To walk two dogs at once, give each dog its own leash of the same length and keep one dog on each side of you. Most tangles come from dogs crossing behind or in front of you, and a fixed side for each dog stops that before it starts.
The rest is practice, a good grip and knowing when to walk them separately. Here's how to set it up.
How do you walk two dogs at once without tangling?
Pick a side for each dog and keep it. Every walk, every time.
- One dog on your left, one on your right. You become the divider. They can't weave around each other when you're standing between them.
- Leashes of the same length. If one dog has six feet and the other has four, the long one drifts behind the short one and the lines cross.
- Short enough to stop crossing. Four feet works well for two dogs on a street. Six feet is fine on a wide path, once they've learned their sides.
- Stop when the lines cross. Don't walk through a tangle. Stand still, call the crossing dog back to its side, reward, carry on.
If both dogs want the same side, that's normal for the first week. Give a treat on the correct side, often, and they'll start choosing it.
Should you use a double leash or two separate leashes?
Two separate leashes, for most people. A coupler or splitter joins both dogs to one handle. It looks tidy, but it ties the dogs to each other. When one lunges, the other gets yanked. When one stops to sniff, the other stops too. And if one dog is much bigger, the small one gets towed.
Two separate leads let you correct one dog without touching the other. You can hand one leash to a friend, shorten one dog while the other stays loose, or unclip one at the gate while the other waits.
Splitters can work for two calm dogs of a similar size and pace who already walk well together. They're a shortcut for dogs who've mastered the walk, not a way to teach it.
How do you hold two leashes at once?
A good hold keeps your hands free enough to act and stops a leash being pulled out of your grip.
- Hand through the loop, then close your fist. Slip your hand through the handle and grip the strap below it. The loop sits round your wrist as a backup, not as the thing taking the load.
- Take up the slack in your hand. Fold the extra leash into your palm so both dogs are at the length you chose. Let it out when you want to give more room.
- One leash per hand. It's tempting to hold both in one hand to free the other for a phone or a coffee. Don't, at least until both dogs walk calmly. Two hands means you can correct one dog without dragging the other.
- Keep your arms relaxed and low. Hands near your hips are strong. Arms stretched out in front are easy to pull off balance.
Never wrap a leash round your hand or fingers. If a big dog bolts, a wrapped strap tightens and you can't let go.
How do you tell two dogs' collars and leashes apart?
When you're grabbing gear at the door with two excited dogs, it helps if nobody has to think.
- Give each dog its own print. One in waterfowl camo, one in blue bandanna, for example. A matching collar and leash set per dog means the right leash goes on the right collar without checking.
- Embroider the name on the collar. A name stitched on the strap settles "whose is this?" instantly. Add your phone number while you're at it, so a dog who slips away can be brought back.
- Match width to each dog, not to each other. If your dogs are different sizes, they need different collar widths and sizes. Measure each one with the size guide, not by guessing from the other dog.
Separate prints help on the walk too. When the lines do cross, you can see in a glance whose leash went where.
What if one dog pulls and the other doesn't?
Then you've got two different walks happening at once, and that's the most common reason two-dog walks fall apart.
The puller sets the pace, the calm dog gets dragged along, and the calm dog often starts pulling too because the walk has turned into a race.
Try this:
- Walk them separately for a while. Short one-dog walks let you train the puller properly. Stop when the leash goes tight, move on when it goes slack. Once that dog walks well alone, bring the second dog back.
- Put the puller on your stronger side. Most people have better control with their dominant hand.
- Consider a harness for the puller. Our collars come with a harness option, sized by chest, which moves the pressure off the neck. It won't train the pull out, but it's kinder while you work on it.
- Check the hardware. A strong puller loads the snap hook every time they hit the end of the line. Every leash we make uses solid cast, weld-free metal hardware for that reason. Whatever you use, check the snap and D-ring for seams or wear.
If one dog reacts to other dogs, bikes or squirrels, walk that dog on its own until it's calmer. Two dogs set each other off, and you only have two hands.
Ready to set up a two-dog walk? Two leashes of the same length, one dog each side, one leash in each hand. Pick a print for each dog so you can tell them apart at a glance, and have their names stitched on while you're at it.
Browse the handmade dog leashes. Every one is made to order with a stitched handle and a weld-free cast metal snap hook.
FAQ
What is the best leash length for walking two dogs?
Four feet is easiest while you're learning. It keeps both dogs close enough that they can't swap sides. Once they hold their positions, six feet gives them more room to sniff. Keep both leashes the same length.
Can I walk a big dog and a small dog together?
Yes, but give each its own leash, not a splitter, so the big dog can't tow the small one. Put the small dog on the side away from traffic and other dogs, and keep its leash a little shorter so it doesn't wander under the big dog's feet.
Can I order two leashes in different prints?
Yes. Each leash is made to order, so pick a different print for each dog. If you want a length or combination you can't see on the site, send it through the custom order form.
Two dogs, two prints, no more tangles: find a pair in the leash collection.