Why Taking Your Dog On A "Sniffari" Will Tire Them Out More Than A Walk

Dogs have a super strong sense of smell. But why do dogs sniff everything? Find out why letting your pooch stop and sniff is good for them.

By Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi
Dec 11, 2023 2:00 PM
cute black white and brown dog a sniffing log in forest
(Credit:Anna_Sokolinska/Shutterstock)

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When my little dog, Daisy, was younger, we went for miles-long walks. But after she turned 10, she stopped wanting to go the distance. She only wanted to give everything she encountered a nice, long sniff.

It now takes us about 22 minutes to walk to the end of our block and back. I figure it's her outside time, so we might as well spend it the way she wants. I listen to music with earbuds and marvel at how she'll spend the length of an entire song sniffing a decorative rock.  

It turns out Daisy's sniff time is as valuable as a regular walk. In recent years, scientists have learned that sniffing provides dogs with significant mental stimulation that can be as exhausting and beneficial as a long walk.

Why Do Dogs Sniff Everything?

When my little Daisy slowly sniffs her way down the block, she is collecting olfactory information that researchers have found gives dogs a "three-dimensional image of the surrounding world across time."

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