# Walking multiple dogs



## lindsayjoy (Aug 19, 2009)

Hi - I'm looking for tips to make walking my three dogs (all collieX - 7 y.o. 2 y.o. and 6 m.o.) easier. 

Each dog walks perfectly on a loose lead on their own, but as soon I get them together they pull - often in three different directions! I hate it that they feel they can get away with mis-behaving when I walk them together. I need tips of how to train them to walk nicely together, because its exactly at this time when I need them to behave. 

Walks are getting so frustrating, I am quickly losing my patience. I often have to walk them all separately.

thanks in advance


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## alphadog (Jan 29, 2009)

Sounds like they're competing to be the one leading the way. Could you try linking them together with couplers?... Lead Couplers, Double Walkers, Couples & Braces - UK Dog Online. Attach one dog to the next to the next in a line and after working out which dog is the natural leader and which are more likely to follow, you can link them so that the leader goes first. _In theory_(!), once he/she is at the front the others should be happy to fall into line and the comptetition should end 
I haven't tried this but I've seen it done and it seems to work, just hope i've explained it properly


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## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

My experience with a dog lead coupler is that it doesnt stop dogs from pulling. The advantage is they just end up pulling each other rather then dislocating your shoulder socket!!
Makes life easier though and you dont end up with a tangle of leads either.


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

It might take a while, but I do have this problem with my two sometimes, and especially if I take my pups brother, or if his sister is here.

Basically what I did the first few times, is ask them all to heel before we left the house, that was fine. But as soon as they got out the door they were all over the place!
So I stood and waited for them to calm down, then corrected them all to heel again.

Sometimes we only got a few paces, but I made sure I stopped dead as soon as they started being all over the place again!
Every single time one of them messed about I stopped dead.

They soon realised that the quickest way to getting an off lead run was to behave 


Letting them pull when they are together is just going to make them worse, as they all want to be the leader. When my two start its one pulls then the other and I'm constantly pulling them back which hurt my arms so now I just stop. people do look at me weird like what am I doing, but it works for me 

x


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

catz4m8z said:


> My experience with a dog lead coupler is that it doesnt stop dogs from pulling. The advantage is they just end up pulling each other rather then dislocating your shoulder socket!!
> Makes life easier though and you dont end up with a tangle of leads either.


It's much much harder to control multiple dogs on one lead though.
The other day I attached Dixie to Dave with the couple as she heels a bit better then he does! It was good until she saw the horses and both drageed me off the pavement! Lol!

x


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## Spaniel mad (Jul 17, 2009)

My dogs are the same

Even with the 3 of us walking 2 each because they are all together its a competition to see who can get there first


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## lindsayjoy (Aug 19, 2009)

Thank you all for your replies. 

I have tried a coupler - when the pup was 14 wks and we'd done some heelwork in the house and lead work on her own. I thought I'd try coupling her to the calmer of our other two - the very laid back Slim. Yeah, that didn't work  Poor Slim.

It is exactly like a competition, especially when they know we are heading to the field where we play with the ball. It feels like I'm hugely rewarding 5 min of pulling with 20 min of ball-play!!! 

I think I'll be likely to only go one step at a time, because they are all just intent on getting down there as quickly as possible, they pay me very little mind. It's so frustrating because I know they can all do it, and they are choosing to ignore me. 

I know there's no easy way to the solution - just training, training, training. I'm going through pounds of sausage as it is!


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## JSR (Jan 2, 2009)

I HATE couplers!! I tried them with my lot and ended up in a pile on the floor with 5 very p*ssed off dogs!! I find walking my lot stressful on lead even though they are all lead trained I just find one is always getting pushed by another so to be honest I don't do it unless I absolutely have to. I walk 4 on my left as they are all trained to do so and old boy Cromwell goes on my right so he doesn't get pushed by the others as he's not stable on his legs. 

Mine where trained to walk nicely together by indivdually lead training (which it sounds like you've already done) and then when together the moment one pulls I make them all sit (except Cromwell) and wait. I kept doing that until the penny dropped and they worked out that pulling was getting no one anywhere!! You do have to be careful when walking mulitple dogs because they could catch you by surprise and have you over no matter how well trained so I do keep my wits about me, esp having 2 staffie crosses who alone have the strength to rip my arms off!!


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## Pack leader (Sep 15, 2009)

Hello I have 6 dogs. 2 Border Collies, 1 Collie cross, 1 Lancashire Heeler,2 Patterdale Terriers. I am also fostering a Min Pin who is the size of a cat and thinks it is a vicious Pit Bull. I walk 5 dogs together regularly. I have adapted an extending lead so that several extra leads hang off it as well. If any dog pulls I put a Halti or a Gentle Leader on and off we go. All the dogs understand "Get on the left". It works a treat.


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## Freyja (Jun 28, 2008)

I can walk 6 whippets using couplers but I wouldn't walk 6 if they were on seperate leads. The thing I find with them is you have ot make sure you couple 2 dogs of a simialar size/weight or the bigger ones just drag the samller ones around. You do have to make sure that the 2 dogs coupled are on the same side of you or else they will leg you up. My lot all want to walk by me so they don't pull as they would not be by my side


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## goodvic2 (Nov 23, 2008)

HI.

I have 3 dogs whom get walked every day on a lead. The two boys can really try to compete, but I find if I stay absolutely consistant in their corrections then they give up.

I have also brought a "belt" which I put round my waste and feed the dogs leads through. I initially brought it because I like to go running with the dogs and wanted my arms free. But I now use it everyday. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't stop the pulling at all. But it is now like a safety device, as I have lost count of the times I have been pulled over when they have seen something they want to chase i.e a rabbit.

x


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## r_neupert (Jun 22, 2009)

Haha, thankfully i'm back down to one now (that sounds mean, doesn't it, but i'm sure most know that story!) But i do empathise with your pain!! To be honest i never really mastered it, i've been pulled over loads of times!

One thing i did succeed in doing - which may at least be a start, is training each dog to walk on a particular side of you. If they start to stray off onto the other side of you and get tangled up, just navigate them back to their side. They get the hang of it eventually....


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## nat1979 (Jan 2, 2009)

I have 5 adults and a puppy and my girls walk great on single leads i walk the old girl (11) with my puppy and the other 4 on the other side 

My Girls on not on lead no longer than 10 mins as i go for a 1 1/2 - 2 hour walk in country fields


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## goodvic2 (Nov 23, 2008)

JSR said:


> I HATE couplers!! I tried them with my lot and ended up in a pile on the floor with 5 very p*ssed off dogs!! I find walking my lot stressful on lead even though they are all lead trained I just find one is always getting pushed by another so to be honest I don't do it unless I absolutely have to. I walk 4 on my left as they are all trained to do so and old boy Cromwell goes on my right so he doesn't get pushed by the others as he's not stable on his legs.
> 
> Mine where trained to walk nicely together by indivdually lead training (which it sounds like you've already done) and then when together the moment one pulls I make them all sit (except Cromwell) and wait. I kept doing that until the penny dropped and they worked out that pulling was getting no one anywhere!! You do have to be careful when walking mulitple dogs because they could catch you by surprise and have you over no matter how well trained so I do keep my wits about me, esp having 2 staffie crosses who alone have the strength to rip my arms off!!


That belt you recommended has saved me countless times! It is a nice feeling to know that they can no longer pull me over! x


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## vinnyellis (Dec 14, 2014)

lindsayjoy said:


> Hi - I'm looking for tips to make walking my three dogs (all collieX - 7 y.o. 2 y.o. and 6 m.o.) easier.
> 
> Each dog walks perfectly on a loose lead on their own, but as soon I get them together they pull - often in three different directions! I hate it that they feel they can get away with mis-behaving when I walk them together. I need tips of how to train them to walk nicely together, because its exactly at this time when I need them to behave.
> 
> ...


I also have 3 border collie dogs, 2 short haired females, 1yr old and 9 months old and one long haired boy 6 months old; the 1 yr old I only got a few weeks ago, she is very well behaved on a lead, but other two I have had since they were 8 weeks old do pull alot, even though I tell them they are not huskies and I am not on a sled.
I have now brought two dog harness's, which at first try does seem to help a little bit, I am also buying a couplers and I hope with the harness's and the couplers they wont be pulling anymore; although the younger girl knows to walk on the left of me and the boy knows to walk on the right side, the older girl does not care with side, so long as she is on one of the sides


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

vinnyellis said:


> I also have 3 border collie dogs, 2 short haired females, 1yr old and 9 months old and one long haired boy 6 months old; the 1 yr old I only got a few weeks ago, she is very well behaved on a lead, but other two I have had since they were 8 weeks old do pull alot, even though I tell them they are not huskies and I am not on a sled.
> I have now brought two dog harness's, which at first try does seem to help a little bit, I am also buying a couplers and I hope with the harness's and the couplers they wont be pulling anymore; although the younger girl knows to walk on the left of me and the boy knows to walk on the right side, the older girl does not care with side, so long as she is on one of the sides


Not sure the OP will see your post - the thread's over 5 years old .


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## Old Shep (Oct 17, 2010)

there's a lot of it about


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