A dog’s nose is their primary way of reading the world, and a walk full of sniff stops gives their brain far more exercise than a brisk march around the block. Ten minutes of free sniffing can tire a dog out as much as a much longer walk on a tight lead.
Try dedicating one walk a day to letting your dog set the pace. Keep the lead loose, let them linger on interesting patches, and you’ll likely notice a calmer, more settled dog back at home.
