Many people will see us running dogs on treadmills and immediately say “why not walk them outside, they need to sniff things to learn about the world.” While it is certainly true that dogs sniffing does teach them things about the world around them, you should actually consider what they are being taught before you think that they are enjoying themselves. First of all, walking is not exercise for dogs that need to run, the same way that a person goes to the gym to get into better shape and doesn’t just walk around their house. Having equipment specifically designed to provide a specific type of muscle building helps to target specific areas of development. Having an environment that is controlled gives you far more ability to achieve specific goals, as opposed to dealing with all the extra elements that compromise the workout you are doing. It is the same with dogs that we are trying to build strength, endurance and muscle mass through exercise. They do far better in a controlled environment. Walking around the block at your pace is actually detrimental to their development if it is done too much, which is most people’s solution to high-energy dogs. This forces them to walk on their front paws, putting too much stress on their shoulders, joints and tendons. This is a recipe for future arthritis and other issues. Dogs need to run on cushioned surfaces in order to develop naturally and effectively. Walking on pavement chained to you is not doing much for them!
When we talk about sniffing so that they can enjoy the world, you must think about how incorrect this statement is. Dogs do not stop to leisurely sniff flowers along their walk, they are sniffing urine. The reason they are attracted to smelling the urine of other dogs is that another dog has used that method to mark their territory. Your dog now faces the stress of knowing that they are trespassing in another dog’s territory, or they will choose to mark over it themselves. This is the same thing as you walking through a bad neighborhood studying all the gang graffiti, deciding if you should write over it in order to claim that territory for your own, or simply walk through with the understanding that you are not wanted there, and may be beaten up. If your dog is walking with you and stops without you allowing it in order to sniff urine, this is the same thing as you walking through that gang territory with your boss, then ignoring him to make your decisions as far as tagging over those gang signs. This is not a leisurely exercise for your dog where they are enjoying all the smells, instead they are making territory and “alpha-status” decisions that in nature could cost them their lives. This is actually quite stressful for them, yet we perceive it as a positive experience because we fail to understand what is happening.
Run your dog for their exercise. Walk them for socialization, and do not allow them to simply roam free to smell the urine of other dogs. Good training, good food and good exercise are the keys to a happy dog, not sniffing around while you walk them.
