Tips for two dogs?

Hey All

Me and My Mam often walk our dos together, pretty much daily. When they are together they play like mad things and have such good fun together but in the last few weeks they have started getting a little bit naughty, ignoring recall etc.

So, we decided to try doing some training classes together, as we are not willing to not walk them together. So, we went to an obedience club where we were told there is no point as they just want to play with each other. Today we went to flyball together, thinking that maybe if they were having enough fun they would ignore each other. Worked for my dog but not for my mam's who just wanted to be with Lilly.

So, I'm after some advice. How do we get them to behave when they are together in the way they do when they are apart. My Mam's dog is the biggest problem, He's the youngest (just turned a year)

You keep one on the lead whilst you train the other and vice versa.

Those of us who have more than one dog face the same issues, hence why many of us recommend that an owner does not a second dog until the first one is at LEAST 18 months old, so that you can concentrate on the second one and the first one can teach the second one some good habits.

Thanks for that SB

Lilly was just 18 months when my Mam got dandy, which was a huge help when he was little as she did help to teach him recall and things. I think Dandy has just hit adolescence so is starting to play up a little. Both dogs have good recall on their own, Lilly is very rarely walked on lead. Keepin one on the lead while the other is trained will not really help as it is when they are offlead and playing that it becomes an issue. Also, if dandy is off lead and lilly is not he will not leave her alone!!! I think he is a bit in love

I am sorry that you have dismissed my suggestion out of hand, I have found it to work with several clients' dogs, but if you feel this method has no value, you obviously need to find an alternative which will.

Yes, yes it will. Your dogs are choosing to not respond to recall when together. You need to reinforce it with each dog. Recall is not an option but a necessity.
Honestly, give smokeybears advice a go, working with them individually will help. Also, with regards to training classes- you both need to go to different classes.

When my collies started being unreliable with recall when together, i went back to basics, i trained them alone, i also walked them alone until(100% recall anyway when apart) and i reinforced that coming back to me is waaay better than anything else, so when they were walked together both had improved recall.

If you really are determined to walk them together (not in the best interests of training imo) then attach long lines to them, and dont ever let them fail to recall.

SB's suggestion is a very good one, I did similar when I had Misty and then got Blade.

If your mums dog always runs to yours, she could train him on a lone line, whilst your dog is on a lead, then he can't get to your dog and vice versa when you train yours.

I don't see how you can dismiss a suggestion, without giving it a go first, you can adapt it to suit you and your dogs.