What is the best way to walk two dogs together?
Emilio Goodwin
2025-07-18 00:28:48
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For the most part, you don’t need any special equipment when walking two dogs together. Whether walking one or more dogs, we recommend no-pull harnesses, treat bags with high-value food or toys, deterrent spray, and regular 6-foot leashes. The only additional piece of equipment that we find helpful when handling multiple dogs, is a leash belt.
There isn’t one “right” way to hold leashes, but in this week’s video we show you what we prefer for our own dogs, and what we teach in our online reactive dog course: Place your thumb through the leash handles. The leash handles should be in the hand that is on the opposite side of your body from where the dogs are walking. This means that both dogs are on the same side of you, rather than one on each side. Fold in any leash slack into the hand that has the leash handles. Keep your hand near your belly button, at your center of gravity. The hand on the same side of your body as the dogs can be lower down on the leashes to give you more control of how much “play” in the leashes the dogs have to work with.
When changing directions, we prefer to keep the dogs on the same side of the handler that they started on- so if they were on your right side to start, they’ll end up on your right side after the turn. Keeping your second hand- the one not holding the leash handles- lower on the leashes is especially helpful when turning while holding two leashes. This means you can keep the leashes up from underfoot, and use them to guide the dogs through the turn if you need to.
Shaun Leannon
2025-07-10 18:05:58
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You can only walk two dogs at once if they know each other and are both calm and trained to walk on leash. Walking more than one dog at a time requires training the dog to walk on leash, not pull, and ignore distractions. If you can’t walk two of your own dogs at the same time, it’s a training problem and, usually, the problem is distractions—things the dog(s) want, causing them to get excited and out of control. When your dogs have met your walking criteria individually, such as sitting on cue or returning their attention to you even when something tantalizing is nearby, take them for a walk together in a quiet area. Practice away from traffic, then gradually introduce triggers and distractions. They should both sit on cue and be rewarded. Make the intensity of the triggers gradually more difficult. If you have a puller, work on that before walking two dogs at once. Start with one dog, and do all these same training steps with your other dog, too.
Cheyenne Abernathy
2025-07-05 01:02:21
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I typically work with new dogs on basic leash-walking behavior using my uniquely designed leash and my game-changing slip harness, the Calming Cord. For multiple family dogs that are close to the same height, I walk each dog individually until both have acceptable leash behavior. After I have worked with each dog individually, then I really enjoy walking them together with my leash and both dogs wearing their individual Calming Cord. Both cords attach to the leash clip and off we go. Note that one dog may prefer the inner position next to his owner. As you can see, I discovered one dog preferred to be next to me, and the other then assumed the outer position. Just a few minutes of training and they are already doing great. This can be extremely helpful when you have two dogs that are similar in size because it only requires one person to do the walking.
Margarett Hessel
2025-06-24 21:42:19
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One is a large puppy that is fairly new in my life and one is a dog I’ve had for about a year now. Older dog has mostly ok leash manners. Not the best but she’s gotten a lot better at it. Just some pulling when we come across another dog. Queuing her to follow me and to not pull. It is a continuous work in progress. Been walking her gradually round the neighborhood.
Grace Rutherford
2025-06-24 21:03:26
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To walk two dogs together, you should first practice loose lead walking skills with each dog, ensuring they walk by your side without pulling on the lead. This means your dogs walk well on their leads before you attempt to walk them both together. Trying to do both, training your dogs on their leads and walking together simultaneously, could lead to disaster. You can also train with two handlers and a decoy lead, which is handy for training two adult dogs to walk on their leads together. The idea is to trick your dogs into thinking they have a handler walking them each. When walking two dogs simultaneously, the key to success is often the equipment you use, such as matching equipment for your dogs, including the same leads, collars or harnesses wherever possible, and a split lead that connects to the end of a standard dog lead and allows you to have separate attachments to each dog's collar or harness. Plan the route on your first few walks with two dogs, choosing a time that will be less popular for other dog walkers or have less foot traffic. Keep your first few walks with your dogs short and sweet and build them up to longer treks and hikes together.
Read also
- What is a structured walk?
- Is it better to walk dogs together or separate?
- Why are pack walks good for dogs?
- What are the benefits of structured walkthrough?
- What is considered a structured activity?
- Should you walk your dog different routes?
- Is 3 walks enough for a dog?
- Do dogs do better in groups?