If you’ve ever walked a dog, you know the routine: stop, sniff, repeat.
To us humans, it might feel like a delay, because going for a walk involves, well, walking. To dogs though, sniffing is essential. It calms their minds, helps them understand their world, and satisfies one of their most powerful senses.
When dogs feel extra energetic or overstimulated, sniffing can bring them back to balance. Processing smells is mentally enriching, like solving puzzles can be for us. On walks, I recommend a simple “three-second sniff rule”. Give your dog a few seconds at a spot, then move on. That’s usually enough for them to identify the scent without slowing your walk too much.
Of course, where your dog wants to sniff doesn’t always match your chosen route. While we tend to stick to the footpath, the most interesting scents are often in hedges, grass, or on posts where other dogs have left their mark. Allowing short detours gives your pup richer experiences with minimal disruption to the walking part of the excursion.
I spent five years working with detection dogs in a biosecurity environment, where their noses are highly tuned tools. Watching them learn, watching them add new scents to their repertoire and being on the end of the lead as they work their nose as a tool has given me deep respect for how extraordinary canine olfaction is.
When a dog sniffs, scent particles activate millions of receptors in the nasal cavity. Signals travel to the olfactory bulb, then into the limbic system—the brain’s emotion and memory hub. This pathway doesn’t just help dogs gather information; it also triggers calming effects and emotional regulation.
Five fascinating facts about dog noses:
- Supercharged scent receptors – Up to 300 million, compared to our 5 million.
- Dual airflow – Dogs can sniff and breathe at the same time.
- Olfactory brain power – The dogs scent-analyzing brain area is 40× larger than humans.
- Moist noses matter – Damp noses trap scent particles more effectively.
- Scent history – Dogs can smell items that were in a location previously, especially if it was contained in an enclosed area ie. a bag.
The way the wind is blowing can affect how your dog smells too. If you're recalling your dog and they can't see you, but they can hear you, chances are they'll follow your scent. In those moments, try standing where you are upwind of you pup, so they can scent you more easily!
Sniffing isn’t just a quirky habit—it’s how dogs experience life. Next time you walk your pup, let them pause, sniff, and enjoy the world through their incredible noses.