08/23/2026
“Just let the dog sniff.”
For a lot of my clients, that sounds great in theory — but in reality, the walk has become such a pain that they don’t even want to do it anymore.
Their dog is stopping every few feet, pulling toward every smell, trying to say hi to every dog or person, chasing squirrels, zig-zagging across the sidewalk, and turning what should be a simple walk into a frustrating chore.
I’ve had clients flat-out tell me they hate walking their dog because it’s become such a problem.
They’re busy. They have kids, work, meetings, sports, errands, and a million other things going on. They don’t have 45 minutes to go two blocks because their dog wants to stop and sniff everything along the way.
That’s why I teach heel.
Heel means walk calmly at my side. Don’t pull. Don’t stop every few feet. Don’t drag me toward every dog, person, animal, or smell.
That doesn’t mean my dogs don’t get freedom.
When I say “free,” they can sniff, explore, run around, and be a dog. There’s a time for freedom, and there’s a time for walking.
When we’re walking, we’re walking.
And one of the best parts of my job is hearing from clients after training telling me how much they actually enjoy walking their dog now.
What used to be stressful becomes something they look forward to.
If you love letting your dog stop and sniff everything on every walk, good on you. My content probably isn’t for you.
It’s for the people who are frustrated with their walks and want a dog they can actually enjoy walking with.
It’s for people who want the best trained dog in the neighborhood.
If you’re in Glenview or Chicago’s North Shore and you’re tired of walks being a pain, feel embarrassed by how your dog acts in public, or walking your dog has started to feel more like a chore than something you enjoy, DM me “WALK” and I’ll send you information on my board & train programs and see if you and your dog are a good fit.
