Go for a smell walk...

     Anyone who has spent any amount of time in a dog training class knows a bit about heeling.  It is usually one of the fundamental exercises that clients want their dogs to learn. It is a useful command in so many situations and it really does help you to gain control over your walk, so that you walk at YOUR pace and not at your dog's pace. 
     Now forget what you learned in class and take your dog on a smell walk.  What is a smell walk, you might ask? Well, it is a walk in which you let your dog lead YOU.  Let him take you where the smells lead him, whatever direction he chooses (within reason, obviously you're not going to let him lead you into traffic, a patch of poison ivy, or into the creek, unless you want to).  But wait, you may ask, what about all the effort I've put into training my dog to heel?  Won't letting him rule the walk undo all my hard work? If you do it right, no, it won't.  You're still going to practice your heeling and you will do it much more often than you do your smell walks, therefore you shouldn't lose any ground with your training. Even soldiers don't always walk in formation! These smell walks are all about knowing your dog. They are a break for both of you. See if you can predict what he'll like to smell.  See if you can predict which direction he takes, does he stick to your usual walking route, or is there another way that he'd like to go today?  So much of dog training your personal dog comes back to your relationship and exercises like this build that relationship in a positive way. 
     Remember, NO PULLING! That works both ways. Don't pull on your dog and do not allow him to pull you. This is about working together, not getting yanked around! If your dog is pulling, stop until he notices you. Once the leash is slack again, you may continue walking. If you are consistent with this, stop when the dog pulls, continue when the leash is slack, your dog will pick up on it in no time, but consistency is key. If you allow your dog to pull you once, he will pull you again and again and again, ad infinitum. So get out there and let your dog check his pee-mail and have some fun bonding!