Animals 4 God

As usual, I am behind. Here is September's Newsletter article:

Most of us “dog parents” know the importance of exercising our dog’s bodies both mentally and physically. “Not only is it better for the dog’s general well being, but it can also help reduce the chances of problem behaviors arising as a result of boredom or frustration” (Johnstone, Gemma).

One of the simplest ways of enriching behaviors is allowing your dog to sniff. They have a powerful sense of smell, so allowing them to sniff on your walks will make them more stimulated and they will then be more tired and relaxed at the end of the walk.

Don’t Underestimate the Power of Your Dog’s Nose: Dogs’ sense of smell could be up to 100,000 times more powerful than our own. “Their sense of smell is crucial for communicating, exploring, and evaluating” (Johnstone, Gemma).

Many of us, when we walk our dogs, prefer to “power walk” them on a short leash or take them to a dog park to tire them out. However, this does not make for a very interesting walk, and “can be over stimulating or stressful” (Johnstone, Gemma) for our dogs. “By picking a more peaceful walking route, with grass and other non-road surfaces, and allowing your dog to be off leash (or at least a longer leash) and following their noses, you can be offering a much more beneficial experience” (Johnstone, Gemma).

Allowing your dog to “sniff” can make him feel better and make him feel more tired. Your dog’s “natural sniffing behavior is a calm and generally relaxing” (Johnstone, Gemma) behavior. It “it also a vital part of how your dog communicates” (Johnstone, Gemma). While you may get frustrated every time your dog sniffs a lamp post, “they are usually just checking out the scent marks of another dog in the neighborhood. These scents will allow them to tell if the dog is a male or female, if it is one they are familiar with, and whether they are in the near vicinity or not” (Johnstone, Gemma).

I have noticed that when I walk Zoey, if it is a new area, she will sniff every single plant, stone, and tree. However, when we return to that area a second time, she struts right on past those things, unless she happens to smell something different, such as a cat that has crossed the path. I do know that Zoey loves to “work her nose,” and, unless I have a firm hold of her leash, will pull me wherever her nose takes her!

CAN YOU HELP?...
We are passionate about bringing the healing effect of dogs’ unconditional love into the lives of people in the community, especially those who are home-bound or in a medical facility. Becoming a therapy dog team involves a bit of work beforehand, but the effort is well worth it. If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a Dog/Handler team for therapy work, please contact us at: [email protected].

Interested in becoming a part of our ministry? You don’t have to own a pet or even be a member of New Song to join. You just need to have a desire to serve God by planning and participating in activities which involve enriching the lives of others by sharing our pets. We also strive to do God’s will as He challenges us to care for all the animals of the Earth by hosting educational activities with guest speakers and organizing collection events to donate to area shelters. We meet at the church on the fourth Saturday of the month at 9:00 a.m.

Johnstone, Gemma (2021, June 25). Why You Should Let Your Dog Sniff on Their Walk, Retrieved July 20, 2021 from

Why You Should Let Your Dog Sniff on Their Walk Giving your dog the opportunity to sniff when on a walk is important in terms of enrichment, stimulation, and promoting naturally relaxing behavior.

Zoey graduated from the Beginner Education Class today. I am so proud of her! It was difficult getting a good picture of her as she just wanted the cap off!

She has three more classes to go to be certified as a Therapy Dog, but I am not going to enroll her in the second one until Scott is home.