Loose leashe training with two doodles

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

Hi all!

So Loki, almost 17months has finally gotten the hang of loose leash walking! However Moose, 5 months is still far from there. When I walk the both of them Loki will pull because he needs to be in front of Moose who doesn't know not to pull. So I've been walking the separately and working with Moose and having enjoyable walks with Loki. Any advise for walking them together? Or should I just stick with walking them separately until Moose is not pulling?

Thanks for your thoughts!

Jess, Loki, and Moose

[Helga, Nimbus, Sierra, Clooney]

I was also told by my puppy trainer to walk them separately but I rarely did because Nimbus was always so sad when I left the house without him and just Sierra. I would immediately stop when she started pulling. I taught them both that it's not okay to be ahead of me. Either next to me or behind. I guess it also helps that Nimbus is rather submissive and doesn't feel the need to be in front all the time. Good luck!

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

That is almost the same problem I'm having! Loki is so sad when we leave without him and he is very submissive but Moose is not naturally submissive. He has learned how to act in most areas but we are still working on leash walking. Thank you for your advise! How long did it take for Sierra to learn?

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I used a sporn double dog leash http://sporn.com/training/sporn-double-dog-leash/  for Ned and our old lab mix when Ned was young.  It worked perfectly BUT the dogs instinctively walked with our lab mix on the outside and Ned on the inside.  Ned and Clancy do not walk well when on the same side because each wants the inside spot so I don't think the double dog leash would work for them.  When I walk them together I either let Ned walk behind or they keep switching or I put Ned on the right.  I really would train them separately so that they actually learn what is expected with appropriate corrections.  I would do this especially because Moose and Loki are very large dogs and if one pulls let alone both, you are in big  trouble.

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

Sorry I am just seeing this reply! I think I will work on training them by themselves as I have been for the very reason you mentioned. When they wear their easy walk harnesses they are perfect even if they see things they want but I want them to be great regardless of what they are wearing. I noticed the other day though when I let them out to go to the bathroom they started wrestling and growling with eachother, semi fighting but I think Loki was trying to put Moose in his place... That really worries me though because if that's a product of not routinely taking them out together then this will be another issue because right now Loki is 85-90lbs and Moose is 5months old but already 55lbs so it was crazy with that much mass fighting on the leash let alone when Moose is full grown. Did you ever experience that with your boys? It worried me just because they eventually sorted it out between themselves and Moose got in his place but still I would rather not have that become a regular thing. I might post this in the training group... Not sure if it was a one time thing or what though.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ned and Clancy never fight (when we added Clancy to our family, Ned put him in his place immediately and Clancy hasn't questioned it). Clancy (who is larger) cedes to Ned.  When I take them potty walking when we are in our RV, I usually put a leash in each hand and keep switching as they sniff around OR I take them separately.  Clancy potties easily, Ned does not, so I let Clancy take the lead until he is done and then have Clancy sort of follow along while we hope we can get Ned to go.  However, Clancy is 60 pounds and Ned is 28 - so hugely different in the amount of 'pull' they could generate as opposed to Loki and Moose.