Why is it that when either my husband or I walk our (almost) year old golden separately she walks like a dream on the lead (head collar - good all the time, plain old lead - good 70% of the time, she just can't contain herself on the way to the park :rolleyes:) but when we both take her (usally in the evening) she pulls and pulls. She absolutely has to has to be out in front? She know's what to do with us individually, but with both of us - training goes out the window!

I don't know the scientific answer but I do know that Nips usually behaves best when the OH doesn't join us! It's a daft theory (dogs aren't humans and don't have the same powers of reasoning) but it reminds me of when I had small children who tended to compete most determinedly for attention when they had an audience of a size worthy of performing to.

well you can guarantee that madam Jozi especially will do the bog off act if I am walking with company, they just like to show us up I think

Its more exciting whent here is two of you, harder to contain her frustration at travelling at human speed so she is ahead in front, wants to get there faster.

Could it also be that going for a walk wtih the two of you means a longer or funner walk?

As with any behaviour raelly.... find the reward in performing it, remove the reward or place MORE reward on a behaviour that rules out the one you dont want and you will stop the behaviour.

If s hes in front, stop. When shes next to you, walk.

Em

i always fine it is becasue you are not giveing the dog as much attention as you would ususally. so the dog can get away with more, and so does. another thign is that you bvoday language probably changes and the dog picks up on this as well.

I find that if I take out one of my dogs on their own even with two of us they walk really nicely.  when I take out the two dogs on my own they again walk nicely but if my husband is with us they both pull, they seem to be in competition to see who can be in front all the time.

Its the same with Tansy...she walks just fine when she is just with me, but if my husband joins us, she turns into a monster. She not only pulls, but jumps up at him, and has even nipped him in her ecstatic excitement. If he holds the lead, she pulls like a train to get near to me. I have told him he should take her out more, especially together, so that she gets used to it, and doesn't view it as a once in a blue moon treat. He says its a good idea, but in reality is is too much of an effort, and if he enjoys being nipped...well fine!! I can't train her to walk nicely with him if he isn't there.

Hiya,

Is it possible that when you take her out individually you focus more on training with her and when you take her out together you maybe aren't quite as focussed on training (maybe get distracted nattering or something) and therefore maybe not quite as consistent.  Maybe she's associates loose lead walking with just one person and needs to generalise it more to other situations - and of course the more distractions, people or dogs the harder it will be for her to focus :-)

Karen

My/our girl is usually off leash and I like her out in front where I can see her.  We have noticed she behaves differently on a two person walk than on a one as well though, ranging further ahead and not coming in for checks as often.  She's not the type to take advantage and run off so we wonder, does she think with two of us we can look after ourselves so she doesn't have to do it?  If we separate she is most upset but if Grandma (my Mum) comes with and Grandma goes back early or stops for a rest she stays with Grandma.