Need ideas to exercise two dogs at once.? (How might you change this routine?)

[chelle]

During the work week, my two year-old littermates are crated. I come home at lunch to let them out when the boyfriend has to go to work early (2 days per week), but they are crated plenty long in spite of all this, in my opinion, four days per week.

Anyway, due to all of that, when I come home at 5PM, the last thing I want to do is crate either of them to take the *other* dog on an outing. I'm not brave enough yet to take them both on an outing. Bailey isn't a problem, but Tucker has never been tested for recall outside of my home. I'm almost ready to try this, but the only place I really have to try it is a HUGE soccer field. (almost too darned big) (I'd likely put him on an insanely long line just to see. I do believe he'd stick right with Bailey, though.)

Anyway...

We have a routine -- mom gets home and all dogs go outside for a good hour. I throw Bailey's frisbee, and Tucker's Jolly Ball. I toss each one, they bring them back, repeat. My oldest dog just likes to lounge in the sun. My middle dog likes to run around and chase the boys as they chase their preferred toys.

Inside we go.. calm down for a time. Dinner. Quiet time. This is when we work on some basic obedience stuff. I "use" Tucker as Bailey's distraction for his stays. We probably spend 15 to 20 minutes doing different things. Just calm, mellow stuff, since they just ate. This is when I jump on the computer and let them just hang out.

Back outside for another play session. This time I walk around the yard. I might toss the frisbee and ball a bit, but like to spend this time, as it is becoming dark, to just walk around the yard and randomly call them to me. I do wierd stuff, like stand behind a bush and shake it.. and see who comes to investigate. (I'm strange, I know!) This is when I let them play with each other a lot. Chase each other around. Run out the zoomies.

I feel like I need to change up the routine, but I don't know. They know the routine. When we go outside at 5PM, Bailey runs for his frisbee... they know what we are going to do. They seem happy and content with it, so why aren't I? I want them to have more than this every night.

I was thinking I could hire a walker to come take one of the dogs, while I gave the other dog some good one on one with the flirt pole or a nice outing.

Bailey's socialization has definitely suffered since Tucker came into the picture in mid-February because I don't want to crate Tucker up to go out in the evenings. Some nights I feel like I am hand-cuffed to my house.

I am sorry this was so long, but please do pick it apart and do please suggest alternatives. This method has worked fine as Tucker has become a household member, but I feel something is just missing. In all honesty, I am not particularly looking forward to signing him up for beginning obedience, , because it is almost a sure thing that *I* will be "the one" in class that everyone raises their eyebroughs at and says under their breath, "Wow I'm glad it isn't my dog acting that way." I fully expect he will have a fit when he is brought into an environment of so many dogs. Oh yes, I can see it now - chaotic. He has never had that level of exposure. My dogs have been the only dogs he's ever known.

Agh, help!!!!!!!!

[Pepper311]

Why can't you walk them both on leash? I would take them for a nice long walk together then play ball in the yard.

Work on the recall with the other. If one is good at it the other will or should follow unless they end up ignoring you and run off together like my stupid old pit bull use to do with with his GF. With out his GF his recall was good if his Bitch was around he would ignor me. That's not another story.

I think your plan sounds good. If you can get a dog walker for during the day that would be nice.

[chelle]

Originally Posted by Pepper311

Why can't you walk them both on leash? I would take them for a nice long walk together then play ball in the yard.

Work on the recall with the other. If one is good at it the other will or should follow unless they end up ignoring you and run off together like my stupid old pit bull use to do with with his GF. With out his GF his recall was good if his Bitch was around he would ignor me. That's not another story.

I think your plan sounds good. If you can get a dog walker for during the day that would be nice.

Because Tucker would remove my arm from its socket. I bought an easy walk harness but haven't worked with it yet, because again, I am too worried about taking time away from the other dog. Sigh.

The recall at home is no problem at all. Both these boys revolve around me. They do seem to think I hung the moon. If they only knew..... Actually just calling one dog always brings both. I cannot work individually with either dog, because they're both just.. right.. THERE.

[Falkosmom]

I would take Tucker out and begin his training and let Bailey come along for the ride. I do this with Tybor and Falko. I train Tybor, and when he gets it right, they both get praise or a treat. Win win for them.

[llombardo]

Can either of them be trusted if you left and they weren't in a crate?

[chelle]

Originally Posted by llombardo

Can either of them be trusted if you left and they weren't in a crate?

Bailey could be, yes, but I do NOT trust my Shiba Inu girl to not instigate him. He has a huge size advantage on her, obviously. She is rather bratty and likes to egg him on. He still "respects" her, but I fear someday she'll just finally tick him off just a little too much and he'll go for her.

I once tried to crate the Shiba and left Bailey free. He didn't touch a thing in the house, but tore up the carpet at the door to the room where she was crated. I tried again and left the door open, and he tore up the carpet surrounding the crate she was in. Haven't tried it again.

Tucker is a wildcard... who knows what he'd do left uncrated. He was left free in the boyfriend's bedroom one night and tore up the bf's t-shirt. No, I don't trust him.

[Syaoransbear]

How about using a flirt pole for both of them at the same time?

Give the easy walk harness a try. It's pretty great. You can just try it in the house or the yard, you don't need to take time away from your other dog that way.

Chrono's friend Sascha is a major puller. What I used to do is stick a harness on Chrono and attach Sascha to his harness, so he has to deal with all of her pulling and I just have to control one dog. He outweighs her by about 50 pounds though.

[Chicagocanine]

Have you tried taking them both out on leashes together at all?
How is Bailey with Tucker if they are both on leashes?
If Bailey is ok with it, perhaps you can work with Tucker with the harness, and have Bailey just come along with you and you can randomly reward Bailey for good behavior as you work with Tucker? If Bailey gets too excited you could get him a harness too?

Another option if you have a friend or something who can hold Bailey's leash (or your boyfriend?) and that way you can walk Tucker and work with the harness with him since he's still working on the leash walking, and the other person can hold Bailey's leash so that you can focus more on Tucker.

[jakes mom]

This easiest way to teach Tucker to walk well on a loose leash is just to take him out for five or ten minutes at a time - preferably a few times a day. Bailey should be all right in the crate for short periods like that - or just take him out when your b/f is there to supervise the others.

As Tucker is such a puller - I think you'd be better off teaching him to loose leash walk using the stop/start method. Be consistant and it should only take a few days. Then you can try taking them both out together.

Is there a reason why you and your b/f can't take both dogs, and have one each?
_________
Sue

[llombardo]

Originally Posted by chelle

tore up the carpet at the door to the room where she was crated. I tried again and left the door open, and he tore up the carpet surrounding the crate she was in. Haven't tried it again.

Its funny you say he did this, my boss just got a puppy and the older dog did the same thing around the puppy's crate. Why do you think he tore up the carpet around the crate? I would think because they want to play, but in the situation I mentioned the older dog tries staying away from the puppy and ignores her