Life with your dual pooches may be smooth sailing most of the time, but double dog walking duty can make for stormy seas, if you don't take the proper approach. Here are five tips to make walking your doublemint pups a pleasure, not a chore.
(1) Start with one pup, and build from there. Walking puppies is simple enough, because they're... well, little. But if you have more than one medium- to large-sized dog, try walking them singly first to determine what collar will work best and how they react to distractions like other dogs or cats running across the path.
(2) Use the right equipment. If you're walking with pulling pooches, try a head collar or no-pull harness to keep them in check. Stay away from extendible leashes unless you are completely confident in your ability to control both dogs, working instead with sturdy four- to six-foot leashes. There are also a number of tandem leashes on the market for walking multiple dogs, which are built for safety and comfort.
(3) Try a safe test run first. Before you head for a busy city street, try walking around your yard or a fenced area nearby first. Are you being dragged from one end of the yard to the other? If so, you may want to try some more individual leash training before taking your pups into the wide world.
(4) Can you handle the ultimate distraction? Most dogs have an Achilles' heel - one thing in all the world that makes them sit up and take notice. Whether it's a cat, squirrel, bicycle, or another dog, can you handle both pups when that one, ultimate weakness is just down the road? During your test run, try adding as many distractions as you can and see how well you do.
(5) Invite a friend. If you have a walking buddy to hand one of the leashes off to if things get rough, it will make a big difference in your confidence level and, thus, the way that your pups respond to your commands. During your first few walks in the world, bring along a friend. Do your best to walk your pups yourself for the entire trek, so that by the time you're ready for a solo flight, you'll know you can handle it.
Follow these simple tips and before you know it, you'll be a master at the dual dog walk. Your pups will be better behaved, you'll all be healthier, and the world will truly be yours to explore.
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