Does anyone have a dog that is constantly peeing and sniffing on walks?

[asblindasabat]

I have a 9 year old Springer Spaniel and as much as I love walking him, he constantly pulls on the lead towards grass/vegetation etc so he can sniff and pee.

Of course it’s normal for a dog to pee on a walk, but he keeps pulling me over to grass verges to do tiny pees when he could have had one only two minutes ago and then he continually pulls so that he can sniff the grass. He could spend about 5 minutes sniffing before he decides to have another pee.

It really makes walking him less enjoyable because I spend more time trying to stop him pulling me than actually walking.

is there any way I could try to stop this behaviour? And I don’t mind him sniffing the odd time, but it’s too excessive at the minute!

Yeah totally a crap owner who provides a loving home to the dog, food/water and shelter plus plenty of walks!

Our dog is like this. But he is with me because I don't care and am easy going. He isn't with my husband who is a lot stricter corrects the dog loads, pulling on the lead and telling him off. It is exhausting at first but after a while the dog trots happily besides . I think it helps that they do mostly the same route.

You can correct your dogs behaviour. But it depends how much effort you want to put into it.

I just read your last comment. Ignore them...some people are such dicks. When it comes to dogs they are so self-righteous, but they are still dicks.

Mumsnet is so weird. Poster asks if anyone else has a dog that likes to sniff, and resolutely gets told she's a crap owner.
Bizarre!!

I really dont think you should ‘correct’ him sniffing.

You should work with a trainer on your recall so you can let him off the lead. Springers need a lot of exercise and stimulation. If you can get him well trained to come back (which is definitely possible if you are prepared to put the work in with a professional) then you could have the best of both worlds. I think that is what you should aim for here. Don’t take the easy route to your own benefit- being a good owner means doing what’s best for him even if that’s harder for you- train him properly so he can have more freedom and you can have better walks. X

countingdownagain

But it's literally what dogs live to do! What sort of a question is it from a dog owner?

A spaniel needs a lot of off lead running too

Sniffing is massively important for dogs. It's calming and connecting for them.

If your dogs recall is crap then get training. Springers are good at this stuff.

My spaniel loves a sniffy walk but it's no substitute for off lead spanielling

Mine only sniffs, he freezes otherwise! I do a dog walk (sniff an area around car ), then a me walk separately

Errrr, that’s what dogs do? Especially male dogs?
Sniffing and scenting things out is really good for them, that’s why spaniels make very good, y’know, sniffer dogs?

Stop being mean, he’s just taking you for a sniffari! If you don’t like it why don’t you introduce done training games where he can sniff things out? You might actually get a better relationship and some training done?

He’s just reading his pee-mail. Let him get on with it and use the time to practise mindfulness 😀

So you think you are a good dog owner because you do what’s basically expected of a dog owner?

You don’t even understand why your dog sniffs! Don’t you think that maybe his behaviour has changed because he’s getting older, the same as people change? If you can’t control him on a walk, take him to an enclosed field where he can’t get out and let him sniff and run about.

My dog sometimes goes crazy, charging about at the end of his walk as he doesn’t want to go home. I just stand and wait for him. It’s his walk. He can run, sniff, whatever. I also leave enough time so if he does sniff for ages I have time to wait.
I waited 40 mins once while he sniffed for moles. We were out for the same time as a normal walk, we just didn’t do much walking. As a PP has said sniffing uses energy and is really good for their wellbeing. It’s how they work out what’s going on in their world.
So many great comments on here. Read them, learn and don’t get another dog

I do think they get more sniffy as they get older too. Our boy is 11 and soooo pee and sniff heavy on walks. On the latter half of the walk we're lucky if we get 10 consecutive steps in before he stops again.

We often decide before we head out if we're on his walk or if he's on ours. If it's his walk we stop as often and for how long he likes. If it's our walk he happens to be on we're a little more strict with how often and long he can stop. It's a good balance.

You could look to see if anyone offers scent classes near by, if he's a sniffer you might as well harness it.

Well, saying she's a crap owner is probably going a bit far but it is a very daft question!

This is just what dogs do!

And yet some dogs, including but not limited to working dogs, are trained successfully not to do this when out walking or working, and are then given the opportunity to exhibit their natural doggy behaviour in certain appropriate places such as the park rather than pulling on the lead and stopping and not walking along properly when they are on the lead on the pavement, or carrying out their work duties.

Not sure you can train a 9 year old dog out of doing it so much now though as this should have been addressed in the first year of life. You could try. Most people just do not put in the amount of work that is required to train dogs properly.

They do. Dogs like to "scent"

That’s lovely!

Working dogs likely get a lot of stimulation in other ways.
thus dog doesn’t even have basic recall training and is never off lead. His life is pretty limited already.
pkaee don’t suggest to OP that he should be prevented from sniffing as well 🙁

Normal behaviour for a dog. X

I thought that's what all dogs did on walks.

People seem to think I don’t understand that dogs sniff and pee to mark their territory when they are out, I do understand that.

I wouldn’t prevent him from sniffing here and there, but when he’s stopping and starting every 10 minutes for about 5 minutes each time it does start to annoy you - I’d rather walk than move about 1 centimetre every 10 minutes!

Every 10 seconds *

Maybe you should consider rehoming you come across as not really wanting him and can't be bothered. X

Eh not really. I can be bothered considering I still take him for several walks per day and as well as that, I happen to adore him!