Field Guide · Glossary
Decompression walk
EnrichmentA long, unhurried walk on a long line in a quiet place, where the dog chooses the route and the pace.
How it works
The term is Sarah Stremming's. Nothing is being trained and nothing is being tired out, which is the part people find hardest to accept: no heel, no recall repetitions, no distance to hit. The dog stops when they want to and for as long as they want to. What makes it work is the combination of space, time and choice together, so a rushed version in a busy place is a different activity using the same name.
What it looks like
A handler drives to a quiet field, clips a fifteen-foot line to the dog's harness, and follows wherever the dog goes for forty minutes. They cover perhaps half a mile. The dog spends most of that time with their nose down and their body loose.
Commonly confused with
- Sniffari
- The two overlap heavily and get used interchangeably. A sniffari emphasises the sniffing itself; a decompression walk emphasises the length and the absence of any demand.
Related terms
Where this comes up
In the reading list
Gear that helps
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links here are affiliate links, at no extra cost to you.
15ft training long line
What makes a decompression walk possible: freedom to sniff and move with a safety net still in your hand. We reach for one constantly in recall and reactive work.