kendalyn Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 I was walking Buck today and one of the houses we usually go past has a huge mole problem so of course Buck likes to take some time sniffing. I don't let him go up into the yard, but I do let him sniff the grass near the sidewalk. The neighbor of the house with the mole problem was out getting his mail and he said, "You know, if you let him stop to sniff like that, he'll think he's in charge of you." I just said, "It hasn't been a problem but thanks for the tip." I've never had a dominance problem with Buck and we do NILIF and all that, but is he right? If you're dealing with a dog who has dominance issues is it a bad idea to let them stop and sniff on a walk? I figure it's ok for Buck as long as I can tell him "lets go" and he'll stop sniffing and come along. I hardly ever do that though because I figure it's his walk and if he wants to stop and sniff around a little, it's ok with me (as long as he's not sniffing something he's not supposed to like someone's crotch :lol: ) What do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_nea Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 I don't know anything about dominance or anything, but if you aren't having problems with dominance then let him be a dog and sniff! :) It seems to me that most everything dogs to someone has said can cause a dog to think he is the "alpha" or be dominant. Once I read that someone suggested taking a spray bottle with their own pee and spray it on top of the dogs outside! :o Not letting a dog sniff isn't that extreem of course. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kendalyn Posted March 18, 2004 Author Share Posted March 18, 2004 [quote]Once I read that someone suggested taking a spray bottle with their own pee and spray it on top of the dogs outside[/quote] ewww :-? I don't think I could collect my own pee and spray it in my backyard. That's really weird. How would the dog know that the pee belonged to you? And wouldn't he just mark over it? Very strange Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pei obssessed Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 I would put this guy in the "idiot" category--he's the kind of person who'd make sure to roll his dog over every day and yell at him just to make sure that the dog knows who's in control. Dogs are not people and they should be allowed to behave like dogs--if Buck does something he enjoys, like sniffing about, it doesn't mean that he doesn't think of you as alpha, it just means that he's reading his pee mail :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mouseatthebusstop Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 Bet the guy has never had a dog in his life I let Paddy sniff it enjoys sniffing one of the fields we walk across has mole hills on he loves to lift his leg on each one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtnek Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 he's a little off the deep end.... dogs sniff, that's what they do. That's how they communicate with each other - sniffing and marking. If you tell him enough and he gives it up, he's fine. This guy reminds me of people who, when stopped for directions, give yu some even though they have no clue where you're trying to go. Some people just have to think they know everything.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_Cassie Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 Dogs love to sniff and smell....I wonder how much of a dominance problem the dogs which smell out narcatics and bombs give their handlers? :roll: :lol: I own 3 very dominant dogs...they never have caused me any problems and I let them smell every thing in sight...I also couldn't care less how many times they scent mark on our hikes either. This is not an issue of dominance...its a dogs way of communicating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooeydog Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 When I'd walk Haley's former owner's parents' dog, I wouldn't let him stop and sniff at all because he was so used to doing whatever he wanted that he would try and drag you over, then if you tried to get him moving again, he'd growl and snarl at you before continuing to sniff. Eventually, after we'd established that he didn't go anywhere I didn't feel like going, I started letting him sniff again, but made him sit before "freetime" and afterwards, when we were getting ready to walk again, just to reinforce the difference between walking (walking to get somewhere) and meandering (where he could sniff all he wanted). This was (is) a dog with a ton of issues though, and that was the only way to deal with him on walks and not worry about him acting goofy. With our dogs, they're usually allowed to sniff, unless I tell them to leave it, or say "lets go", like if we're going somewhere and don't have time to stop for a sniff. Goo is on "probation" because she gets so engrossed in sniffing (once I timed her, 7 mins in ONE spot and she was still checking it out :lol: ) that she ignores when I say it's time to move on (plus she tries to cross in front of me if she smells something as we walk and I trip over her constantly). We walk for a bit with her not allowed to sniff, then stop and let her sniff to her heart's content for a few minutes, then go again. In between, I may let her take a quick stop for a sniff, depending on how she acts. Keep in mind though that these walks are for exercise, not for "free time", and she gets that as well, either at the end of the walk (we'll walk through the field on the way home, plenty to smell there), or on a seperate walk. I think it's just a personal preference in most cases, and that it really doesn't have much (if any) bearing on a dog becoming overly assertive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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