Two Dogs And One Lead?

[Walliered]

I am thinking about adding another retired racer (GAP in Jacksonville) to my home. The question is: Would you walk two dogs with one lead or one lead for each dog? How would you correct one dog if you had them teathered together and were using one lead?

[Guest caiteag]

You can easily walk 2 on one lead by using a splitter. As for correcting, you can't necessarily correct through the lead when you are walking this way, but verbal corrections are just the same. I personally walk 3 dogs with 3 leads, but I know quite a few people who use splitters effectively. You really have to figure out what works best for you.

[Guest sheila]

I've used a coupler on my hounds. It's helpful if both hounds have been trained to walk at heel. If one hound tends to pull, the coupler actually helps because the puller reaches the end of the lead and reels the hound in. I only use a coupler when I'm walking in a congested or busy area.

[Rickiesmom]

I used to have a coupler. But once I read the Amber Alert a couple of years ago, about two greys who got away joined by a coupler, I have never used one again. The awful possibilities under such circumstances were simply too much.

 

 

[Guest Vers]

Two hounds, two leashes here. It's easier than you think, and if the hounds walk well together, I can't see any advantage to a coupler. I do see downsides to a coupler: the tragedy of the two hounds posted above; greys would be worse off if attacked; and not tragic but practical, allowing a hound a few feet of space and privacy to poo or pee.

[TheFullHouse]

We also use a coupler. Two hounds walk very well together this way, no tangling the leashes.

[RobinM]

We don't like the coupler. We tried it when we had 2 dogs. We use the rope leashes.

[Brindles]

I can't stand using a coupler. Harder to correct them individually. I use one leash per dog no matter how many dogs I'm walking.

[Guest burgerandfrey]

We walk our two on two separate six foot leather leads. We've thought about getting a splitter, but two leads works pretty well for our dogs. Our 5-year-old male walks perfectly on a leash. He likes to walk next to you or even a little behind you. He matches your pace and rarely stops to sniff things. Our 3-year-old female is much more squirrelly on a leash, but she is learning. She stops frequently to sniff something, and then bolts forward. She goes back and forth across the sidewalk. She finds a way to tangle her leash around the other leash, or wraps you in the leash. We are working on her and find that giving her less slack helps.

 

I am usually more comfortable walking them both on my right side. Walking one on each side (holding one leash in each hand) usually leads to chaos

 

The best solution is for my wife to walk one dog and I walk the other; but we are expecting a baby this Summer and one of use will probably walk the dogs while the other pushes the stroller. My wife is going to have to figure out how to walk the stroller as well as the two dogs when I'm at work.

 

Sean

Edited April 2, 2010 by burgerandfrey

[Guest Plygreygirl]

Two dogs with two 6' leash's. I have been walking my neigbor's dog and my own for over a year and two dogs are no problem. It does take some pratice and yes direction you do need to tell the dogs what you want from them. But within a month these two were stopping and peeing at the same time!!! They are such knukle heads!!!

[Hubcitypam]

I have a coupler I can send you if you want to try it. I totally hated it. In my case one dog was dragging the other along with it and, as stated, you can't correct just one. I much prefer two leashes (or three or 4). When I was doing a lot of dogsitting and walked 4 dogs I'd use two 4 ft. and 2 six ft. and put two leashes in each hand. It really was easy.

[Guest PhillyPups]

I also have used a coupler. It depends on how the dogs walk together. I had 3 males that I could pair any 2 of them and they were awesome on a coupler. A lot of it depends on how they walk.

 

If one is very strong, and the other not, the weaker one could get pulled.

 

I also walk in pairs, and after the first few times one usually gets used to it. I hold 2 leashes in my right hand, with my left hand further down the leashes if I need to rein them in for any reason.

 

Good luck on your new addition.

[Guest barkdogs]

I walk 7 dogs at once--2 of mine are greyhounds (my 5 dogs plus house mate's 2) and they all have their own leashes. The less mannerly ones go on a three foot leash--the others on four footers. I find anything longer than that tends to facilitate tangling. I walk at a good clip and I discourage sniffing unless it is quickly followed by "action." One dog wears a halti and one a no-pull harness (the Italian greyhound, isn't that hilarious?) I figure it's about 350 Lbs of dogs, give or take.

 

I am 5'1" and weigh about 115 pounds, and we walk in urban Philly.

[Guest Sweetreba]

When I adopted my second grey he pulled a lot so I walked them seperately for a few weeks, till he learned to walk by my side and keep the pace. I also would stop radomly and say stay and make him stand still. Then when I decided to try the two I tried the split leash and hated it. I would correct one and the other would stop and look at me like they wanted to know what did I want them to do. I also tried walking them both on my left which was chaos cause Petey would try to sniff and would throw me off balance cutting in front of Reba. What works for me, which someone else said was awful, is two leashes one in each hand with Reba on my left and Petey on my right. I have total controll of each one. If you teach them the stop and stay it is no problem. Everyone in the neighborhood asks me how I got them to behave so well. If another dog is coming and I see the owner is having trouble I just pull my guys over say stay and they stop and stand totally still till they pass. If I stop they will too without me telling them anymore. I had policemen stop and tell me I have the most well behaved dogs they have ever seen. Now at home they are typical pounce on anything that moves playful. I do let them do their own thing till they do their bussiness then it is walking time. It really did not take long if they pulled I just gave a little tug on the leash and said no and they learn fast. They will stand how they walk to get leashed up, then let me in the middle.