Having more than one puppy is a lot of fun. They'll be closer with each other than either will be with the human members of the household. This will allow them more freedom to move forward and sideways. You can train the dogs separately or have someone else walk with you and take the second dog, keeping the training independent. Make sure you’ll be able to give both dogs everything they need. When you’re walking two dogs, you’ll want to be extra mindful of potential distractions BEFORE they become an issue. Walk them one at a time: Give each dog your undivided attention on his own daily walk. And the two dogs’ attention is split between you a Copyright 2021 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Retractable leashes would work well or simply get short rope leashes. Step 2. Step 3. « 13 Things Your Dog Should Never Do This Halloween! Assuming you have taught some basic commands, such as “sit” and “wait” (we also like “stop”), work on these with the dogs together before stepping out on a walk. There are many negatives about raising two puppies at the same time. You can cut some corners by coordinating the process and using the same effective strategies used for housetraining one puppy but this time, times two. Even with the best trained dogs, you might find a little adjustment period when you start walking two dogs at once. Don’t start a toy war. Take this one-on-one time now, it’ll build your bond and pay dividends for … Just the one relationship. Practice walking with one of them on each side of your body. Some dog lovers use a dog leash coupler to walk two dogs using one leash. Walking two dogs at once can be a challenge, especially if you didn't train both of them to walk together while they were puppies. Teaching your dogs to walk on a loose leash and heel on command make walks more comfortable and controlled, whether you're walking your dogs individually or together. Walking two dogs at once can be twice the fun…or twice the challenge! A coupler lets you walk two dogs at once by attaching it to an existing leash. You give it back to the other puppy, and she takes it away. Walking Past … Move both leashes to one side once you and the pooches are comfortable with the situation. 6. That’s a wonderful chance to get solo time with one while practicing solo crate time with the other. Returning a puppy to a breeder, placing her with a rescue group or finding her a new home is not a decision to be made lightly, but in some cases, it can lead to a happy ending all around. Older and Younger Dog. A dog's journey from helpless newborn to playful puppy is short but supremely demanding. If you want to try a coupler, start with short walks to give the dogs time to adjust to each other and to learn how to walk together. Walk them separately. This is their first time. You can continue using separate leashes, which allows the dogs more freedom to sniff and move about. While it takes weeks for the puppy to be able to stand and walk around, that's still only the beginning. But even if your dogs don’t heel, it’s extremely helpful for your dogs to be in the habit of walking on one side of you or slightly out in front–not moving from side to side to explore. If both dogs are friendly and relaxed but lack leash manners, leash training can make a dramatic difference. How to Train Your Dogs to Walk Together Just as with getting your dogs accustomed to walking on a dog leash coupler, the same is true when using two separate dog leashes: start slowly. Get short leashes for both dogs. Learn how your comment data is processed. However, two dogs and two leashes can quickly become a tangled mess, not to mention a hazard for the owner trying to walk down the sidewalk. Dogs who know “heel” and walk right at your side are great candidates for walking in tandem. Plus, breaks may be longer. There are lots of reasons: Going on a walk with one dog is a companionable affair. The correct training response is the same as it is for one dog: stop dead in your tracks as soon as the leash goes tight. If you have two dogs, walking them at the same time can be an enjoyable experience, until one dog starts pulling hard on the leash and the other stops walking altogether. Practice keeping Doggie on your side, rather than allowing him to run in front of your legs. Train each dog separately first. Now, if you have two puppies, the first one has woken the second, so you have to take them both out. Some walkers and dogs prefer two leashes (our two dogs in this photo are on two separate leashes). The dogs need to learn that life is okay even when the other pup is not around. Watching two or more play together and collapse in exhaustion together is pure entertainment. That’s a wonderful chance to get solo time with one while practicing solo crate time with the other. What you definitely do NOT want to do is walk two dogs on retractable leashes. The first consideration is that the two dogs get along well. We're drawn to our same … Dogs should always have their own food dish, but a communal water bucket is usually fine. However, I always carry a coupler attached to my dog walking bag to use as a tie-out; I run it through the handles of the leashes to attach the dogs to my chair when were at a patio restaurant or to the legs of a picnic table when at a park! Trying to have both in the same class defeats the purpose and will make it more of a challenge for you. Tammy Dray has been writing since 1996. As the dogs become accustomed to the feel of being connected, gradually lengthen your walks. Keep up the great work! Emphatically not! Train each dog separately first. Consider buying a "coupler" once the dogs are ready to walk alongside each other. She is also a seasoned independent traveler and a certified personal trainer and nutrition consultant. As long as both dogs eat the same food, and will finish their meal all at once, there shouldn't be any problems. Also, they are muttering it at two a.m. An inordinate amount of growth and development is occurring in an incredibly brief amount of time. Get to puppy class – one for each pup. Dogs are naturally excited about their environment and don't always know how to properly walk on a leash. With so many options out there, let’s discuss the easiest and best equipment for walking two dogs at once.As you’re probably aware, equipment is a huge part of setting you and your dogs up for success. 2. Isn’t this … Keep an eye out for those squirrels and redirect your dogs before they start to pull. The “you must be talking to that other dog” syndrome is common so there may be a little period of retraining (bring extra treats and extra patience!). If one needs a little refresher in leash manners, it’s best to leash train the dogs individually so you can start and stop to reinforce behaviors as they happen in that particular dog…not because his walking partner was getting off track! Down your back porch steps. 4. Place the leader puppy’s bowl down first. 3. Play with them separately. Crate them separately (preferably in separate rooms or at opposite ends of a room.) I like to help Dog Parents find unique ways to do things that will save time & money — so I write about “outside the box” Dog Tips and Dog Hacks that most wouldn’t think of. If your dogs are friendly to each other, you’ll want to make sure each is leash trained. 3. Paris Permenter Last updated on September 30, 2019. Here are 5 ways to organize the leash-chaos!. At all costs (even if it means taking separate walks with each dog), you don’t want two dogs literally your arm’s length apart to be fighting! Two-pup rationale #3: “We want to have two dogs eventually anyway, so we might as well get them at the same time so they can grow up together as best friends.” Of course you want your dogs to get along. How to Walk Two Dogs at the Same Time Step 1. Walking two dogs can be accomplished in more than one way. Each ending of the Y has a snap that you can attach to the collar of one dog. Add another and you have your attention split between two dogs. Most puppies will be able to stand on their legs between days 15 to 21. Having two dogs raises one problem: how do you handle both dogs when you walk them?. Get short leashes for both dogs. Take this one-on-one time now, it’ll build your bond and pay dividends for … Think long and hard about getting two new puppies at the same time. As if housetraining a single puppy wasn't difficult enough, housetraining two puppies at the same time may seem like double the trouble, but it doesn't necessarily have to be. This is probably THE MOST IMPORTANT video for you to watch if you want to start a dog walking business and plan to walk multiple dogs at the same time. I’m a lifelong dog owner — currently have 2 mixed breed Golden Aussies that we found abandoned on the side of the road as puppies. Great info! She specializes in health, wellness and travel topics and has credits in various publications including Woman's Day, Marie Claire, Adirondack Life and Self. LT Media Group LLC | Copyright 2008-2020 | All rights reserved. A coupler is made up of two short leads that snap to each collar, with a ring in the middle that attaches the two leads to one leash. Take them to the vets separately. Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: dog walking. Just as with getting your dogs accustomed to walking on a dog leash coupler, the same is true when using two separate dog leashes: start slowly. If you do get two puppies, make a firm commitment to spend social time and training time with them separately, to avoid having them super-bond with each other. Start with basic commands such as “sit,” “stay,” “come,” “heel,” and “down,” and make sure everyone doing the training is consistent, using the same words and gestures. We have each been walking these pups on their own. 5. That way you don't have to worry about the dogs getting tangled as they're learning to walk side by side. Along with her husband, John Bigley, she has authored over 30 books on pets and travel including The Healthy Hound Cookbook (Simon & Schuster) and Texas with Dogs (Open Road). Let's take a closer loo… Others choose to put one dog on a waist leash and the second dog on a traditional leash. Feed them separately. Some walkers prefer to put both leashes in one hand  while others find the weight is better balanced with a leash in each hand. With the age and size difference of our dogs, I generally don’t use a coupler on our walks. Not all is lost, though -- you can retrain both doggies to share leash time with you, but it will take some time, and a lot of patience. All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. Today we got the siblings together and checked out how they could walk together one on each side. Walking two dogs can definitely be tricky, especially if they don’t like each other. See what feels comfortable and safest to you. Banish Pulling. They must have lots and lots of “only dog” time. 2. In the rain. 1. 1. TRAIN them! If you’re having difficulty keeping the puppies separate, create two separate feeding stations. It might take some time for the dogs to find their joint rhythm, so they're not tripping against each other as they move forward. Or you can train them on a coupler, which is two short leads that snap … If this is too slow for your younger dog, I recommend walking them separately. A tripler lets you walk three dogs at once by attaching it to an existing leash. It is difficult to train and properly socialize two puppies at the same time. When the dogs are large and strong, the task of one person walking two dogs is one that has to be taken on like any job: deliberately and with a plan. Trying to have both in the same class defeats the purpose and will make it more of a challenge for you. You'll never be able to walk two dogs at the same time if they don't know how to walk on a leash separately. The dogs must walk very close to each other and, if you stop to correct one dog, you’ll be correcting both dogs. They usually begin to walk with a wobbly gait around 21 to 28 days of age. Newborn puppies cannot support their weight for the first two weeks of life, so they crawl around on their bellies, paddling and pushing with their legs and building strength. Required fields are marked *. A coupler is a Y-shaped leash with a single handle and two endings. Personally I put both leashes in one hand; this leaves one hand free for picking up poop or pushing brush to the side if we’re off on a trail. Using the same principles as walking large and small dogs together, I advise taking additional breaks for senior dogs. Not all dogs do well with a coupler -- some dogs are too competitive or too hard-headed to adapt to the rhythm of the other dog. Trying to take a dog for a walk … Then practice the same with the other dog. Unless you already have two or more puppies, you may want to reconsider. Start by walking your dogs for a short distance to make sure they remember their leash manners and understand that the rules still apply to them as a pair. Train the dogs to walk without pulling. Thanks for this helpful information! Take stock of both your dogs’ training and your physical state to decide if two separate dog walks or one tandem walk are best for you and your dogs. All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only. 7. One under each arm. Once your dogs are leash trained, it’s a matter of how will you accomplish the walk. Now, two happy homes each have one lovely puppy, instead of one feeling crazed by the stress and chaos of two puppies. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Remember, too, that walking two dogs together can be a physical challenge: two dogs make up quite a force and not everyone can handle this situation without landing face down on the ground! Get to puppy class, twice a week. You’ll need to make sure that the smallest (or oldest–or least energetic) dog in the pair doesn’t just get dragged along if the larger or more energetic dog decides to investigate something along the way. If you must adopt two puppies at the same time for the kids, see the second half of this article. And extra-large breeds require 2 to 4 cups of food per day. Grab one dog in each hand at first. Well-trained dogs are easier to walk in a group. You may also see a competitive nature that surfaces, causing well-mannered dogs to suddenly start pulling as both dogs strive to reach that interesting smell first. Your email address will not be published. The reason they are muttering it at two a.m. is that the puppy woke up at 1:55 a.m. needing a toilet break. 3. Using a coupler is generally easier for the dog walker, but some dogs dislike couplers because being connected restricts each dog’s movement. Thank you; I have been having trouble walking my 50-pound and 20-pound dogs together so this was great to read! Paris Permenter is the founder and co-publisher of DogTipper. Walk only as fast as your senior dog can tolerate. Introduce a coupler slowly, with initial walks going just a short distance. Keep in mind that walking a puppy and an older dog together might not work out that smoothly, simply because their levels of energy -- and development -- are just too different. Your email address will not be published. Of course, you want them both to have a toy. 2. By the time your dog is ready to go out on walks, between months 3 and 6, it’s also a good window to start obedience training. Raising more than one puppy at a time presents many challenges. In walking two dogs at once, you’ll also have to do some readjustment yourself, especially if you’re using two leashes. Dog Tipper: Walking Two Dogs at the Same Time, That Mutt: How to Walk and Train Two Dogs at the Same Time. Teaching the Loose Leash Technique Take one dog for the loose leash walk at a … Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement. The first and most difficult is that two puppies who grow up together will become very, very close. You got a second dog and you're still struggeling with taking them for a walk? Maybe getting two puppies at once sounds reasonable, but many dog trainers, breeders, and shelters say that it’s much better for everyone involved if you add just one puppy at a time to your family. 1. They're dogs, you're not. Dray is pursuing a criminal justice degree at Penn Foster College. “Littermate syndrome” can often develop because the pups tend to prefer each other’s company over that of any human. But one puppy keeps insisting on having both. Once they feel comfortable -- and as long as they don't push -- get longer leashes. That's just a fact. Train them separately. A two dog leash is similar to a coupler in that you can walk two dogs at once, but you don't need an existing leash. Not only will the long retractable leashes become tangled easily but the nature of the leash handles makes holding two very difficult for the dog walker. Equipment for Walking Two Dogs at the Same Time DmitriMaruta/iStock. You’ll do this by sometimes leaving one puppy home alone (while you take the other puppy out and about or to doggie day camp) and by crating the dogs in separate crates and sometimes in separate rooms. When each dog is singly walking reliably on a loose leash, they can then be trained to walk together. Just the one dog to consider. Just one speed. And your dogs get more room. Feed both dogs at the same time of day, but still cater to the alpha dog of the two (or more), by putting its food down first. Even with separate handlers, if you always walk your pups together, "the less confident pup will come to rely on the presence of the more confident one to be brave in the real world," writes Pat Miller, the training editor for Whole Dog Journal . Start by walking your dogs for a short distance to make sure they remember their leash manners and understand that the … This can be tricky if the dogs have different rhythms -- for example, if you have a dog who likes to walk slowly while the other has long legs and can take giant steps. Walking two dogs can be quite a challenge!