What took me so long?

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I have discoverd the best invention to battling the two dog walk and it was right under my nose the past 2 years! Geez.

A little history. Murphy was a habitual puller when he learned to leash walk and since I needed a running buddy, not a sleigh dog, it was important to me that he be right at my side during runs. That took a LOT of training, a Gentle Leader for about 6 months and then the Gentle Walker Harness to accomplish. So he does a nice side walk now without any pulling. Mission accomplished, except he HATES running. Oh well, on to Bella,

She came to me totally leash trained, never pulled, does a perfect heel and stops on a dime. WTD? Same breeder too. Murphy must've flunked out of Leash walking 101.

Then as time goes on, Murphy learns to lift his leg and it appears every bush, tree, fire hydrant or leave needs to be marked, so we begin with walk, stop, walk, stop walk, stop until my arm is yanked about 6 inches longer. Bella just tended to stop and wait for him to finish, start again and wait again.  So I work diligently on our walks to keep moving and give him a few occasions to mark. He is a boy dog, so I get it.  However, DH thinks dogs should control "Their" walk and stop and start as much as they need. So you can imagine theirs and my frustration with this method.

Now a few months ago, Bella decides she has an ancestrial need to hunt, and anything that moves in her line of vision must now be hunted down to the death and she has to take off like a rocket to attack it. Fortunatly, she never catches anything.

So I have one dog stopping and starting, one dog dashing in another direction and the two leashes looking like I was trying to play double dutch skip rope or they were taking me prisoner by wrapping the leashes around my legs 10 times.

I was about to give up and just let DH have his way with them as I just don't have the strength to control 120# of dogs, going in two different directions. It's almost like they know there is strength in numbers and are going to foil all attempts of this mere 125# woman to walk a straight line.

As I was leaving for yet another dreaded walk and trying to plan the most bush free, lizard, bird or leaf free route, I noticed a double leash attachment that I had purchased prior to Bella's arrival. Someone on DK must have mentioned it, because it sounded like a great idea at the time. But I didn't need it then, Murphy wasnt marking and bella only weighed about 15 pds...

I decided to give this new found treasure a spin. Attached to both the front clips on their harnesses, used only one leash to control two dogs and VIOLA!!!!! Magic!  My dogs now control eachother with their own body weight. When Murphy stops, Bella stops too, or just keeps walking and he follows and when Bella wants to bolt for a lizard, Murphy stands his ground and stops her in her tracks. I don't have to do much of anything, and nobody is yanking my arms out of the socket. 

This works great as they are about the same weight and one counterbalances the other perfectly. Walks are back to a pleasure again,

As for DH, He still hooks a homemade rope to their collars and lets them pull him down the street. I just don't ever walk with him and them anymore. 

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

I use this too, I attach it to their easy walk harness and they walk like a dream. The only thing is sometimes you need to correct one and not the other and it is harder to reach down and tug on their side of the coupler without tugging at the other dog.

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

I love my coupler for walking the doodle sisters.  Just like Murphy and Bella, it keeps Harlow from charging ahead and Lacey lagging behind.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Yes, so wonderful. And stubborn would be putting it nicely for my dude. Lol. But he's a keeper anyway.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

What a wonderful thing, harmony on walks, imagine. DH must be a stubborn Dude like mine.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Ann, I did the same thing. Bought it and forgot about it since it didn't work at first. But it may work now that Rosie is older so let us know how it goes. I love only having one leash too. I was constantly trying to keep the length and tension just right for each dog. Loose enough for Murphy to give Bella room but not drift too close to a bush and tight enough to keep Bella in control and away from my legs so I didn't trip over her. Now they pretty much keep themselves in check. Good luck with retrying the coupler.

[Ann ~Oliver & Rosie]

When I knew I was getting a second doodle I had picked one of these up, I was determined I would be able to walk both my doodles at once. I used it briefly, but had a harder time keeping them by my side.My Rosie walked like she had springs in her legs, it's like taking Tigger on a walk with me.  I took them both on a 4 mile walk Sunday and both my arms were sore using two leashes. I'm gonna try the coupler today, now that Rosie has better walking manners. Thanks for reminding me I had this!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I have a double leash that I used for Ned and our old Simon and it worked so well.  Ned and Clancy keep switching places wanting to be next to me and it doesn't seem to matter whether I have one leash or two - sigh....

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Thrilled that you can enjoy walks with the doods!!!  

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Thank you to everybody for the link :)

[Linda, Webber and Seda]

http://reviews.petco.com/3554/104078/petmate-petmate-take-two-adjus...

I have one of these that I use with Webber and Seda.  It works better for me than the kind of couplers that have a longer leash for each dog before they are coupled.  I think I have more control with these.  The stretchy ones, like these, http://www.keepdoggiesafe.com/couplers.html?gclid=CK6j7ZSMlrMCFQu0n...  don't work as well for my two because they have enough rope to get tangled.