Bella, my 11 month old lab, is constantly sniffing the ground when we are on walks. She seems to understand where to walk now, and doesn't pull me along, but I wonder if she is distracted while she is doing this. Should I correct her from sniffing while we are walking?

This is just the way I do it, and it just made sense to me. I don't want my dog to sniff every bush and tree along our walks and stop anytime he wants so I start out the walk with a specific walk command and I do give a little tug on the leash and repeat the command if he starts to sniff. Even if he doesn't stop, the point is I want him to be more attentive on a walk, more alert to what's going on around him.

Then when we're in an area where I want him to be a little more free, I say OK! and let him sniff and explore to his heart's content, and let him go where he wants since I have him on a long line. He's come to understand that OK means a release from the command (any command actually).

I use a different command for teaching a more formal heel.

Hey there,

My opinion only. Remember your dog is a dog. Dogs like to sniff, it is how they read the world around them. It is unrealistic in my opinion to have a dog heel attentively (to you) for an entire walk every day.

I am not however suggesting that you let your dog sniff/mark every bush. If you are on a leash, come up with a couple of designated sniff and bathroom areas for the dog. Otherwise, just keep walking if the dog wants to stop and sniff. If the dog can keep up with you/not pull you and not stop you to mark (ie:you are in control) than I would not worry too much about where the nose is.

If you want a little more attention, or are having trouble getting attention when she is distracted by sniffing, work on a "look at me " or attention command. Start it at home, and then add in distractions of a walk. Then if the dog is sniffing along and you would like some attention,you can ask for it, instead of correcting for a dog doing something that dogs just do.

I like the previous poster idea of giving some "free time" to sniff as well.

Hey if your dog loves to track nose to the ground, why not try a little tracking for fun? Seperate from taking your dog for a walk. Going along with your other post, things like this are great confidence builders for a somewhat shy dog. Providing you are "training for success" that is.

My opinion only, hope I understood your origional post.

Sandy--

Thank you! I will try this out ASAP!

Bella understands "OK" as a release command and I think this should be a good method.

Jennifer--Your post came up as I was replying. I would love to get Bella into some tracking! Ever since I adopted her at 10 months old, she has been a sniffing fiend!! I was actually wondering if correcting her sniffing would affect her tracking if I wanted to do that later. Thoughts?

Edited by Rick Miller (06/10/2007 10:52 AM)
Edit reason: Terrible with names

Rick, here's the almost step by step of how I handle sniffing, and I don't feel it affects my 11 month old pup's normal sniffing desires, he's still a sniff-aholic (I don't do tracking with him, but tracking is sniffing, so without my experience in tracking, it still doesn't seem it would affect such a natural instinct in a dog since you can build on that instinct with motivation when you're actually teaching it formally):

1. Going out the front door for a walk: I say "wait" at the door until I get out, then "ok". In our front yard, I let him sniff away.

2. After a few short minutes, I give our walk command and start walking, him by my side. If he starts wanting to stop and/or sniff, I give the walk command again with a small almost imperceptible tug. No major correction needed as I don't stop and just keep walking. He responds to the tug and continues to walk beside me.

3. After walking say about 1/4 mile, I stop, he sits by me, I say "OK!" and he starts the sniffing, sometimes going a little in front of me (we're still on a sidewalk). I allow this for a couple of minutes. (In our case, if he starts pulling which he rarely does anymore, I would then give the walk command to stop the pulling and get him alongside me.)

4. Then I give the walk command again and he gets in line again, we repeat #2 above.

5. Walk another 1/4 miles or so and say "OK" after a sit. He sniffs around as we walk casually.

6. Walk command again, get to the park, I say "OK!" and let the long line get loose with me still holding the end and let him roam. We do a little obedience at the park, a sitz/sit, platz/down, come and a formal heel which he is still in process of learning. Let him jump on the picnic tables, play on the kid's equipment (no one is ever around at this time).

7. Go home, following the same routine as on the way to the park.

Nice i agree with the other posters. i had the same thing with Cali she is what i call an all day tracker. training her to search was what i needed its good for you and your dog to understand search time is "over" and there is "no search" to be done at this time.

Tracking is fun. I suggest you do it. Even if you're just the one laying the scent for a usual toy on a casual basis. It really makes you proud to see your girl following your invisible trail and knowing she's on the mark. Just something about a dog so skillfully using a faculty we're so unfamiliar with. It's pretty amazing.

But anyway, in Ceasar's book, he mentions the walk (and it's value) should represent (in the dog's mind) a purposeful migration with the pack leader. Kinda cruising along and not thinking about much else. Certainly not sniffing, marking, or alerting on every little distraction without your explicit consent, after all there's places to go! It's both meditative and challenging for the dog. In fact, after a structured 30 minute walk, I found that his toy/prey was not diminished in the least. I don't think it was just me imagining things, but his *focused* drive seemed to actually increase.

It makes much sense to me.

Also, I've found that going at a dog's natural pace makes the process easier. *I* rarely walk with him anymore. A slow/medium pace on my bike gets him up to a trot, and that gets him in the groove quicker.

In short, I'm parroting everyone else. I do a strict "walk" but also give periodic breaks on my terms to let him read his pee-mail, etc.

Thanks everyone!

So, I have been saying "Walk." the last few times Bella and I have been out, and it didn't take long for her to understand! Wow, am I impressed!

I have been keeping her in line for about thirty seconds before saying "Ok" and letting her sniff. She picked up on this right away. So, I plan on increasing the time/distance and it should be fine. Thanks again!

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also give periodic breaks on my terms to let him read his pee-mail,

Steven...you are funny!