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

[Cattledog]

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Should I Let My Dog Sniff on Walks?

The American Kennel Club recommends taking your dog on designated sniff walks in which the dog gets to move slowly and sniff everything of interest (also called scent walk or a sniffari). Sniff walks provide mental stimulation that helps a dog avoid boredom. And because of the mental stimulation, a sniffari can be just as exhausting as a longer distance walk.

Sniffari Time

With a sniff walk, the dog gets to spend as long as they want sniffing a hydrant or fence post. The human on the other side of the leash isn't trying to get their steps in, nor are they telling their dog it's time to move on.

Sniff walks might not mean traveling far during their typical walking time. Whereas a regular walk might cover a mile in 20 minutes, a sniff walk could mean a block or two in the same time frame.

Stop and Sniff

Even when they're not on a designated sniff walk, animal behaviorists encourage pet parents to give their dogs time to sniff because it is their most relied-upon sense. Whereas humans can typically see as far as 75 feet, dogs can only see about 20 feet away. And although their hearing range is broader than ours — we stop around 20,000 hertz, and they can go up to 45,000 hertz — their sense of smell is the most important.

https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/why-taking-your-dog-on-a-sniffari-will-tire-them-out-more-than-a-walk

[CrispyQ]

1. Wow. Fascinating article about our canine friends!!

How appropriate that you would post it!

[Mister Ed]

2. I've always known this on a gut level.

It's their internet. They need it to keep in touch with the world.

It's always saddened me to see an owner yanking their dog away from an interesting sniff, all the while poking at their smartphone and congratulating themselves on being such a good and caring owner.

[ret5hd]

3. so, that tree stump is really www.neighbordog.pee?

[slightlv]

7. We always tell each other than Lexy is

"reading the news" (LOL)

[SeanHG]

4. Our 2 Beags

won't have it any other way! 🐶🐕

[70sEraVet]

5. I always considered the dog's walk to be the DOG'S walk.

I always gave him nearly unlimited time to investigate an interesting spot, unless I was too cold to stand around waiting long for him.

[bahboo]

6. Beat me to it....

this is exactly right. Hate it when I see folks yanking their dog around while they stare at their device. This is THEIR time...

[intrepidity]

8. I have wondered whether their scent-gathering is later used

to fuel their dream life. They spend so much time sleeping, so I hope this is the case.

When out with my dog and he sees another dog passing, he's always anxious to go retrieve the pee-mail. And to leave his own comments, of course.

[Aussie105]

9. We have the sniffari thing down pat.

Couple of blocks, stop and sniff, sniff again.

13 year old girl, she remembers where the smells are, ones she found last time or weeks ago, stops in the same place every time.

Gets boring for her though, the daily 20 minute walk has several routes mapped out, she gets to choose which one.
Becomes a 40 minute walk easily.
Me: Two gentle tugs on her harness, are you finished sniffing yet?
Her: Nope, I'm going to ignore you!
Minute later she says: yep, let's go!

Got to watch her though, occasionally stops to eat something, and I have to pull her away.
Way too trusting with anyone she meets, as well.

[Aussie105]

10. Little known fact or two . . . (humour)

A cattle dog can walk through a paddock of cows, and just by sniffing, know which cows are healthy and which are not, which ones are with child, and can tell you the name of each individual cow which created any one cowpat!

(Prove me wrong!)

Australian Kelpies - these have a telepathic link to their owners when the owner needs to round up sheep.
No verbal commands needed.

(Ditto)

A dog is a man's best friend.
(Second best, if the wife asks.)

On a serious note: Winter weather here is giving way to a hot spring/summer, so we have shifted our sniffing exercise walkies to earlier in the day.
Dog approves.