[deege39]

My boyfriend and I have jokingly said we were going to get a "split-leash" to walk the boys on, but I am starting to think we should take it seriously...

So naturally I'm curious, and I'm wondering how many people use them or have used them in the past? Are they as practical as they seem or one of those "great in theory" ideas?

Donatello walks splendidly on a leash, Amigo is getting much much better, but whenever I take them for walks, [not to use the potty] I'm spending more time untying their leashes, untying myself from the leashes, or untying them from the leashes. The culprit is always Amigo, and believe it or not it's hard to tell how he does it.

I would like to think that making Amigo walk more closely to Donatello will help encourage him to walk just a little easier on a leash. It's not like he pulls me, or tries to chase after things, but for whatever reason he likes to go from one side of Donatello or myself to another and back again, and if he slows down too much the leash gets tangled in his legs. :doh:

They have long couplers and short ones. Donatello could really care less how close Amigo gets, but I'm thinking a coupler somewhere in-between so they both have a little space, but one that's not too long so we aren't faced with the problem we're having now.

Thoughts??

 

[georgiapeach]

If both dogs are pretty good, and you're going for a walk to actually walk, couplers work very well. However, if you're walking to let them potty, they can be a pain. When one dog puts on the brakes to potty, the other one may try to keep walking - lol!

 

[lil_fuzzy]

I would never use one, Obi would drag Pixie around constantly. I also don't like them because it forces both dogs to walk really close together the whole walk, which seems like it would be very restricting and annoying.

I don't have an issue with tangled leashes. They do get twisted up, but I hold Obi's leash in a secure thumb grip, while Pixie's leash is held by my index finger (she walks very nicely), so whenever they get twisted around each other, I just let go with my index finger and pull Pixie's leash out, then put it back on my index finger. I've also taught both dogs not to cross behind me, so they only ever cross in front, and I just raise my hand whenever one of them stops so that they don't step over the leash and get tangled that way. I do it all without even thinking now.

 

[Losech]

I don't like couplers very much, unless the dogs are incredibly well-trained and are set on getting from A to B with very little distraction. I have tried couplers a couple times, but ended up using mine as a neckline when I bikejor. (however that's spelled.) As a neckline it works good, since the dogs are going straight and not trying to do their own stuff, which is what usually happens on normal walks.

 

[Abbylynn]

I have a adjustable coupler that I have been using as a tool to allow Blu Boy and Eddee bond. It seems to be working. When they are together now ... instead of marking every door and cold air shaft in my house ... they are beginning to play together a bit!

If anything it has come in handy for my needs if not for daily walks.

 

[sassafras]

They are great for some dogs and a nightmare for others. Personally I think they work better with harnesses than collars, but if you have dogs who zig and zag they can still get tangled. When it works, though, it's really nice to only have to handle one leash.

 

[deege39]

Yeah, I've got one zig-zagger. He's not awful about it, in-fact he's getting better. It's in partial to the fact he was never taught to walk properly on a leash. So I'm hoping getting one will help make it even better.

They both do super well off-leash, so it won't be much of an issue when I move into a more rural area, but I think it would be easier and more appealing to see us walking around the town-square with one leash.

 

[+two]

Couplers are okay for small, well-trained dogs who are out to really walk and not so much sniff/stop/visit, but I don't particularly like them. I would work on training both dogs to walk on specific sides. You can teach them to walk on just one side, or teach them a cue for both sides. I like my dogs on my left, but they know how to switch sides as well if its warranted. It really helps with keeping leashes tangle free.

I have also retired my coupler to the Bikejore gear pile, and it works really well!