Why Do Schnauzers Sniff So Much? 21 Things You Should Know

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You know your schnauzer has a better sense of smell than you, but why on earth do they sniff so much? Everywhere you go you find them sniffing different things and places.

What gives? Is it normal for schnauzers to sniff so much?

Why Do Schnauzers Sniff So Much:

Your schnauzer sniffs so much because they experience the world around them through their nose. It’s said that a dog’s sense of smell is even better than a human’s ability to see. So your schnauzer sniffs anything and everything because they’re getting a better idea of their surroundings.

In this post you’ll discover all the different reasons why your schnauzer sniffs so much.

5 reasons why they sniff the ground.
4 reasons why they sniff your clothes.
5 reasons why they sniff the air (a few may surprise you here).
And much more…

Let’s dive right in!

Table of Contents

5 Reasons Why Schnauzers Constantly Sniffs The Ground

1) It’s How They Explore The World

It’s no question that dog’s have a better sense of smell than people.

But the degree to how much better is actually quite remarkable.

AKC says that the ‘smelling section’ of a dog’s brain is 40 times larger than a humans!

Making it even bigger than the section of a human brain dedicated to interpreting sight.

So in a very real way, your schnauzer sees the world through their sniffs.

When they’re constantly sniffing around you can think of it as they’re looking around.

They’re trying to get an understanding of their environment so they know how to react/behave in it.

2) Searching For Potty Placement

Whenever you’ve been on a walk with your schnauzer, you’ve probably noticed they give careful consideration of where they go number 1 or 2.

They usually start to sniff more right before they go because they want to make sure they’ve picked the right spot.

This may seem silly to you.

What’s the difference in where they go to the bathroom?

The best way to explain it is where you dog poops or pees is like contributing to a conversation.

It’s sort of like your dog is checking their own offline social media.

They’re assessing who’s been where, what interesting smell changes have happened since they were last out, and contributing to the plethora of smells.

By going to the bathroom.

Just like you carefully curate a post before publishing it on your Facebook or Instagram profile, your pup is carefully placing their deposit in the doggo community forum.

3) Interesting Scents

As mentioned already, your schnauzer’s scent factory in their brain is 40 times larger than in a humans.

So when you and I smell freshly baked goods or dinner almost ready, we have an idea of what’s been made.

But if your pup could talk, they’d likely be able to tell you all the ingredients that were used.

They can smell things that are too far away for your sense of smell to even pick up.

Which means they’ll have so many different smells to ponder and search for.

And with so many different, interesting scents available to your pup on a daily basis it’s no wonder they sniff and search so much.

4) Instincts

Your schnauzer’s ancestors were bred to be hunting dogs as well as guard dogs.

So while all dogs have powerful sniffers. Your pup will be more drawn to smelling around because it feels natural to them.

They’re attempting to find whatever scent they’ve locked in on or trying to interpret what the smell means.

Friends or danger.

It’s instinctive for your pup to use their nose to follow any strong scent of what they find interesting.

5) Avoiding Something

When your schnauzer has found themselves in a situation they’d really prefer not to be in, they may sniff a lot to avoid something.

Whether it’s they’re around a person they aren’t comfortable with or another dog is giving them a bad vibe.

Your pup may sniff around a lot in these situations as a way for them to ‘escape’ the situation.

They’ll distract themselves by sniffing and attempting to find an interesting scent.

4 Reasons Why Schnauzers Sniff Your Clothes

1) There’s An Unfamiliar Scent

If your schnauzer is giving your clothes a really thorough sniff one day, they could be inspecting an unfamiliar scent.

Did you see another dog behind their back?

Meet some new people at work that you normally don’t encounter?

Not feeling well?

Or maybe you tried something very different for lunch.

If they’re sniffing your clothes to an almost excessive extent there’s a good chance you’re carrying an unfamiliar scent that they are extremely curious about.

2) To Know How Your Day Was

When you come home after work and your dog sniffs your clothes, they’re basically getting a feel for how your day was.

Believe it or not, they’ll be able to know who you spent time with, what you ate, where you went, and how you’re feeling.

They’re essentially asking, “Hey, how was your day?” by giving your clothes a good sniff.

It allows them to experience your day through your smells.

They’re basically briefing themselves on what you experienced since you left home.

3) Seeking Comfort

If your pup is feeling anxious, smelling your clothes can actually give them a sense of security and comfort.

Leaving your schnauzer a used sweater for them to lay on and cuddle with during the day can make them feel less lonely.

Your scent is a reminder of their family or pack. And when you’re not physically around it helps remind them of you, their family.

This helps calm their nerves if they’re feeling any levels of anxiety in your absence.

4) Checking Your Mood

If you’ve just come home from a long, hard day at work and are in a bad mood, your schnauzer can actually smell this.

Studies have found that dogs can actually smell a person’s emotions and it affects how they themselves feel.

So if you come home in a bad mood or a great mood, your pup sniffing your clothes is their way of asking you how you’re doing, without actually asking.

They’ll be able to pick up on the scent of your emotional state (who knew it had a scent!) and adjust their mood accordingly.

Yet another reason why dogs are considered man and woman’s best friend.

5 Reasons Why Schnauzers Sniff The Air

1) The Breeze Feels Good On Their Nose

Just like you enjoy a nice breeze on a warm day, your schnauzer is likely enjoying a nice breeze on their nose.

Since your pup sweats mostly through their mouth and nose, when a nice breeze comes along it can help cool them down.

Not to mention the different smells that come along with a brisk breeze.

They’re simply enjoying the feeling on their nose that the breeze is bringing while picking up on a couple new smells as well.

2) Detecting a Weather Change

When it starts to rain, a certain smell comes with it.

And when it starts raining, most people can pick up on this smell.

It’s hard to describe, but it simply smells like it’s about to or currently is raining.

Now, since it’s well known that dog’s have a much better sense of smell than humans, it’s understandable that they’d be able to pick up on the ‘rain smell’ earlier than you.

So if you see your schnauzer sniffing the air, they may be picking up on a storm moving toward you.

3) They Smell Food In The Distance

Given that your schnauzer’s sense of smell is anywhere between 1,000 to 10,000 times better than yours, they can smell things that are very far away.

And even though you may not be able to smell any food, your pup very may well be able to.

So whether it’s a newby fast food restaurant, somebody enjoying a meal outside, or somebody barbecuing, your pup is likely picking up on the smell.

And who can resist sitting and taking in the smell of some freshly barbecued food.

4) They Smell Another Dog/Animal

Your schnauzer’s hunting instincts are likely to blame for their constant air sniffing.

Whether it’s another dog or a different animal altogether, your pup can smell something in the distance and it’s got their attention.

If your pup isn’t trained the best, they may attempt to pull you in the direction of the scent.

They’ll do whatever they can to follow the smell of another dog or animal if it creates enough curiosity in them.

Especially if your schnauzer is a male and they smell a female dog in heat.

5) Heard Something And Attempting To Figure Out What It Is

Your schnauzer can hear much higher frequencies than you’re able to. They’re also able to hear sounds so quiet your ears aren’t able to pick them up.

And your pups’ predatory instincts might have heard the squeak of a small mouse or rodent which has piqued their interest.

Since they’ve heard something they then lift their nose into the air to attempt to find the scent of what they heard.

It’s amazing that all this can happen without you being at all aware of what your pup is experiencing/trying to find.

4 Reasons Why Schnauzers Sniff Your Face

1) It’s Their Morning Greeting (and wake up call)

It’s 7:06 AM and you’re still in bed.

Your schnauzer knows 7:00 AM is walk time and you’re sleeping in.

So they jump up on your bed and give your face a good sniff as a polite way of saying, “WAKE UP MOM/DAD. IT’S WALK TIME!”.

Even though it may not be what you want first thing in the morning.. It really is much better than an alarm clock.

2) You Reward The Behavior

Every time they’ve sniffed your face in the past, it’s resulted in some form of love and attention.

Whether you gave them lots of pets after or laughed and giggled at their weirdo behavior.

They noticed that you enjoyed when they sniffed your face in the past and will continue to want to do it.

In their experience, it gets them what they want most which is your love and attention.

3) They Like The Smell Of Something You Ate

If you recently ate something with a powerful smell, your pup may sniff your face to really experience the food you just ate.

Odds are you didn’t share it with them.

So sniffing your face is their way to experience the food.

Who knows, maybe there are some leftovers you forgot on the corner of your mouth that they can lick up as well.

4) They’re Hungry

If your schnauzer frequently sniffs and licks your face, but more specifically your mouth, they may be letting you know they’re hungry.

Young wolves would lick the mouth of older wolves to let them know that they were hungry and wanted food.

So if your schnauzer frequently sniffs your face and gives an occasional lick, they could be letting you know they’re hungry.

Next time they do it, check their bowl to see if they need a refill. If they scarf down the food as soon as you fill it, this could be why they sniff your face so much.

3 Reasons Why Schnauzers Sniff Their Own Bum

1) Discomfort

Your schnauzer’s bum could be in discomfort which is causing them to sniff it a lot.

It could be allergies, a skin irritation, worms, or even fleas.

If something is off on their rear end they may sniff it constantly in an attempt to figure out what’s going on.

If you also notice them excessively licking in addition to sniffing their bum, you should take them to the vet to see what’s bothering them.

2) Blocked Anal Glands

When a dog has blocked anal glands, it can create a rather ‘fishy’ aroma.

Even if you’re not able to pick up on the smell, your pup likely is and it’s causing them to sniff their bum.

They’re probably unsure why this scent is coming from their bum and are investigating it.

Blocked anal glands can become quite irritating for your pup so if you start to notice a fishy smell you should take them to the vet.

Having anal glands ‘expressed’ isn’t painful for your pup but is necessary to remove the irritation and smell.

3) Checking To See If They Need To Groom Themselves

If your schnauzer smells a particular scent coming from their backside, they may decide it’s time to groom themselves.

If it’s been a little while since they’ve had a bath they may have collected some ‘bathroom’ residue (number 1 & 2) over the weeks that they want cleaned.

And since they haven’t gotten a bath and it’s bothering them they’ll likely decide to take matters into their own hands (paws).

Other posts you might find interesting:

Do Schnauzers Like To Cuddle? 16 Things You Should Know

9 Reasons Why Schnauzers Smell Bad + 5 Ways To Stop It

Why Does My Schnauzer Yawn So Much? 8 Reasons + 4 Tips