Being able to get your puppy’s attention to stay on you instead of the wonderful smells around them begins with teaching then to focus on YOU first! You have to remain more relevant to your puppy than to anything else around them. To do this takes a little time, but putting in the work now can make walks a breeze in just a few weeks!
Let’s make it clear from the get-go, your puppy will always sniff and we’re not trying to stop this behavior altogether. It’s how they communicate and understand the world around them. But, there are a few ways to get your puppy focused on walking instead of stopping to sniff every few feet!
Just make sure over time they don’t start pulling to those spots! They should only be sniffing when you give them their release word (like “Break” or “Ok”). If they do pull, as you approach the area and you anticipate them about to go for it, ask for a Sit or do a Heel turnaround to get their focus again, and have then pause before releasing them to the area.
As we quickly stated in the above section, if your puppy already shows a tendency to want to go sniff everything they pass by, give them something to focus on! Heel training takes time and a lot of practice indoors and out to get your puppy to check-in by looking at you and following your lead through distractions.
The moment that you notice your puppy dip their head to the ground, they’ve caught on to an interesting scent. This is your cue to turn on the excitement, say “Let’s Go!” and slightly apply pressure on your puppy’s leash guiding them in the direction that you want them to go.
My Dog Is Sniffing the Floor Like Crazy. Why?
You will often notice your dog sniffing the floor like crazy while pacing backwards and forwards. This is often a sign that your dog is anxious, nervous, or bored and under-stimulated. The latter can lead to the former.
Your pooch might just have picked up a new scent on the floor, but you will need to monitor your dogs general and overall behaviour to find out if anxiety or under-stimulation is becoming a problem. If the obsessive sniffing dog behaviour continues for a prolonged period of time, and consistently, it might be time for you to make an appointment with your vet.
If you are unsure of just how long your dog is sniffing the floor and acting in other unusual ways, why not consider getting a Petcubes interactive pet camera? You can keep an eye on your furry friends no matter where you are in the world, and you can get a better idea for how theyre acting while youre not around.
Species of Dog With the Best Sense of Smell
Although all dogs have an amazing sense of smell, some breeds are known to be better at sniffing things out than others.
These include:
Use this game to teach your dog to stop sniffing!
It happens all the time: You take your dog out for a nice walk, hoping to help your best buddy get some exercise. But your dog sniffing ground constantly interrupts the walking flow. A lot. Keep in mind that while stopping and sniffing may be frustrating to you, it’s extremely important to your dog.