Dog owners - is it possible to walk three dogs alone?

I have two dogs and we're getting ready to foster another. With our first foster, I couldn't walk the three dogs at once. Two beagles who pull plus my little terrier = no way.

I'm sure it can be done. These aren't huge dogs. I want to exercise them and ME. If I take one or two at a time, the others left behind FREAK OUT.

Any tips?

Terrier = 15 lbs.
Beagle = 25 lbs.
Beagle (foster) = 25 lbs.
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Replies

  • poohpoohpeapod
    poohpoohpeapod Posts: 776 Member
    yes, be the leader and train them. I walked a GSD, a Bouvier and a bruard all close to 100lbs each. No issues. Only when Other untrained small dogs tried to attack one of them, even then I told her "Leave it" and luckily for the dachsund she did.
  • MadDogManor
    MadDogManor Posts: 1,404 Member
    <- beagle corgi mix on left is 40 lbs, spaniel mix in middle is 55lbs, and beagle on right is 25 lbs. good luck :-)
  • ebayaddict0127
    ebayaddict0127 Posts: 523 Member
    My dogs are rescues who clearly have no prior training. I've tried to train them but been unsuccessful. And beagles are especially difficult.
  • ebayaddict0127
    ebayaddict0127 Posts: 523 Member
    <- beagle corgi mix on left is 40 lbs, spaniel mix in middle is 55lbs, and beagle on right is 25 lbs. good luck :-)


    Awwww! Cute babies!
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    Tips? Take two other people with you.

    Mine are 4lbs, 11lbs, and 22lbs...it's NOT POSSIBLE. SOMEONE always ends up stepped on.
  • MadDogManor
    MadDogManor Posts: 1,404 Member
    My dogs are rescues who clearly have no prior training. I've tried to train them but been unsuccessful. And beagles are especially difficult.



    Thanks :-) and I agree with your above statement - all three are rescues and rescue beagles can misbehave something awful lol
  • nomad1000
    nomad1000 Posts: 206 Member
    Not sure if this is feasible financially but get easy walk harnesses for them. They are the kind where the leash hooks in the front. These have made all the difference in walking my two pullers (45+ lb Pit mix and 60+ lb Boxer/Pointer mix).

    https://www.edogsncats.com/images/EWHDogongrassCroppedLR.jpg
  • AABru
    AABru Posts: 610 Member
    I have a lead that allows me to hook the dog collars together so that they have to walk abreast, but I never tried more than 2 (a shepherd and rottie mix: 175 pounds together). Maybe if you could hook two together and use a separate leash for the third? Good luck!
  • ironchick84
    ironchick84 Posts: 27 Member
    Bump
  • withabandon
    withabandon Posts: 168 Member
    If you have pullers, this harness is your friend:

    http://www.petco.com/product/102822/PetSafe-Easy-Walk-Black-Dog-Harness.aspx

    Doesn't encourage pulling and when they do, basically just pulls them around toward you. WAY safer than head halters which can damage the neck.

    I walk one... I feel that three dogs would be a big task if there was some kind of stimulant and IF IT WERE ME, I would want another body/set of hands *just in case*.
  • I would definitely want a second person at least to help handle the dogs.

    I'm at my father's place for the week, and with the cold weather, it's my task to take the two dogs he has out with me on my walks to burn some energy off (usually he takes them down to the water and lets them splash around and run through the empty lot rat hunting). Both of them are pullers, which has been a bit of a hassle for me (the dog that occasionally joins me on a walk at my home walks a few feet in front and never pulls), but thankfully they respond to vocal cues (Easy/slow/'hey') to let them know to ease up. They're getting back into walking with me, and the only time it is really bad is when we get to where the coyotes will roam around the road at night, so they have to sniff and mark everything (lots of tugging, but it's always off the road) or if a car is coming and they are rushing to get off the road (neither one is fond of vehicles, but at least their not chasers).

    When it was much worse though (aka they were younger), I would take them out separately (alone, they are fine. It's only together that they pull around) on shorter walks. So distance equaled out for me and they each got their walks without me having to deal with their pulling nonsense.
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
    I have two dogs and we're getting ready to foster another. With our first foster, I couldn't walk the three dogs at once. Two beagles who pull plus my little terrier = no way.

    I'm sure it can be done. These aren't huge dogs. I want to exercise them and ME. If I take one or two at a time, the others left behind FREAK OUT.

    Any tips?

    Terrier = 15 lbs.
    Beagle = 25 lbs.
    Beagle (foster) = 25 lbs.

    Shock collars with a hand held remote. Found in the hunting/training section of a good sporting goods store. Expensive investment, but dogs all respond and will be putty in your hands.
  • mollywhippet
    mollywhippet Posts: 1,890 Member
    I only have two, and I can't walk them. One is 35 pounds and one is 25 pounds and they both pull like freight trains. If there happened to be a cat nearby, I'd be toast.
  • loriemn
    loriemn Posts: 292 Member
    of course you can..it doesnt matter if they are rescues or not..dogs dont know they are rescues..all they know is they are living somewhere different and with different people..they will respond differently to each new person..get good OB on each one seperatly..I mean really good OB..then start taking them out first two then three so YOU get used to them..I walk 3-4 German Shepherds all the time,,all together,and two are only 8 months old.
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    I can relate to this! Lol. I have four dogs and sometimes five because I foster so if I do walk I just do two at a time so no one is left home alone. I see people in my neighborhood walking three at a time and I always think how do the do it! I do have the remote tone/shock collar and it was about $100 online at Walmart. Worked well for behavior issues and the tone was sufficient.
  • squeakyfish
    squeakyfish Posts: 109 Member
    I walked my 2 greyhounds and a pug with no problems. I put the Grey's on a double lead and the pug on an extendable lead (the kind that feeds out.) That way it was easy to let the one go ahead while the other two sniffed everything in sight. Having the extendable leash made it easy to switch hands if they were to threaten entanglement. When I fostered, I would have 3 Greys and a pug. It all worked out just fine.
  • Booksandbeaches
    Booksandbeaches Posts: 1,791 Member
    I've done two dogs at a time ...Sheltie and a smaller dog...I've also walked two retrievers...but all the dogs were used to walking on a leash.
  • SomeNights246
    SomeNights246 Posts: 807 Member
    Only if they are trained.

    My family (together) had seven dogs at one point. My sister and I would often walk all seven at one time. She'd have three, I'd have four. We had no problem. They were, also, trained not to pull. ... And I trained them all without shock collars.
  • withabandon
    withabandon Posts: 168 Member
    Only if they are trained.

    My family (together) had seven dogs at one point. My sister and I would often walk all seven at one time. She'd have three, I'd have four. We had no problem. They were, also, trained not to pull. ... And I trained them all without shock collars.

    Happy to see that. IMHO physical correction does not replace correct operant conditioning training.
  • jasmineeatsfood
    jasmineeatsfood Posts: 18 Member
    I think it's possible to walk all three at once if they are trained properly. I had to learn how leash train a very stubborn Malamute who refused to walk on a leash.

    Whenever I felt one of my dogs start to pull I would stop and have them sit for a couple of seconds. I honestly can't remember the reasoning behind this but it helped with the pulling. I think I was taught that in a puppy class. It might be easier to use a coupler leash when it comes to walking multiple dogs at the same time.

    It'd probably be easier to start off with one or two dogs and when you think you are ready add the third one. As long as the one/s waiting in the house are safe they'll be fine waiting alone in the house.

    If it's possible I would recommend a professional trainer.