Dogs have up to 300 million olfactory receptors compared to 6 million in humans. Allowing dogs to use their nose is one of the most effective and underutilized forms of enrichment available to pet owners.
Many dog owners view walks as primarily physical exercise, keeping dogs moving at a pace and direction determined by the owner. But dogs live in an olfactory world, and restricting sniffing is equivalent to forcing humans to walk with eyes closed. Allowing liberal sniffing opportunities on walks, providing snuffle mats and scatter feeding, and engaging in structured nose work or tracking activities dramatically improves mental wellbeing and behavioral calmness. This is a zero-cost welfare improvement available to every dog owner.