TRY THIS TODAY! SERIOUSLY! The positive impact on your dog’s reactivity on its walk is striking. The American College of Veterinary Behaviorists call it a ‘SNIFF WALK.’ You just leave the house on your walk as usual, but after a couple of blocks, turn the dog’s nose loose! Let it engage in the various scents–let the dog be a dog! You still direct where you want it to go, but let it lead you once it’s there. That stream of olfactory data so completely engages its brain that after a few minutes it pays only passing attention to other dogs. AND after only about 15-20 minutes, it’s as if your dog’s been on a 45 trot. The mental focus really relaxes them, and that rolls right into their day. We’ve been using it as a part of Lucy and Jute’s morning walk, but their evening walk is strictly a 20 minute stroll–a Sniff Walk! IF I’m pressed for time I’ll do only 10 minutes, but there’s a definite effect even with that short of time. We had been turning part of their walk into a bike ride just to get them more exercise miles, but this seems to work better–that brain-nose focus is draining! Okay, I’ll say it–it’s the lazy man’s way to walk his dog. In fact I’ve been pouring a Miller Lite into a lidded coffee mug on that evening sniff walk and just hanging as Lucy and Jute do their dog thing. I stroll them separately so I have to pace myself with that Miller Lite. Try it. Seriously! (Wait a minute; have I forgotten to tell Margaret about that coffee)
Written by Tom Moureau, ISDF Director and Training Coordinator