[redcricket]

So I've been walking Cricket and Clover separately up til now. I tried walking them together before, but it was chaos! Clover has alot more energy, and I've been working on her leash training. She is alot more sociable and curious than Cricket. She is a puller, and runs around and jumps on Cricket and gets the leashes all tangled up. Cricket walks nice on a leash, but she has some anxiety issues, and becomes anxious around some people. She is fine with other dogs-cautious but curious. My biggest issue with them is focusing their attention on me and off of each other. They both listen pretty well one on one with me, but when they are together, it's like I don't even exist. They just play around with each other relentlessly, to the point of oblivion! I need to start working on that, and I think walking them together would be a good start. Should I use separate leashes? A leash coupler? Different types of leashes? I can't keep taking 2 different walks per day, it's just too much for me right now. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Winnow]

I try to take them out somewhere where they can be off the leash.
If I do take them out on the leash I have Vaka and Charly in a twin leash and Dima on the other side.

I feel like it is a bit of a struggle at first but once we get moving they are fine.

The most I have taken for a walk on a leash are for dogs 2 spoos and 2 cavaliers you just have to find some balance

 

[*heather*]

I would try a pinch collar... it has been an amazing training tool for Rogan! You'll be amazed and how different your dogs behave on leash

 

[Harley_chik]

This is just my very amatuer opinion but I would get them to where they both are doing really well on the separate walks before walking them together. You could also try a bit of fetch or something else to tire them before your walk. I jog w/ Harley for the first couple blocks or throw the ball for him a few times and I really see a difference. I've been thinking about this for when I get my Spoo. It should be interesting.

 

[cbrand]

Sadly, if the girls don't have great leash walking habits separately, then they won't be any better together.... in fact, as you have found out, they will be worse.

I love the pinch collar. I swear I should become a rep for Sprenger.
Herm Sprenger Prong Collar - Dog.com

For me, walking is not play or exploring time. It is work time for the dog. I don't put my dogs into formal heel because this requires too much continual concentration. My expectation for my dogs is that they walk with me without making hard contact with the end of the leash. They make contact with the end and they get a bump or collar pop. I don't let my dogs sniff or look at other dogs (this is highly discouraged) or stop or worry about things. I'm walking and so are they. When I stop, I expect them to sit quietly next to me until I am ready to walk again. This is my time.... not their time.

Am I a big old meanie? Yes! But it sure makes life easier!

I think you need to be more regimented about your walk routine. Part of this will start with attention training at home. If you say, "Watch!" Do your dogs immediately look at you? This needs to be taught as a separate exercise.

 

[Fluffyspoos]

You could try having help, have one person walk one dog (the better behaved one) while you walk the one that still needs help learning the proper walk. Have one person walk some distance ahead, so they can still see each other if they look.

I walk Precious and Vegas together, but I walk Precious off leash and Vegas on a short leash while we're still working on it. He generalls does great, but gets nervous around new sounds. Precious isn't phased by anything I swear, she walks next to me like she has a leash, but it's easier to walk her without one when I have vegas on his.

 

[*heather*]

Sadly, if the girls don't have great leash walking habits separately, then they won't be any better together.... in fact, as you have found out, they will be worse.

I love the pinch collar. I swear I should become a rep for Sprenger.
Herm Sprenger Prong Collar - Dog.com

For me, walking is not play or exploring time. It is work time for the dog. I don't put my dogs into formal heel because this requires too much continual concentration. My expectation for my dogs is that they walk with me without making hard contact with the end of the leash. They make contact with the end and they get a bump or collar pop. I don't let my dogs sniff or look at other dogs (this is highly discouraged) or stop or worry about things. I'm walking and so are they. When I stop, I expect them to sit quietly next to me until I am ready to walk again. This is my time.... not their time.

Am I a big old meanie? Yes! But it sure makes life easier!

I think you need to be more regimented about your walk routine. Part of this will start with attention training at home. If you say, "Watch!" Do your dogs immediately look at you? This needs to be taught as a separate exercise.

I'm with you 100%! You're not a big old meanie, you're a pack leader, and your dogs respect you for it, it's what they need to feel secure and happy!

 

[Harley_chik]

Cbrand I guess I'm a meanie too b/c I'm the same way w/ Harley. No sniffing, no leg lifting, etc. I expect him to walk on a loose leash. We do stop anytime a person wants to meet him though. It's always nice to change people's minds about the breed.

 

[pudlemom]

I also agreed with cbrand this is how I walk my kids to I can walk all 5 of mine at one time.I just started 2 puppies and they were puppling like crazy,I put on the pinch collar and that was the end of that and you don't have to do the work the dog does it all the second the bump the end they quit.

 

[spoospirit]

Sadly, if the girls don't have great leash walking habits separately, then they won't be any better together.... in fact, as you have found out, they will be worse.

I love the pinch collar. I swear I should become a rep for Sprenger.
Herm Sprenger Prong Collar - Dog.com

For me, walking is not play or exploring time. It is work time for the dog. I don't put my dogs into formal heel because this requires too much continual concentration. My expectation for my dogs is that they walk with me without making hard contact with the end of the leash. They make contact with the end and they get a bump or collar pop. I don't let my dogs sniff or look at other dogs (this is highly discouraged) or stop or worry about things. I'm walking and so are they. When I stop, I expect them to sit quietly next to me until I am ready to walk again. This is my time.... not their time.

Am I a big old meanie? Yes! But it sure makes life easier!

I think you need to be more regimented about your walk routine. Part of this will start with attention training at home. If you say, "Watch!" Do your dogs immediately look at you? This needs to be taught as a separate exercise.

I'm also in 100% agreement with this. Dianne and I walk five poodles every week. I have two on a coupler and she has two on a coupler and one on a single lead. We do not need to use the prong collar because we worked with them from when they were babies about acceptable behavior on-leash. But if we had any issues with walking a dog, I wouldn't hesitate to use one.

If you can't walk one dog without issues, you are never going to walk two together. I would follow this advice to the T. You will find yourself and your dogs to be much happier.

This is not being mean; it is helping your dogs learn to behave properly and giving you peace of mind.

Best of luck in teaching to walk on-lead properly.

 

[Mandycasey'smom]

Well I had 2 spoos 3 months apart in age and had to drive to town at that point to walk and socialize them. I bought a coupler and tried different harnesses Prongs work great as do haltis I never had luck with those no pull harnesses.

The coupler is awsome becauase it lets them switch sides ( they don't normally but sometimes it happens) without tangling the leashes.

Another thing I DESPISE is a dog wandering on a 6ft or even 4ft leash I like my dogs beside me without tripping on a leash.
I use the coupler and then attatch either a ft long leash or even just a handle that buckles to the cuppler.

I walked them together out of neccessity and worked on training seperatly at home on our land.

It works for us without to much issue other then Mandy gets dirty grey from her prong and Casey hates the halti plus I like to switch things up on them so they gotta think a little.

Mandy pulls on a flat collar Casey is fine untill he sees another dog then gets silly like a pup still. Now that back in the city we are working on it and so far is getting better unless the dog passes on the same sidewalk across the street he still does little yips but no bouncing

 

[Mister]

Get a gentle leader or a choke chain for the puller and get 4 foot leashes for both of them and make one walk on each side of you so they can interact and play. Walking is jsut that its a walk, no stiffing no playing just walking (well thats my opinion anyway). If they want to go somewhere and get some energy out then i suggest a ball field and let them off leash to go nuts....they tire out alot faster that way anyways.

 

[poodleholic]

Walking them together would not be a good start! (Would be so nice if it worked, but it just doesn't.)

I wouldn't walk the two together until Clover knows how to walk on a loose leash, and a huge part of any and all training is getting, and keeping the dog's attention. Without that, it's an exercise in futility.

I frequently walk my 3 Standards together, all on separate leads, and all wearing flat buckle collars. There are times when the youngest makes walking all 3 a PITA! She gets wild and silly, criss crossing in front of, and irritating the rest of us. Ok. So she stays home while I walk the other two. Then I go back and take her. By herself, she's a dream on lead, light as a feather and responsive to my every move, even after acting up with the other two. It's more convenient for me to take them all at once, but, not if she acts up. She's young, she'll learn. In the meantime, it's either solo w/her, or paired with Maddy.

We go on various types of walks: there's easy, meandering, time to check out pee-mail walks, on 6' or 10' leads, and a variation with all 3 in front of me, no pulling, moving along without checking out pee-mail. Or, power walks on 6' or 4' leads, a Poodle on my right, and one on my left. Lots of forward, backward, figure 8s, zig zags, circles, about-face, and variances in speed. These walks sharpen heeling skills along with focus, and they truly enjoy the "game," which is to NOT let me win by fooling them - they're so into it they anticipate what I'm going to do next, and don't miss a beat! lol Of course, the intensity wears them out, and we only do this continuously around the block, then take a break.


One way I teach focus while walking is to use a 10' - 15' lead, start walking with the dog, and the second s/he forges ahead, or to the side, or stops, I immediately about face and walk fast the opposite direction - over and over again. Amazing how quickly the dog picks up on paying attention to ME, not the squirrels, leaves blowing in the wind, cars, bikers, skaters, other dogs, and so on, and catches up, walking along side me. Good Job! C/T

 

[Mandycasey'smom]

I guess different things work for different people because it did work for me on a coupler and a handle. The coupler turned with the dogs so it didn't tangle and the handle kept the leash short enough they couldn't get tangled in things.
As I said before I HATE long leashes for walking dogs I find it gives them momentum to start pulling and what do you do with all that leash.
I would give it a try on a coupler and see what happens.
Plus the faster you walk the less time they have to get in trouble.

Good luck to you and remember that different things work for different people
Just keep trying untill you find what works for you

 

[PonkiPoodles]

Sadly, if the girls don't have great leash walking habits separately, then they won't be any better together.... in fact, as you have found out, they will be worse.

I love the pinch collar. I swear I should become a rep for Sprenger.
Herm Sprenger Prong Collar - Dog.com

For me, walking is not play or exploring time. It is work time for the dog. I don't put my dogs into formal heel because this requires too much continual concentration. My expectation for my dogs is that they walk with me without making hard contact with the end of the leash. They make contact with the end and they get a bump or collar pop. I don't let my dogs sniff or look at other dogs (this is highly discouraged) or stop or worry about things. I'm walking and so are they. When I stop, I expect them to sit quietly next to me until I am ready to walk again. This is my time.... not their time.

Am I a big old meanie? Yes! But it sure makes life easier!

I think you need to be more regimented about your walk routine. Part of this will start with attention training at home. If you say, "Watch!" Do your dogs immediately look at you? This needs to be taught as a separate exercise.

I agree with you Cbrand... walk time is not play time. My dogs do get time to do their business - but not during a walk. Walk time is exercise time. I also don't keep them in a heal position, but I do expect them to pay attention to where I want to go and follow my lead.

 

[redcricket]

Thanks everyone with your replies and advice! I really appreciate it. I am willing to try anything at this point. I am going to get a prong collar or an Easy Walk harness and work with Clover one on one a bit more, and then I am going to give it a go with the coupler and the short traffic lead. Clover is my 4th dog, but is really giving me a hard time! LOL! I am not used to having a dog like her. My other dogs have been really laid back, and easy to train, so she is giving me a run for my money. She is sweet as pie, and has so many good qualities--she is smart as a whip, and sometimes uses that to her advantage! LOL! She is also stubborn as a mule, and gets very easily distracted. I am really working hard with her, but I am starting to think I may need a professional trainer's assistance with her. She's not bad or aggressive, just hard to train. Thanks again everyone!

 

[Pamela]

I use separate leashes that have the slip collar on the end (saw it on Dog Whisperer), I tried walking them next to each other but then they try to keep ahead of each other and start pulling me so now I put on on each side. the slip collar should look like P when you put it on the dog so for the one on my right side and reverse it and keep them both up on the top of the neck and they walk very nicely - lol until another dog comes along! then its all out war! and I find it hard to control them both. My favorite thing is to take them in the woods off leash but I know that the walk on the leash is very important. I make them heal on the way and on the way back I let them have "free walk" but they still are not allowed to pull me. its funny - if I take them to town to walk they are sooooo good - with people and other dogs - but on my own road - forget it! I think they think the whole road is their's!

 

[Pamela]

PS - the leads with the slip collar are short. - it makes it easier to keep them in heel without tension on the leash (as Caesar says lol)