My six year old westie is obsessed with sniffing when he is being walked which is twice a day. I don't just mean 2 or 3 times I mean his nose is constantly to the ground and he is stopping every 2 metres to sniff for ages. I have tried pulling him away but I feel really mean but it is taking me ages to get him even out of our street. Other dogs don't seem to do this. What should I do? Is this normal? Also when he has sniffed he will then urinate and do this scratchy thing with his back legs and I know that he is doing this to spread his scent? How can I cure him?

Don't stop walking!

Only allow your dog to "scratch and sniff" at permiited locations; and don't let him cock his leg at every vertical post; it is unecessary and very unhygienic for the poor householders whose fences, hedges and gateposts are "watered" by the ignorant!

What else do you do when hes out? Could you get him interestd in playing with a ball/ tracking people/finding hidden treat pots to use his nose constructively?