Let Them Sniff

Today I had to practice what I preach when it comes to sniffing walks.

We went to a location that we had not been to in a couple of weeks and a spin about this park usually takes us 15 minutes. Today, the sniffing walk lasted 55 minutes! Clearly, Gibbs had some catching up to do in this park. 

In the past, I would have had a very hard time being patient and letting Gibbs take his time, meander about, and sniff for so long at each spot. (I even wrote another blog post about this very topic.  Confessions from a Type A Dog Mom on Learning How to Do Sniffing Walks with Her Dogs ) Thankfully, my days of impatience are behind me and I now look at sniffing walks through a different lens. I see how much joy it brings Gibbs in the moment and then how much relaxation it provides him afterward. It was a great way to start the day!

Some guidelines for a successful singing walk are shown below. Give it a try and let me know how it goes.

🐕 Use a  longer leash. (I use a 10 ft. leash in the neighborhood  and a longer line if we are in the woods)

🐕 The dog gets to go wherever he wants to go. 

🐕 The dog sets the pace for the walk.

🐕 The dog gets to stay in the spot he is sniffing for as long as he likes. Let him decide when it is time to move on. 

🐕 Caveat - all of this is in play as long as your dog knows how to walk nicely on a leash and  it is safe for you and the dog. #safety first