I can't walk two dogs!

[Julie, Boomer, Milo & Casey]

Boomer was my walking companion for 2 years before Milo came along.  Boomer is the PERFECT walking partner.   I have not spent much time training Milo 1-on-1 with walking as I assumed he'd figure out how to walk straight if I positioned him between my knee and Boomer.    Its difficult for me to handle both dogs (heavyweights) and it breaks my heart to leave one behind so I've not been walking either one!  

 

I HAVE TO start walking again.  How do you "get over" the whining when you leave one behind in the house?  It seriously breaks my heart to shut the door on one of their noses.  :-(

 

 

 

 

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

Hi julie, check out this discussion that was posted in the Trainig Group:  http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/trainingmindsets/forum/topics/wer...  it might have a lot of what you are looking for.  A big part of that discussion was about how hard it is (for some of us) to leave one dog behind and take the other.  Adina is tougher than most of us and doesn't have a problem with it and shared some very good words of wisdom.  Hope it helps you.

[Julie, Boomer, Milo & Casey]

Amy. Thank you! I just read through the posts. What others described is how I feel when I leave one behind. I hate to hear one cry. When I get home, the "left behind" dog gets so excited to see the other one that they jump all over each other. My kids have said when I leave with just one, the other cries the whole time we are gone.

I had an ah-ha moment when reading. I take both to the groomer together too. I'm going to start doing that separate so I have one-on-one time. Thanks for sharing the link.

[Cynthia, Elvis & Pink]

Hi Julie -

I didn't know you had 2 dogs!  If I need to walk just Elvis, I give Pink something to do like a food puzzle - that usually distracts her enough to get out the door. I tried walking both of them at once early on and it was disaster because Pink only wanted to play so I had to start taking them separately.

At 8mos, I can now walk Pink and Elvis together and Pink behaves (mostly).  Since I work during the day, I have a dog walker take Pink out and she has helped Pink's leash walking a lot.  You might also want to enroll Milo in a class - Pink just finished Puppy Jr. High and it did a lot for Pink's leash manners.  I know it would be far for you but Ahimsa (in Ballard) has a leash walking seminar (it's just one afternoon, instead of a 6-week class).

Cynthia

[Julie, Boomer, Milo & Casey]

Oh yes, I've got Boomer and Milo. Boomer turned four a few weeks ago and he's pretty darn cool! Well trained, CGC guy and super sweet. Milo turned 2 in December and he's mellow in the house but open the doors and he's crazy!

I read about the loose leash walking at Ahimsa and that's what I need. I'll try to find one closer to home. The thing is, I know how to train loose leash walking but haven't done it with Milo. I did something right with Boomer because he's so good but I took the time with him. It's hard to "go back" to the basics with Milo now. I take full responsibility for his bad leash manners.

[Sherree]

Practice with Milo in the house as you do your daily chore/routine.  Leash him and have him "heel" with you as you walk through the house.  I have 2 1 yr apart. Pierre is now 5 and Piper 4.  At the begininning I tried tandum leashes...not so good Piper had to learn the "basics" first.  Now I have no problem and they are a joy to take to farmer's markets and small town festivals  We also practice with NO leash to the mail box or the shed etc.  

Be patient it takes time and alot of work but it will come.  Praise and treats are great motivators.

[Julie, Boomer, Milo & Casey]

Love this advice too. I think doing it in the house is an ideal beginning that I hadn't thought of. Thanks!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Julie -- Not sure if you have solved this problem yet or not, but since we have Honey here now and she isn't very good at all on a leash we have started putting her on a prong collar that we used to use on Sophie at one point.  She is so much better walking on the prong collar vs. the martingale collar.  I always hated the prong collar, but the last training class we took the instructor made us switch.  Lucy hated her gentle leader.  She loves her prong collar.  She will come right to us to have it put on where she would run from the gentle leader.  Honey doesn't seem to mind it at all either.  She comes right up to have it put on and she doesn't pull at all with it on.  Makes it much easier for Mike to walk Lucy and Honey while I carry AnnaBelle.  You might give it a try if you haven't already.

[Julie, Boomer, Milo & Casey]

I tried the prong collars for a while and they worked but then I read how they come unhooked so stopped using them.   Now I'm using the gentle leader on both.  What is working for me is 4' leashes and attached in two places so I'm holding them like you would a horse (hope that makes sense).  I take their flat buckle collars off for walks and put an easy-walk harness on (as well as the GL) but the harness is there so I can hook the leash in two places (to the GL and to the harness).  This has helped me because it keeps the dogs within 2-3 feet of me and I'm not twisting the leash around my arm/hand etc.    I'd recommend this for anyone having trouble.  I walk both dogs (65# and 85#) without problems now.  I do try to avoid other dogs so they don't react but when we do come across another dog or RABBIT (sigh) I feel in control because of the way I'm holding the leashes and they aren't going to slip out of my hand.    I hope this makes sense because it has made all the difference in the world.   

[Deborah Brown]

I know this is an older thread but it has been a major issue for us.  My older two are 5 & 6 and the puppy is 10 months.  I have to walk them all together because there is only so much time in the day.  I take the pup out after dinner for a 10-15 minute training walk.  This is where she follows all the rules, heels, meets other people and dogs.  In the mornings I take all three for an hour walk.  I tried to avoid people and dogs and we work really hard at passing barkers without reacting.  It is not an easy feat.  If one starts going crazy, they all join in.  <sigh>

I also understand that it is hard to leave one behind.  The reason I walk our pup alone at night is because DH is home with the other dogs. We sometimes take one alone on an ice cream trip, to training classes, the vet or groomers.  BUT they are definitely a pack and all the dogs want to be in on everything.

[Julie, Boomer, Milo & Casey]

Deborah - I replied with how I'm doing it now and it may help you too.   My description is probably hard to visualize but I can take a picture if you need me to.

[Deborah Brown]

Yes, I'd like to see a picture.  Are you using a double leash on each dog?  I'm just trying to figure out how you have two attach points.

[Julie, Boomer, Milo & Casey]

I walk both dogs on my left side.  Boomer on the outside and Milo between us.  Boomer is the better trained one and has a 5 foot leash attached in two places - which makes him about 2.5 foot away from me.   Milo is on a 4 foot leash attached in two places.   Both of their leashes are making a "U" and I'm holding on at the bottom of the "U".   The leash clasp is attached to the GL.  The original "handle" of the leash is attached to a carabiner and then hooked to the harness (or flat collar...which ever you use).   This helps me because I have a good grip on both leashes (I'm holding them like you would the handle bars of a bicycle) - holding both in my left hand.   They are on shorter leashes, doubled over, so there isn't much room for them to stray.  We walk in unison and having Milo in the middle keeps him walking a straight line (he's notorious for walking zig-zag).   Hope this helps a bit.  

I found these two pictures on my computer.  Reading my description above you can maybe see what is going on in these pictures (although I think they are wearing the Halti and not the Gentle Leader in these photos).