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Yes, is the answer!
Sniffing is good for dogs in all kinds of ways. We know dogs love to sniff, anywhere and everywhere - but what is the reason dogs love to sniff so much, and what makes dogs so sensitive to different smells?
Read on as we lay out the facts as to why sniffing is such a dog superpower, and why it’s so beneficial to a dog’s mental and physical wellbeing.
Sniffing isn’t just a superpower for dogs but has a bunch of physical and mental benefits.
When dogs sniff and pick up on different scents, they’re engaging all kinds of receptors in their brains and getting lots of mental stimulation. It’s basically a brain-training exercise for dogs, and hugely important for their wellbeing. It can even wear them out in the same way that physical exercise does!
Just like physical exercise releases soothing endorphins that can combat stress and anxiety, sniffing does the same for dogs. It’s a great self-calming mechanism for a pooch, as it allows them to focus on scents rather than distractions or triggers.
Sniffing their surroundings allows a dog to feel a sense of familiarity with what’s around them, so they can feel calmer and more in control of the situation.
This is why a dog will often sniff around a new human in their home, or sniff their surroundings before choosing a place to settle. Combined with its stress relief and mental stimulation, sniffing is an effective way for dogs to feel content and chilled out.
A classic way for dogs to communicate with each other is through smell. Dogs will sniff each other as a greeting or to ‘suss’ each other out, and of course, will leave a scent for other dogs to smell throughout their walks, to mark their territory.
Once you understand just what sniffing does for dogs, you can get a better grasp over your dog’s needs and behaviours - from why they’re sniffing so much, to whether they need more places to sniff!
Take your dog on ‘sniffing walks’. If you suspect your pooch needs mental stimulation and sniffing could help soothe them, take your dog for a walk less for physical exercise, but for sniffing alone.
These walks (called ‘sniffing walks’ or even a ‘sniffari’) will differ slightly from the norm; they will be much slower as you give your dog the freedom to explore at leisure to sniff new things. It’s also a good idea to go somewhere with varied terrain; such as a route with lots of shrubs, grasses and rocks - letting your dog’s nose take the lead.
Recognising stress or boredom. Dogs should feel generally relaxed in their own home, so if they’re sniffing a lot around the house, it could mean they’re feeling stressed or out of sorts, and could maybe do with a ‘sniffing walk’ to centre them.
Tailoring sniffing activities to your dog. Every dog has unique sniffing habits and needs depending on their breed, age and personality. As said earlier, some breeds like Bloodhounds naturally have a stronger drive to sniff and track scents, while others might prefer shorter, more focused sniffing sessions.
In any case - introduce your dog to new environments, let them explore on ‘sniffing walks’, and adapt your walks or playtime based on how energetic or curious they’re feeling. Introduce toys and puzzles into your play that promote sniffing, like treat balls, snuffle mats and snuffle balls.
Strengthening your bond. Dogs can really slow down a walk when they need to sniff more often, but letting your dog take their time is important - it’s a way to let them know you respect their canine instincts, and it can deepen your connection. You can also try sniff-based games, like hiding healthy dog treats for them to find, as another way to foster trust and good feelings between you.
Watch out for toxic plants, substances and rogue food. As always, be vigilant when taking your pooch for a walk and letting them sniff around, especially if they seem interested in a potentially hazardous area.
Toxic plants, fungi or chemical substances are always a risk - so if you aren’t certain your pooch is sniffing something completely safe, be sure to move them on.
To start, it’s important to know that dogs are so great at sniffing because their noses are super sensitive to scents.
In fact, a dog’s nose can be from 10,000 to 100,000 times stronger than that of humans. With this power, just imagine how many smells their noses pick up when they’re outside! It’s no wonder that when they’re walking, they usually let their noses lead the way.
A dog’s sense of smell, also called an Olfactory System, is immensely powerful - far more advanced than our meagre nose abilities.
To put it into perspective, human noses have around 5-6 million olfactory receptors which are the nerves that can differentiate different smells. In comparison, dogs have around 300 million olfactory receptors!
Dogs also have a special organ called the Jacobsen’s Organ, which is situated in their nasal canal. This super-smelling organ is fundamental in allowing dogs to detect scents, and back in the day was originally in order to communicate and reproduce with other dogs.
Because they have such incredible smelling receptors, dogs smell differently to how humans do.
Their Olfactory Bulb is huge in relation to their brain size, which means they’ve developed an ability to smartly sniff in search of individual scents.
Basically, they can hone in on a specific smell, isolating one scent even among a mixture of scents.
All dogs have powerful noses, but some breeds such as Bloodhounds and German Shepherds have even more refined Olfactory Receptors. This is why they’re so adept at hunting down objects, animals or people based on scent alone, and have been used for centuries to aid in rescues, police searches and hunting groups.
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