Unruly dogs

So I have had Peaches and Diego for four weeks now. They seem to have settled in with me and I am really enjoying their company in the house.
I have now also been given their two dog crates that were used when my daughter was at work.
I was thinking of putting one in a crate while walking the other as walking them both together is difficult as they take no notice of me and its difficult to train them to walk properly when they are together as they act like a tag team and are aggressive to other dogs. Walking them has become a chore rather than a pleasure. I have also been given a water spray bottle to spray towards them, obviously not in the face, to get their attention when they are naughty. I have only used it once but it certainly stops them in their tracks. I'm also using the treat reward system. I dont like the idea of using the water bottle and think taking one dog out at a time will mean I wont need it.
Any thoughts on this please.
The two things they need to learn is to stop this aggressive behaviour towards other dogs and to stop pulling like mad on the lead. Ive already pulled a muscle in my leg with them pulling me around the park so I'm now in pain and waddling around like a duck. Still walking the little bu**ers though but with my teeth clenched. 😣

Re: Unruly dogs

Do they have a good recall?
If so is there a field or common near you where they can be run off the lead ?
After they have had a good run they will be easier to control on the lead.
Suggest you do this one at a time at first.
It will give them more exercise too.
They sound as if they are underexercised.

Re: Unruly dogs

Floyd, my late dog, used to take exception to a particular dog he didn't like. I would stop and turn around, making him face away from the dog and sit. When he'd stop pulling and barking he got a treat and a fuss, then we'd carry on. It took a while but he would walk past the dog and ignore him after a while.

Re: Unruly dogs

There are definitely easier ways to train dogs than trying to cope with two at a time. It would depend if one is happy to be left alone while the other is with you. We do multiple dogs walked together for fun but when we want to train it's one at a time. Only problem with that comes when they are walked together they can forget all about the training they've had because the excitement is just too much for them.

We usually have two of very different sizes so training is quite different for them and individual training is vital.

One person walking two can be stressful if they are a bit excitable, is it possible to share that task I have to admit I prefer to have one dog at a time these days and like to walk with my husband or nephew so we have less to worry about.

Re: Unruly dogs

I watched a programme recently about walking unruly dogs and the expert said they should always be kept on a short lead to protect them and other dogs & people.

Re: Unruly dogs

Depends on how you manage them twink I used to use an extending lead for them all, locked short where necessary. Only Betty has one these days as she's only one I can't trust off lead. Elsie and Missy seem fine off lead together but Betty is not a good returner if she sees something better to have a nose at.

Extending leads IMO are a good way to give that bit of extra space for them to nose into the undergrowth but still keep then attached to you. Then lock them short for pavements or if you meet other people and dogs.

Also great with a harness for swimming, Stops them heading for France or getting into difficulty.

Re: Unruly dogs

Maybe consulting a dog trainer/behaviourist would be an option?

For the immediate time I would suggest head collars, Haltis especially stop most of the pulling although they are horrible things but you have to consider your own health/well being as if you're laid up through a dog related injury they won't get walked at all.

I use a head collar called a Canny Collar, not as effective as a Halti but it does stop a majority of the pulling, or at least gets it down to a dull roar.

My dog has issues with certain breeds and there are a couple of perfectly nice dogs she just hates. When we encounter these dogs I pull her in on as short a lead as possible and keep saying over and over "Leave, leave, leave". If she tries to pull away from me I pull her back and reinforce the leave command with "No".

If she's being a complete pain and not listening I make her sit and wait til they've gone past.

All good behaviour is rewarded with a bit of cocktail sausage, all bad behaviour is ignored.

Re: Unruly dogs

Head collars are a good idea nicol you can get harnesses too if they don't tolerate a head harness.

Re: Unruly dogs

I'm assuming these dogs aren't pups. If they've been together a while they're going to tag team.

But...one of them will be "in charge" (I would say dominant but it's not fashionable to use that word as regards dogs these days) so you need to work out which one is the boss and tackle that one. Hopefully the other one will fall into line.

But yes, walking them separately or getting some help when you walk them would benefit both you and the dogs.

Unfortunately if they've been together a while it will now be "learned behaviour" as in habit and curing it will be a long job so if it was me, for the moment, I'd look at stopping the pulling and would (and have) use head collars, or as Julie said, anti pull harnesses.

Re: Unruly dogs

At puppy classes we wete told to turn amd walk the other way or in a tight circle when dogs pull, it confuses them also they get to know that if they're pulling towards something they want, such as an interesting smell, they won't get there if they pull.
Clickers and treat methods are good for distracting them too.

Still, what do I know?
My advice gets ignored all the time.