pondering more about that.
There are several techniques I exploit to maintain them moving along.
The primary my attitude. When I need them to maintain walking, I simply don’t stop.
They reply to leash pressure as an indication to maneuver along, so once I walk past them and the leash tightens up, they know their sniff session is over.
In the event that they don’t naturally stop sniffing and are available with me, I exploit one in all two commands.
I’ve taught my dogs the “leave it” command. At our house this implies leave whatever you might be giving attention to.
So once I say “leave it”, they know to stop sniffing and begin walking again.
I’ve also taught them the “let’s go!” command. The command means “we’re moving now, come along.”
This command has many uses, but one in all them is to get them to stop sniffing something and keep walking.
Are Dogs That Aren’t Allowed to Sniff All the pieces Unhappy?
Remember to start with of this text when I discussed that sniff walks are a brand new trend? Or quite that the term is?
In my statement, this term was created in response to the rise in popularity of dog obedience training on social media.
There are countless videos of “robotic” dogs heeling on a walk next to their owners and always looking up at them or staring straight ahead.
While we don’t know what is occurring off camera, these videos give the impression that in case your dog isn’t always in tune together with your every step, and ignoring all external stimulation, you’re not dog walking them right.
Calling out the practice and advantages of sniff walks is a reminder that dogs aren’t robots they usually need to make use of their natural-given, and amazing, olfactory systems.
There are various advantages to smell walks (summarized from this Pawtracks article), including:
- Potentially reducing in anxiety and aggression because sniffing gives a dog the knowledge they need to know what’s happening around them.
- Increasing mental stimulation as your dog explores things they find interesting with their nose
- The mental “exercise” can tire your dog out as much as walking (even though it doesn’t provide the cardiovascular advantages).
- Sniffing makes your dog comfortable because they’re fulfilling their natural instincts
So, yes, a dog that isn’t allowed to smell on walks could also be unhappy.
But there are methods to go on an exercise walk and let your dog sniff, including:
- Letting your dog sniff whatever interests them for a couple of seconds before asking them to maneuver along
- Stopping for sniff breaks in between brisk walking intervals
- Letting your dog sniff to their heart’s content before and after the walk.
Giving your dog specific sniffing opportunities on walks might be just as enjoyable for them as letting them always sniff.
Final Thoughts
This text isn’t about focusing solely on the cardiovascular facets of walking your dog.
I’m not saying sniff walks are inherently bad. The truth is, they’re crucial to your dog’s mental health and happiness!
Nonetheless,
1) exercise and sniff walks don’t must be mutually exclusive and
2) sniff walks aren’t the one sort of walk your dog needs.
As stated above (by a veterinarian, not only my opinion), your dog should get a combination of the 2 types, but nearly all of your dog walking time must be focused on moving and fitness.
I also think it’s vital to indicate that sniff walks aren’t the one strategy to provide your dog mental stimulation.
While this text focused on sniff walks for mental stimulation, that can be provided through training, playing games together with your dog, and providing enrichment activities at home.