Did you know that mental exercises for dogs are as important as, if not more important than, physical exercise? Dogs have that big thing on the front of their faces for a reason! One of the easiest and greatest ways to get mental exercise is to take a sniff walk. When you take your dog for a walk, instead of speeding along (remember the walk is for your dog and not you) and not letting the pup stop and sniff, take a leisurely walk and let the pup do their thing. Tracking where an animal has been, smelling to determine what type of animal has walked through the path, sniffing to see who marked what is what makes the walk enjoyable for them. This is how your dog “sees” his environment; through his nose! This is a great mental exercise for your dog!
If your dog pulls or you find he zig-zags as he follows a smell, switch out that short leash. Amazon sells great 10 and 15 foot long leashes for very cheap. A long leash allows your dog to do his thing and you to still have a pleasant walk. Your dog will have to work very hard to get 15 feet out and pull! If you have challenges walking on a loose leash, consider private training or attending a class specifically for loose leash walking we will be offering those in the spring.
For more information on the benefits of sniff walks, check out this article from petmd
https://www.petmd.com/dog/beha
Now get walking and let your dog have a great “sniffari”!