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Tips for Walking Multiple Dogs

June 21, 2021 by Mary Telesz

golden retriever puppies love playing and fast dog walking multiple dogsWalking two or more dogs at once can save you a lot of time, and the dogs get a chance to interact with each other along the way. However, having two or more dogs in your hands can get complicated quickly, and if you’re not careful, they can easily overpower you.

Before you start out walking multiple dogs at once, there are a few things you can do to make the experience fun and safe for everyone.

Take Them Out Individually Before Walking Multiple Dogs Together

Take each dog for a walk by itself before taking it along with another dog. You need to understand the dog’s leash sensitivity — some dogs become defensive on the leash when they encounter other dogs or strangers. A leash sensitive dog probably should not be walked with other dogs at the same time.

Ideally, every dog in the pack should have good leash manners, meaning that it will walk with a loose leash and respond to your commands regardless of distractions. This is even more important if any of the dogs are big enough to pull you down or cause trouble with the other dogs.

If necessary, provide leash training for each dog individually. Each dog has to understand how to behave on the leash or things can quickly spiral out of control when you try to walk an untrained dog with other dogs. The bottom line is good leash manners are a must when walking multiple dogs.

Also, taking each dog out alone at first will not only allow you to evaluate the dog’s temperament; it also will help you determine the right leash equipment for each dog. A well-fitting, secure harness and a strong, non-retracting leash is best for a large dog or an untrained or young dog that is still learning how to behave on a leash.

Know Your Own Physical Limitations

person walking multiple dogs in the woodsBefore you set out with even a single dog on a leash walk, make sure you are physically capable of handling the dog. Then think about whether you are strong enough to handle more than one dog at the same time, especially if one or more of the dogs are larger and energetic. Even a single large unruly dog can endanger your safety and that of the other dogs you are walking.

Know the Physical Limitations of Each Dog

Just as important as knowing your own physical limitations, you need to understand the limitations of each dog. For example, you may not be able to expect a miniature dachshund to be comfortable moving at the same pace as a large, energetic lab.

Likewise, a senior dog may be unable to go as far or as fast as a healthy, young dog. It is unfair to insist otherwise, and doing so risks injuries to the dog. In these cases, you will need to gear the walk to the slowest dog.

Start Slowly

Once you are comfortable taking more than one dog at once, go on short practice walks. Stay in a safe area that the dogs are familiar with to begin. Do that for several days of walks or until the dogs are accustomed to it and they understand the proper etiquette of walking in a group.

Practice walks also give you the opportunity to assess the dynamics of the dogs in a group along with your own ability to manage things if one or more of the dogs acts up or wants to chase a squirrel. Maybe you need to reduce the number of dogs in the group or remove one that is a troublemaker. Once you find your comfort level, you can gradually make the walks longer or more challenging.

The Right Equipment Can Make Your Job Easier

a man walking multiple dogs by the beach on the pathway

You may want to get a device designed to make handling multiple dogs easier. For example, a dog leash coupler or a leash splitter will attach two or more leashes to a single grip. Try it out with two dogs to make sure it works for everyone, and then try it with three before adding more dogs.

Finally, don’t forget to carry several doggy bags so your dogs leave no messes behind during their walk.

Treats, water and a portable water bowl may also be appropriate depending on the length of your walk and the weather. Free up your hands by wearing a belt and getting a harness or harness attachment that will carry these items for you.

Contact the Professional Pet Sitters at Paw Pals for Help

Regular walks with your dog are vital to your dog’s mental and physical health. They are athletes that need the chance to release energy and explore their environment.

Sometimes, however, the lives of dog parents are so busy that they cannot give their dogs the exercise the dog needs. Contact the professionals at Paw Pals. They can walk your dog for you and provide any other care your dog needs when you are unavailable.

Filed Under: Dog Walking

Contact Paw Pals for More Information

Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
14001-C Saint Germain Drive #213
Centreville, VA 20121
(703) 345-1695

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
4.9
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith
21:22 03 Oct 21
I never worry when Mary and team take care of my dog!
Michæl Silva
Michæl Silva
21:38 01 Jul 22
Mary at Paw Pals Pet Sitting is the greatest! She has helped me train my pooch Chico how play nice with other dogs and for that I am extremely grateful! A+A+A+A+A+A
Kwi Kim
Kwi Kim
22:37 17 Jun 22
I hired Paw Pals based on my sister’s referral. Meet & greet was very thorough and detailed. I was surprised that my finicky cat came to check the sitter out. Subsequently, a sitter watched my cat over several separate visits, and it was clear through the visit reports that my cat loved the sitter. All the visits were completed having followed my directions & with professionalism.I would highly recommend Paw Pals to anyone who’s looking for a dependable, personable, & professional sitter.
Joseph Walter
Joseph Walter
19:55 13 Jun 22
Paw Pals provided a large number of photos of our pets along with a personalized message on how our pets were doing with every single visit. I would highly recommend using Paw Pals, we'll be continuing to use them whenever we go on vacation.
Ashley Manning
Ashley Manning
09:50 11 Jun 22
Highly recommend as pet sitters!Initially, a sitter from the company will visit the house to meet the pets and learn where everything is. Tatiana took careful notes and we got her some spare keys.While we are away, Paw Pals sends sitters to come and look after our boys. They feed them, scoop litter, bring in mail and packages, and they will even manage trash, recycling, blinds and lights so that everything is comfortable for our kitties. Each time they check in, we receive an email message with updates and pictures, which is so comforting when we are on the road.Also, if you don’t let Paw Pals know when you are home, they assume something has happened and will continue to care for your babies. If something were to happen, I know they would be okay.Five stars for Paw Pals!
Brian Wood
Brian Wood
04:08 22 May 22
We have used Paw Pals for a number of years now and would highly recommend to anyone looking for help with their pets. Great communication from owner Mary and flexibility to make adjustments in schedule as life changes over time. Have had a consistent set of walkers who have gotten to know our pup and the various walking routes around our neighborhood quite well.
Lesley Bush
Lesley Bush
13:58 18 Mar 22
We can't rave enough about Paw Pals. They took care of our 18 year old Cat and 20 year old Chinchilla while we were away and when our flight got cancelled, they were so accommodating and available last minute for an extra day. We worked with Jen to coordinate visits from Miko and Danny. I loved the pictures and updates on how our Lil geriatric guys were doing. Thanks a million, Paw Pals!! Our special pets were so well cared for.
Sebastian Barnes
Sebastian Barnes
01:06 17 Jan 22
I have used Paw Pals for several trips over the last few months, and they have been phenomenal every time! Mary is extremely kind and responsive, and she makes sure that my cat and dog have the care that they need every time I am out of town. All of the pet sitters that I've had have been incredibly sweet to my pets, and they treat them like their own! Will gladly continue using Paw Pals every time I need a sitter.
Julie Shildt
Julie Shildt
17:45 14 Nov 21
It has been a pleasure doing business with paw pals. We have used this company for several trips we have taken over the past 6 months. They have been wonderful caretakers for our 2 cats. Anytime there is ever a question they don't hesitate to give us a call and they leave the best notes and pictures in the emailed report of each visit. We are so glad have found such a great company.
Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
22:45 03 Oct 20
I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
Katie McCune
Katie McCune
19:19 15 Jul 21
I honestly cannot recommend Mary and her whole crew enough! We started using Mary originally about 7 years ago to stop by occasionally when our Aussie Lana was younger. Over the next couple years Lana stayed with Mary and her family for a couple weekends when we went on vacation. When we moved to our new house in Manassas, Lana stayed with Sam, who lives in Manassas, overnight for moving day, and did great. Right before the pandemic, we adopted our second Aussie, Goose, and Mary recommended a fantastic trainer for him.We now have weekly walks for the dogs, and they love all of their walkers! Trevor, Paul, Hazel, Sofie, and probably a couple others have helped Goose get used to more people, and have helped my husband and me when our schedules are crazy.Paw Pals is our go-to for any help with our dogs, so I highly recommend them!
Alexandra Hill
Alexandra Hill
22:43 23 May 21
I was a nervous mommy to leave my cats with a sitter service for the first time. Paw Pals went above and beyond to care for my cats and ease a nervous mommy. I already made a reservation to use them again!
Cindy Welgoss
Cindy Welgoss
13:12 27 Nov 20
We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
Dr Tammy Cashion
Dr Tammy Cashion
21:11 12 Mar 19
We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
Kristin Conrad
Kristin Conrad
16:00 16 Nov 19
We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
Katie Russell
Katie Russell
15:01 17 May 20
Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
Phillip Evans
Phillip Evans
14:38 11 Jul 20
When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
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