Ack, bad leash manners when walking both dogs! Suggestions?

[brahm]

So, this isn't a Huge problem but it's a bit of frustrating and I'd love any advice I can get. Basically my problem is when am walking both dogs, and encounter another dog spontaneously or without warning (ie turn a corner) ect.. My girl whom I got from boxer rescue la is and can be VERY aggressive towards strange dogs. (used to be all dogs) I spent alot of time working with her, and getting her to the point where she will ignore dogs barking if we keep walking, enjoys the company of a few other dog, ect ect. But when I come up or am approached by a random dog, she gets still gets VERY tense, will start to bark, and sometimes lunge and snap towards the new dog depending on that dogs reaction to her. Now she is always on leash outside so I have NO problems quickly giving her leash a tug, and verbally commanding her to sit and with a little effort she listens but I need to keep my eye on her until she calms down (and then we can continue walking) or the other dogs leaves.

Now the problems arises when I have both dogs.. My younger dog Olaf, doesn't understand the meaning of aggression. He just LOVES to play, and LOVES to meet new dogs. So what happens when I encounter another dog when walking both dogs (on leash) at the same time is.. Kenada (my female) gets aggressive and I put her in check (but she is still VERY tense), then Olaf my male start to get VERRRRRYYY excited, starts jumping up and down, lunging to go play with the other dog, whimpering, running in cirlces, and completely ignoring ALL attempts to get him to calm down.. When I tug his leash (with chain) he simply JUMPS in the direction I'm pulling or grabs the leash in his mouth so the chain won't tug on him.. Normally I can deal with this but when I am having to keep a VERY close eye and FIRM grip on my girl as if I let her go I will have bigger problems..

So as a result of me trying to control both dogs (can't just let him a barrel off) he end ups jumping around in circles, landing on my very tense girl, boxing with her, and trying to play with kenada (share his enthusiasm) while she is a very tense state.. of course she is in NO mood to play and starts growing at him now.. and next thing I know I'm finding myself tangled up in leashes struggling to hold onto both of them. Now while I can get my girl to listen and sit in these situations when I can get her attention, she will break focus when Olaf starts jumping, boxing, nipping, standing over, and ramming into her, and once her focus is broken she is now back to bark, lunging, and snapping towards the other dog. Which Olaf interrupts as playing, and gets him even MORE excited (I believe) as now he trys to dominate kenada (ie stands on her, over her, nips at the back of her neck, ect) which drives her even more nuts.

The end result is I stand there for about 5 minutes feeling like a dutz, looking like I have 0 control over my dogs, tangled up in leashes, and extremely frustrated, I eventually have to either drag them both away (usally olaf as he is much more brash headed then kenada), and find myself very sore and feeling like I can skip going to the gym that nite.

Now I say this isn't a huge issue as the problem isn't both dogs getting aggressive, but it does make me dred running into other dogs.. which I need to not avoid as I need to keep up my girls socializing as much as I can to keep her as least aggressive as possible as well as keep up my boys socializing as well, he loves to play with other dogs, and I don't want him to start learning to be aggressive like my girl. More often then not what I'll end up doing is either tying my girl up and letting olaf meet the other dog, or bringing her back home and taking him out to meet the other dog. (To introduce kenada to another dog is a very long and careful process, and I can't do it with olaf on a leash as well, she also gets along in packs (ie take her to dog lake and she'll run with 5+ dogs no problems)

He really is a hyper active knuckle head, and I want to get him to not to be so hyper when he sees something of interests (new people, dogs, ect)

 

[Goodgirl]

Some of the things that came to my mind were- head collars. They make it much easier to control the dogs, and I use one on Delilah (dog aggressive) when I take my two for walks. Luckily Felix is great on leash. I know that I wouldn't be physically able to restrain both dogs when Felix is grown and Delilah is lunging at a dog and Felix joins thinking its play or whatever.
If that doesn't appeal to you, it may be that they need separate walks until your girl doesn't need so much direction around other dogs and your boy is less boisterous on the leash.
IMO I think head collars are totally worth a shot. I have a gentle leader, and I have to leave it kind of loose on Delilah so she can pant freely- maybe there are better brands for boxers out there.

 

[brahm]

Some of the things that came to my mind were- head collars. They make it much easier to control the dogs, and I use one on Delilah (dog aggressive) when I take my two for walks. Luckily Felix is great on leash. I know that I wouldn't be physically able to restrain both dogs when Felix is grown and Delilah is lunging at a dog and Felix joins thinking its play or whatever.
If that doesn't appeal to you, it may be that they need separate walks until your girl doesn't need so much direction around other dogs and your boy is less boisterous on the leash.
IMO I think head collars are totally worth a shot. I have a gentle leader, and I have to leave it kind of loose on Delilah so she can pant freely- maybe there are better brands for boxers out there.

I've been thinking of trying a different collar type. I'm not really to keen on the head collar to be honest though.

 

[Goodgirl]

What are your concerns with using a head collar? I found it to be very effective for Delilah who walks wonderfully- except when lunging for a dog. the head collar gives me a lot of control over her and keeps her from choking herself.
IMO flat nylon or leather collars are the best (for the dog) followed by head collars if need for controlling a dog he pulls, or is aggressive and needs to be under control.

 

[gmacleod]

I think you'd find things easier walking the two dogs separately - at least until you've got all issues resolved. Or if they must go together, then having two people for the two dogs. It would be a hard road dealing with leash and aggression issues when you're not able to devote all attention to the one dog, and when there's another dog there mucking your efforts up (whether by their own fault or not). I know it's more time consuming, but in the long run, you're more likely to reach a stage where they're well trained and have all issues resolved this way (which would then allow you to walk them together safely).

 

[brahm]

I think you'd find things easier walking the two dogs separately - at least until you've got all issues resolved. Or if they must go together, then having two people for the two dogs. It would be a hard road dealing with leash and aggression issues when you're not able to devote all attention to the one dog, and when there's another dog there mucking your efforts up (whether by their own fault or not). I know it's more time consuming, but in the long run, you're more likely to reach a stage where they're well trained and have all issues resolved this way (which would then allow you to walk them together safely).

Thanks, ya I hate to walk them separately as they spend so much time apart from each other already.. but I agree I need to get Olaf under control and I can't do it without his undivided attention. Thanks
-B