Sniffing can also be very calming for dogs. A meandering, sniff session on a long-leash can release the mood-boosting chemical in their brain called dopamine. It’s a lot like a yoga or meditation session for your pup. Sniffing activates and exercises the brain and can make them feel just as tired as after a fast-paced walk. If you’ve ever had to study for an exam, it’s similar to that kind of tiredness. Even though you’ve probably been sitting in a chair for most of the time, you still feel tired after studying as your brain has been taking in so much information. Think of sniffing for dogs like social media for us humans, it’s how they get their news. Dogs have incredibly sensitive noses with up to 300 million scent receptors. When you compare this to a human’s 6 million, we start to see why dogs enjoy sniffing so much. That’s why these slower walks, where a dog can stop and smell the flowers can be more pleasurable for your dog as they can glean so much information from a smell and it’s incredibly enriching for them. All dogs are individual with their own needs and preferences, but sniffing is incredibly enriching for them.