{"id":20448,"title":"Let Them Sniff!","description":"When we think about what gets our dogs tired, the chances are we think of long walks or an energetic game in the park. There are other things we can do, that allow our dogs to fulfill the most natural of behaviours - so let them sniff!","content":"

When we think about what gets our dogs tired, the chances are we think of long walks or an energetic game in the park. A saying often seen is that \u2018a tired dog is a happy dog\u2019 and, while there is some truth in that, it can lead to people feeling they need to take their dogs where they can run until exhausted. Often this comes in the form of playing something like fetch, perhaps with a ball launcher to get more distance and tire the dog more.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Running a dog for a long time like this brings problems. Repeated fast runs, quick stops and rapid direction changes carry injury risks.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Repeated fetching also bears close resemblance to shuttle runs, the fast and repeated sprints between two points sometimes employed by athletes to build fitness. We create a canine athlete in an attempt to tire them out, meaning that in future it takes more and then more again to have the same effect.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Arousal levels, the amount of excitement the dog feels, also rockets skywards due to the release of feel-good chemicals into the dog\u2019s brain as they return the ball for another throw. This sounds like a good thing, but it can become addictive, turning into potential obsessive behaviour, which can lead to other issues.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Thankfully, there are other ways that we can tire our dogs, without the need for a ball launcher or even a ball. Even better, these things are ideal for any age of dog, whether puppy or adult or the lovely old senior dog who isn\u2019t as mobile and energetic as they used to be. It works their brains and that is very tiring for many dogs, with the added benefit of being calming for those fizzy and high-energy dogs who may struggle to relax.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

What is this wonderful thing? Sniffing.<\/p>

<\/p>

\"qhk5r5etdha55dewdwvcz1hwgwhoosf60mv1k1jpf4qiets8.jpeg\"<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Sniffing is one of the most natural dog behaviours. Scent is largely how they process and interpret their world. Their scenting ability is massively superior to ours \u2013 humans have approximately 6 million scent receptors, with dogs having 220 million to 300 million and perhaps even more. The area of the canine brain that processes scent information is around 40 times more than that of humans. It\u2019s no wonder then that so often when we step outside of the front door, we see their noses go straight down and start checking things out!<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

This is the canine version of social media, the way they catch up on the local grapevine. Who out of the local canine community has been past, how old they are, what breeding status, how healthy they are \u2013 all these things dogs can detect with those sensitive noses.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Best of all, letting dogs sniff needs nothing in the way of special equipment \u2013 with the exception perhaps of a long line to give your dog a little more freedom if recall is something you\u2019re working on, or prefer to keep a physical connection for whatever reason. Remember always to use a long line with a harness, never a collar, as that could cause catastrophic damage. Then, just let them sniff.<\/p>

<\/p>

\"jjnwble2ddafduahw3i6rpzwzlo0bbdyigs2dq30g7urtx1k.jpeg\"<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Let your dog go at their own pace, where they would like to go \u2013 anywhere that is safe to do so and where you can go let them make the decision. Let them decide how long they want to spend investigating a spot, as they will find more information to process than we can imagine. Once you start to let your dog sniff, it becomes fascinating to watch them put their noses to work.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Some dogs find the outside world a scary place, but this doesn\u2019t mean they can\u2019t have sniffing opportunities. When out in the world, pick up things to take home for them to investigate. Pinecones and leaves from the woods, animal hair or wool caught on fences. Maybe consider taking a small towel and rubbing that over various surfaces to pick up scent. At home, pop all these things into a box or spread them out, whether in the house or out in the garden, and let your dog safely investigate to their hearts\u2019 content.<\/p>

<\/p>

\"f6tr1e6xuejjnrmqiyjbop4isfe58zybyxvsu84cwpge1wd7.jpeg\"<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Sniffing is not only amazing for working our dogs\u2019 brains and tiring them out without them getting over excited and not being able to shut off, but also one of our most important responsibilities as dog guardians, to let them carry out this most natural of behaviours.<\/p>

<\/p>

You can help spread the message of how important sniffing is with these text designs for both men<\/a> and women<\/a>, (also available<\/a> as rear prints<\/a>) or this graphic design, also in men<\/a>\u2019s and women<\/a>\u2019s items.<\/p>","urlTitle":"letthemsniff","url":"\/blog\/letthemsniff\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/letthemsniff\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/good-guardianship.teemill.com\/blog\/letthemsniff\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1661367398,"updatedAt":1663531901,"publishedAt":1663531901,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":233478,"name":"Good Guardianship"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/8xg0bln1rezdn91z1hegi6xaxlkenfs8t73jphfqct4uj6m7.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/8xg0bln1rezdn91z1hegi6xaxlkenfs8t73jphfqct4uj6m7.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/8xg0bln1rezdn91z1hegi6xaxlkenfs8t73jphfqct4uj6m7.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"Let Them Sniff!","metaDescription":"Sniffing is amazing for working dogs\u2019 brains, tiring them out without getting over excited and we must let them carry out this mostnatural of behaviours.","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":21090,"title":"It's All About the Bond","url":"\/blog\/its-all-about-the-bond\/","urlTitle":"its-all-about-the-bond","division":233478,"description":"The relationship between human and dog is the most important thing. By using positive reinforcement reward based training we protect that canine-human bond.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/fin0fs252xqwvrnzmjp9tjuvuurtxsybc8jt8puthd5icbwy.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/fin0fs252xqwvrnzmjp9tjuvuurtxsybc8jt8puthd5icbwy.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}