Training just one dog can be stressful, so how can we cope if we’re training two – or more – at the same time? There’s a lot to juggle. You might need to focus more on certain things with different dogs, or have dogs of different breeds, sizes, or ages that have different needs.
If you’ve got a bag of the best dog treats with you, you’re already well on your way to keeping all of the pups on your side, but it still might be a challenge. Fortunately, certified dog trainer Melissa Goodman of Mission Pawsitive has some insightful advice to share – it might come in really useful.
“When training two dogs, it is important to teach them new skills individually and not work the same new skills with them together until they are both really good on their own,” Goodman says. “Your timing has to be pretty spot on and if the dogs aren’t fluent with the skill, it’s hard to get them to make the connection you want if you’re constantly giving each dog different instructions at the same time.”
She explains that it can be difficult if one dog holds the command while another gets up. “The one who gets up can cause the other dog to also do the same thing and/or you are giving different directions to both dogs at the same time which can be confusing,” she writes.
In the video, Goodman rewards Desi, one of the dogs she’s working with, when she holds a ‘stay’ while her sister, Luci, doesn’t – making it more difficult for Desi to be so well-behaved! “Plus, I had to reset Luci, which can be confusing for Desi,” she continues.
“Doing lots of individual training sets both dogs up for much easier success when they are ready to practice together. It is not only easy for you to get frustrated, but it’s also easy for dogs to get frustrated if they repeatedly get it wrong,” Goodman explains.
Meanwhile, a dog who gets something right needs to be rewarded straight away, rather than waiting until you can reward both together – they may get frustrated or not make the connection between the action and the treat. Training dogs with treats is great, but working with multiple dogs can make things more complicated than they need to be.
Doing everything individually might not sound as appealing as training your dogs all together, but it can help you reach your goal faster – and, it could be more fun for you as you’ll get to spend quality time with your dogs one-on-one.
For more related advice, why not check out these 27 practical tips for training your dog on your own?
