It is not so much pleasure as necessity that keeps their noses to the ground. All day, every day, we humans receive information, be it through verbal communication, notifications on our phones, or even signs explicitly telling us what to look out for. Dogs, on the other hand don't exactly experience the world in the same way.  While most dogs still have the use of helpful senses like sight and hearing to help them read their environment, neither can quite compete with their incredible sense of smell, which outweighs the others by a long shot. 

Unlike people, with our inferior 5 million olfactory receptors, dogs are equipped with over 250 million, which they use to decode the world around them.  A dog sense of smell is crucial for communicating, exploring, and evaluating.

To deprive your dog of the opportunity to smell would be a disservice, but that doesn't mean you need to let them make the rules and drag you all over the neighborhood. Smelling is an important activity for dogs, so you will want to make some time for them to investigate what's going on in their enviornment.

Pet Parents often make the mistake of assuming that a faster, long walk is the best option for tiring a dog out. Yet, one of the most simple natural and enriching behaviors is sniffing.  By giving your dog more opportunities to use their powerful sense of smell, they will undoubtedly enjoy their walk more. They will also be more stimulated, gain more choice and freedom, and, ultimately, be more tired and relaxed. 

The mental enrichment your dog gets on a slow walk with lots of time for sniffing is much greater than they would get on a fast-paced, walk to heel. This means a shorter sniffy walk can tire them out and they will generally be more relaxed and less likely to exhibit destructive or mischievous behavior when at home.