Why You Should Let Your Cockapoo Sniff On A Walk?

You’ve got a Cockapoo, so good luck getting through a walk without them wanting to sniff absolutely everything.  They are half spaniel which has an amazing nose which is why they are used at airports as sniffer dogs or as drugs dogs.

It’s important to keep your dog stimulated, not just physically, but mentally as well, and by letting them have a good old sniff on a walk you can tick both boxes.

We recently took Luna on a long forest walk in wales, my wife walks a bit slower than me and Luna but that’s totally fine. It meant Luna could sniff away while we waited for my wife to catch up.

So Why Should You Let Them Sniff?

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It’s Their Walk Not yours

You have to remember that its a “dog walk” meaning that it’s their walk and not yours. There are times when I am limited as to how long our walk can be, as I may have a meeting or an important phone call to get back to. However, when there are times where there’s no rush I try and slow down and let her have a sniff a lot more. The important thing is to enjoy it and take it easy, especially if the weathers nice.

Sniffing Calms Them Down

Luna is quite a nervous dog who doesn’t like big trucks or cars with loud engines that go past us on dog walks. I had a dog trainer to help me with Luna’s nerves on walks etc and she explained to me that I should take time to let her sniff as it calms them down. I’d have never thought of it like that until she said.

It Helps Tire Them Out

I used to be of the mindset of doing a long walk is the best thing as it will tire her out. My thinking has now changed and I am happy to do a shorter walk that might take as long, but at a slower pace where she has does a lot of sniffing. 

While its important to physically tire them out now and again, it’s also important to mental tire them out and this can actually be better for them. Letting them sniff about really works their brain and senses. Maybe it’s like when we read a book and before you know it, we are fast asleep.

Its What They Do

You have to remember, they are a dog. They love a good sniff as it’s just in their nature. As one person put it that I spoke to – them having a sniff of the lamp posts and the grass is there a way of reading the news. They can tell what’s gone on and whos been around in that area.

Activities You Could Try If They are An Avid Sniffer

Find It

We play a lot of “find it” with Luna. She loves it.

We make her sit on the bottom step of the stairs while we go and hide the ball somewhere in the lounge. Her job is to then go and be the sniffer dog and find the ball. She just loves this game. We have progressed and can replace the ball with another toy, or food item and she knows what to go and find.

Scent Work Classes

Have a quick Google for scent work classes near you. There’s a link here as well that has can help you find one near you.