Humans experience a walk primarily through what we see. Dogs experience the same walk through an enormous amount of scent information.
Smelling is information
A patch of grass can tell your dog who has passed by, how recently they were there, and what else may have happened nearby. Sniffing is not wasted time from your dog's perspective.
That doesn't mean your dog should drag you from smell to smell. It means there is value in giving them appropriate opportunities to investigate their environment.
Build sniffing into the walk
You can create predictable periods where your dog is allowed to explore at their own pace. During other moments, you can ask for loose-leash walking or a simple attention behavior.
This creates a useful distinction between "we're moving together" and "this is your time to investigate."
Enrichment can reduce frustration
Dogs who regularly receive appropriate opportunities to sniff and explore may be easier to manage because their walks aren't entirely focused on marching from one destination to another.
A walk doesn't have to be perfectly controlled to be successful. Sometimes letting your dog stop and smell the roses is literally part of the training plan.
