How do you handle a dog that just wants to smell the floor every single step of the walk?

 Quote: Jose Miguel Gome

How do you handle a dog that just wants to smell the floor every single step of the walk?

An adult dog? I would pick up the pace a lot. My dogs could not possibly sniff every step of the way; they are "in the zone," marching along briskly!

They are allowed many "releases," when I use a certain word ("OK," for us) to signal that they have the length of the leash to sniff, pee, etc., and I stand quite still (in order to be clear to the dog on the difference, at first, between "Let's go" and "OK"). These releases are at my discretion. (However, I also know pretty well the signals that a poop stop should be made.)

Let's go and OK are very very different things for us, and ambling along so slowly that the dogs could possibly sniff every step is just not going to happen.


Of course, that's just a simple no-train quick-fix.

Teaching loose-leash or heel are the training cures, the real cures.

Ah, I found the thread I wanted.

In Vacuuming in the Pack, even though the topic may not really be an "in the zone" pace, watch how Michael and Turbo march along. Imagine Turbo even thinking about sniffing every step! No! Turbo is focused on keeping pace with his pack leader (and so are all the stray dogs in the vicinity ).

http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=29062&page=1

Connie's idea is a good one. Another approach would be to be more interesting than the smells. Is your pup food or toy driven? If so, carry with you and offer as they pay attention to you. Keep your dog engaged in you and create play time in between. If your pup is smelling to mark than you will have to break him of the marking habit. Once again, engagement is the key. Good luck. You may want to consider enrolling him in a nosework class so he can get his sniff on productively!

Jose, what breed of dog? to some it's natural. the above fixes will work. i handled a bloodhound for a few years all she wanted to to was trail, nose down all business.

 Quote: john axe

Jose, what breed of dog? to some it's natural. the above fixes will work. i handled a bloodhound for a few years all she wanted to to was trail, nose down all business.

I would like to know for several situations and diferent dogs, but in this specific case, the one that triggered the question is a 16 year old mixed breed. He's deaf and also has not 100% vision.





NOTE: See http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=31930&page=1#356281

Edited by Connie Sutherland (02/28/2012 02:21 PM)
Edit reason: mod note

Weelll...
For other dogs and situations, the previous posts give good tips on how to train and correct. However, IMHHHO, this poor 16 yr old is already limited in how he can interact with his environment, and he may be smelling his way as he cannot tell where he's going!! Personally, I'd give THIS guy a break.

 Quote: Jose Miguel Gome

 Quote: john axe

Jose, what breed of dog? to some it's natural. the above fixes will work. i handled a bloodhound for a few years all she wanted to to was trail, nose down all business.

I would like to know for several situations and diferent dogs, but in this specific case, the one that triggered the question is a 16 year old mixed breed. He's deaf and also has not 100% vision.

Ah. You'd have received better answers if you had included this information in the O.P. Vision and hearing problems naturally trigger more reliance on the nose.

I've had a blind dog and three deaf dogs, and there is lots of work that can be done to increase such a dog's confidence in the human on the end of the leash in order to pick up the pace a bit IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE. That is, if the dog is sniffing along so slowly that no real range of motion is getting the synovial fluid through the joints and peristalsis isn't stimulated (pooping), there is fun work to do at home to increase the dog's confidence in following the pace and direction of the owner. This is kind of a separate topic, and I would start a new thread. The title of this thread pretty much doesn't hint at this aspect.

I know that we have several owners of hearing- and vision-impaired dogs here, so I'd urge that a thread be started about how to decrease anxiety around sudden losses in those senses and/or how to increase confidence about making a way through the outside world by relying on the owner's cues.

As Duane said, meanwhile, the dog may well need this constant sniffing to feel safe outside the yard. When you start a new thread, you'll want to describe what safe familiar area you have available for practicing little periods of trust in your intention and ability to be the dog's eyes and ears. Do you have a low-distraction yard, for example?

That can all be discussed here: http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=31930&page=1#356281

And this thread can be answers to the general question in the subject line.