Some Lead advice.. how to train 3 dogs to walk together on loose leads?

Well...just some advice wanted, in general, on leads! We live in the city, but sorta borderlining on the 'in the sticks' part of Coventry-so lots of fields, which is where i walk the dogs. Now the distance from there to our house is (depending on which way we go) about 8 minutes if we go around through the alleys, past the council thingy and through the small style/gate thing that leads you to where the river widens..or going the longer way so directlly on the track is about 10-15 minutes...now either way, this is the amount of time the dogs are on the lead for. Once in the fields they are off all the way round....now i've noticed today when walking to my aunts house (dogs on lead of course) that Ralph is pulling like a steam train (average of a pup!) but the girls were too.....and its sorta hard to manage three dogs pulling like steam trains and i dread to think how it will worsen when Ralph gets bigger So i need some advice on what to do, for all three of them really?
They go the same place for walkies from tiny so hardly ever use the lead....so im not quite sure how i go about getting them a bit more lead trained?!?!?!
Hope i've made sense...

You mean you need to train them to heal?

Luke you need to either take them out seperately and lead train each dog on their own not to pull, or i'd advise getting a dogmatic or some kind of head collar for ralph at least.

Lead training has to be one of the most time consuming and mentally and physically draining things I have ever had to endure, but well worth it in the end.

What I did with Charlie (springerXborder), he was manic on lead when I got him Every time he pulled, I stopped, turned him around to face opposite direction, had him sit by my side, gave him a treat for doing this, then set off again.

Yes you look like a loony, yes the neighbours think you have lost the plot, it does take a few weeks, but i'd say is well worth all that.

Maddy however is on a dogmatic, she is ok walking on her own, but when she's out with the gang there's just no stopping her, so it's head collar for Maddy.

Dusty never really pulled from being a pup, very lucky!

Dobiegirl-not so much heal, but just behave when on the lead
thanks for the advice Kel...its just ever so difficult to take them seperatley....training (for pup) i allways find easier with other/older dogs around..and Ralph is following the other two (in the good way) and learning all about the ins and outs of the fields we walk in...just average thing like not crossing the river lol.
I think i shall have to get some sorta halti-otherwise my arms will be SUPAH stretched!

Hi,
I'd recommend using the halti, they learn very quickly with it because as soon as they start to pull, their head will turn to the side.

What I did to manage my two was use the halti's combined with what was mentioned above, as soon as the lead is strained, say 'ah' and then stop, when they have come back into the position you want them in then continue.

You will look a bit silly constantly stopping and starting but you will see an improvement fairly fast and from past expeience it is very embarassing having your dogs take you for a walk!!

When u first put the halti on them they will probably haye it and try and get it off but put it on hile you are at home for a few minuted every now and then and then slowly build up the length of time they have it on. Soon they wont mind it as it will be associated with walkies.

Hi Luke you seem to have done pretty well with training Polly and Florrie to date

I would advise training Ralph on his own until he will heel, or the other two will copy him and pull as well. Follow the course of action suggested by Random of stopping when Ralph pulls and only set off again when the lead is slack .

I guess you did all this with the others

hi luke .i persoanlly find twin leads are hard work i used to walk all four on twin leads but now find seperates easier ..agree with above teach each to walk alone then 2 together once thats setted take out three
its hard going walking many dogs so a routine needs to be calm
good luck luke

i agree with the others, that the dogs should be trained to walk nicely on the lead individually as at the moment they are egging each other on. If you always walk them to the same place, they will anticipate the fun and so will pull to get there, try to vary your routes.
Haltis and canny collars etc can be excellent training aids, but ultimately you should be looking to the dogs walking nicely on lead without the need of one.
I'd do individual training with Ralph. Sounds like the other 2 are being led astray and forgetting all the good work you've already put into them.
How old is Ralph now??? I just ask because he shouldn't necessarily be having off lead exercise daily at his stage and age, so that could help you, you could exercise him by doing lead work around your town?????
Hope this helps.

I sympathize - one dog pulling is bad enough but three becomes a nightmare, and walks are no longer fun for you!

I had a couple of thoughts on this . .

1. Try target training.
2. Stop rewarding 'pulling on the lead' with an off-the-lead romp, until they are walking nicely.

I have a Clickstick II, an extended target stick and clicker combined; it's a lot of money (about £18!!) but you only buy it once, it's a very solid piece of equipment, and you do get a superb instruction booklet with it. You could just as easily use a piece of dowel and a seperate clicker, though - I'm just thinking of fumbling with leads, clicker, treats AND stick!

Teach them seperately first, and then together. I'm not a dog-trainer (just a clicker-convert!!) but I would imagine you would gradually phase the clicker out until you only reward when all three are walking nicely together - if one misbehaves, nobody wins!

The other tip someone gave me was not to 'reward' a pull-on-the-lead session with an off-the-lead walk. Start by putting the dogs in the car, driving a short distance way from home (maybe only 50 meters to start with), then put dogs on the lead and walk back home, keeping to the "Pulling = Stopping" rule and using the target-stick/clicker to encourage them to stay with you. It might take a while to get home at first! But if there's no big reward at the end, they'll be less inclined to get there. Once you can do this walk without them pulling, take the car out again by yourself, go back, collect the dogs (on lead) and walk them to the car; put them in and drive back home again! Try alternative routes, increasing the length of the walk, etc, gradually, before you finally allow them off-lead at their favourite haunt!

In the meantime, if you need to let them off for a good run, either exercise them in the garden if it's big enough, or try to find somewhere that you can drive to and let them out without ever using the lead.

My dogs love the ClickStick, I take it on walks and they have opportunities to 'win' extra treats as we go - when they are showing signs of boredom or if I want to distract them from something (big pile of horse-poop, or another dog in the distance, for example!) I may suddenly suggest a 'spin' or a 'paws up!' on a log or gate, or get them to go under my legs by following the target . . anything really! It keeps their attention on me and makes walks a lot more interesting.

BTW, I personally don't like Haltis - if you dog suddenly lunges ahead (ie, if he sees another dog), he could easily get a whiplash injury from having his head jerked round. Try a Canny-collar instead or a non-pull harness.

Best of luck!!
Abi, Esau and Angus.