dogs sniff around for inspiration? LOL!

I have to take my dog out on a leash and it's so annoying...she sniffs here, sniffs there, and oh...nope that place just won't do.
Just pee and poo already!! LOL!

I love my dog dearly, but man...this whole "sniff around for hours" thing is just beyond my little human comprehension.

By Tink on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 11:30 pm:

We've just started having to walk the dog since our yard isn't fenced and I can't believe how long it takes her to just do her business! Really, is that blade of grass any different than the 45 other ones you just smelled???

On a similar note, how often do you take your dogs out to go potty? We always just let her out when she'd growl at the back door. Now I'm taking her out about 6 times a day. Too often, not often enough?

By Ginny~moderator on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 06:27 am:

If Sascha would stop sniffing, we could go around the block in 5 minutes, but it is usually a 20 minute walk or more. Scott is very patient with her about it, saying that dogs experience the world mostly through their noses, and sniffing gives them the news of the neighborhood.

As for how often a dog has to go out, or go, most dogs will at least pee a bit every time they go out, just on general princiapls, but how often the dog has to actually go depends on size, diet, age, and general health. Sascha, a 100# Rottie, goes out in the morning around 6, in the evening around 6, and again before Scott goes to bed, and that is generally sufficient. I'd watch, Tink, and see if she actually does anything, or anything much. You should be able to tell the difference between a full pee and just a marker pee. And, try just walking her around in circles in the back yard when she asks to go out after having done her stuff within the past four hours. If she finds that the interim trips are boring she may stop asking so much.

By Luvn29 on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 10:30 am:

My dogs are like this! Thankfully, my Jazzy can go out on her own because she is very picky. But our Scruffy still has to be leashed when he goes out to use the bathroom and sometimes he drives my dh crazy when he goes out to poo because he takes so long finding just the right place that's cushy enough for his butt! LOL! He has to be on the right side of the house, even! And then he has to find tall enough grass or weeds, and he has to sniff everywhere and then go back to the perfect place. It takes forever. I swear he is OCD sometimes!

By Cocoabutter on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 01:52 pm:

Most of my neighbors who don't have fences have their dogs yard trained to stay in the yard and go potty in the yard.

We have a fenced in yard, so we mostly just let our 5 year old terrier/lab mix out by herself. I take her on walks about 3-4 times a week just to get out and get some exercise. She usually just pees to mark, and then I had to start taking baggies with me b/c she started pooping on our walks, not just once, but twice. Our walks usually last about 40-45 minutes, but again it's mainly for the exercise.

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 11:50 pm:

Jasmine is usually pretty quick about going potty, but sometimes, I think she really doesn't have to go that bad and would just rather sniff around.

By Karen~admin on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 07:52 am:

I think the absolute worst place for that is when you go to the groomer. Every time I take Kali, she goes nuts in the grassy patches around the parking lot. SOOOO many new smells and experiences! And *she* wants to experience them all! ROFL

By Cat on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 10:09 am:

They have to check out who's been there!!! lol We finally got our fence up so our dogs have the whole back yard to play in. That 4-5 weeks of no fence, though was a pain! We ended up getting 15' leads and staking them in the ground because these two doggies like to go out a lot. They don't always use the bathroom, but they just like being outside. Of course, they also love to bark at everything that moves and we don't like to bother the neighbors. You should see them run towards the house when we shake their treat container! lol