Second Cup: Dogs need 'sniffaris' and you do too

0:03Speaker 1:Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's tip is to take some time to follow your curiosity and explore. You don't always need to have a purpose or destination to have adventures out in the world. So if you have a dog You may have encountered the term snifari. It's a blend of the words sniff and safari. A snifari lets a dog literally follow his nose. You are not walking the dog. I mean, sure, you are at the other end of the leash, but you are not leading. Your dog is. Within reason, you let him go wherever his nose takes him. I am not the primary dog walker in my family, but I can say that when I walk our dog Max, he's always caught the scent of something interesting. Maybe it's an animal that's currently nearby or a spot where another animal left a scent.

1:17Speaker 1:Maybe it's a rotting bit of fruit that's fallen off a tree or new mulch in the flowerbed. Sometimes I have no idea what he is smelling, but he seems to be excited by it. Snifaris, in a metaphorical sense, can be great for people too. You know I love to plan things I want to see or do. But sometimes, it's nice just to follow your nose. When you are in a new city, consider leaving an afternoon open just to explore. Go wherever catches your fancy. A cheese shop?

1:54Speaker 1:Take a peek. An antique map store? Why not go in? A flower market? Walk through it, and imagine what you'd get if you were choosing flowers for your kitchen table. A block where everyone has lovely window boxes and flower pots on their stoops? Linger, and take in the display. A new scaffolding design that leaves the sidewalk feeling much more open? Look around to figure out how it works. Just follow your curiosity. Even in your own town, you can take a snifari in a neighborhood you don't frequent.

2:29Speaker 1:you may be surprised at the delights you encounter. Snafaris work when you're in the woods or a park, too. You don't always have to go on a hike or a run that covers distance. You can take the slow way and stop and marvel at whatever flower or bark or bug catches your attention. Snafaris can be particularly useful at big museums. You can never fully do the Louvre or the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the British Museum. So perhaps aim for a few highlights you definitely want to see. And while you're on your way to them or between them or after them, stop and look at whatever catches your attention. You'll see a lot. And maybe have some fun at the same time. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening. And here's to making the most of our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast.

3:36Speaker 1:If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at laura at lauravandercam.com. Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeart Media, please visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.