Why It’s Important to Let Your Dog Sniff

When we go on a walk with our dog, sometimes we try to pull our dog along when they stop to sniff. It can be frustrating to keep getting stopped by a sniffing dog, but dogs actually need this! Here’s some info on why dogs love to sniff and why it’s important to let them do this.

Why They Sniff

Dogs are made to sniff. Of all their senses, smell is the strongest. While humans have about 5 million olfactory receptors, dogs can have up to 300 million receptors. Dogs have a completely different experience in the world than we do. Instead of seeing things the way we do, they smell.

Why to Let Your Dog Sniff

Many researchers have done studies that show the dramatic effects of what dogs smell on their behavior. We do our pups harm by not acknowledging the impact of odor on their behavior and wellbeing, positive or negative. One study found that air captured from a busy, stress-filled urban veterinary clinic increased stress-related behavior in dogs.

What to Do

When you’re on walks, it’s key to change it from it being about getting from one to place to another as quickly as possible, to it being a journey for your dog. Allow them to stop and sniff. This is how they get to know their world and get the stimulation they need.

How Dogs Smell

Another interesting point is how dogs smell things. Studies have shown dogs use the right nostril when sniffing new scents and switched to the left when the scent became routine, or non-threatening. Dogs who smelled arousing stimuli, such as adrenalin or sweat, didn’t switched to the left nostril. Since the right nostril is linked to the right hemisphere of the brain, this suggests that olfaction in a dog’s brain is lateralized.Why It’s Important to Let Your Dog Sniff

With the all this info, the most important info to note is that sniffing is not only okay, but also very important to the development of our dog. Let your dog sniff!