# Training more than one dog at a time



## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Any theories out there for training with more than one dog in your household at once? 

So what are your secrets to training more than one dog at a time?

Do you find that one dog suffers from lack of training while you focus on another? 

Is it hard when your dogs have different strengths for different sports?

When you attend an event, how do you warm up all your dogs and get them and yourself mentally to compete or train?

How do you switch between dogs at an event or training?


----------



## ktkins7 (Jul 20, 2013)

Very good questions. I'm interested to see the answers for when I'm eventually ready to get Ella a brother or sister.


----------



## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

You just do it. Dog training is not always easy, you have to make the extra time and effort to give everyone what they need. If it were easy, everyone would do it.


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Have the dogs crate trained - solves a lot of dog shuffling problems.


----------



## CarmenK (Dec 27, 2010)

Training at home, they all do the same drills or simple concepts one after another, slightly modified depending on the dog's level.

Once a week (ok not now but usually) I train with a private group. I can run two dogs in that group. So, I rotate my dogs weekly. Since I have to drive an hour to that place, the other two dogs get individual training after the group has finished. Mostly, I use the technical water there for some drills. 

Training class at my pro is also limited to two dogs per training day which is why I also rotate my dogs. Two get the Concept Building class, the other two Hunt Test set ups.


----------



## SwimDog (Sep 28, 2014)

Obedience or tracking are easy (and/or perfect for multiples) - crate, rotate, let dogs rest, tracks age, etc while others are being worked.

Agility and field are where I run into problems - It's nice to have multiples - by the time you set up your equipment/training plan for the day, it's such a better use of time to work multiple dogs after all that effort. However - the problem is keeping them warmed up/cooled down/etc. My dog got hurt while hiking and so I've had to learn more than I wanted to know about rehab so now I can't just stick them in a crate even if it's just rotating dogs for a few minutes at a time. If I'm rushed for time, I pay/barter with a friend to get her to come and be warming up/cooling down/walking out my dogs while I work the others. Our training groups are small enough that this is problematic - I should be helping someone else but I can't because I have to go and walk my dog before I can come back and assist. Sometimes if I don't feel like doing it, I just won't run my dogs but that's not useful for training either!

On a different level - I have to keep training notes for each dog - monthly goals based off our yearly or quarterly goals - and then weekly 'to-do' lists. I add new problems to a separate list so I don't forget about it. We do too much and I forget where we're at otherwise.


----------



## Carmel (Feb 9, 2015)

Where I live, we have some great dog training facilities with lots of different classes. I usually take one or both every week when I'm training and just do about 1/2 hour for each dog during a one hour class. With Newfies, they get bored and hot really fast and so I like to keep training short and end on a good note. I really think also to work with your dogs every day and make training part of their life. I take my dogs on an outing in the car every single day together and go to a variety of places. Keep treats in your pocket and work on things while you are out and about.


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I always work one dog at a time, and whatever dog isn't working is crated. That does mean sometimes a dog misses out on something, for instance if I am going somewhere with one stay group for obedience, then only one dog does stays that day.


----------



## FTGoldens (Dec 20, 2012)

Alaska7133 said:


> 1. Any theories out there for training with more than one dog in your household at once?
> 2. So what are your secrets to training more than one dog at a time?
> 3. Do you find that one dog suffers from lack of training while you focus on another?
> 4. Is it hard when your dogs have different strengths for different sports?
> ...


1. No particular theory, as an earlier post says, "just do it."
2. a. Bring food and drinks to share with your training partners! This may sound funny, but I'm serious about this one. If your partners only have one dog and you are training two or more, you are using up more precious training time, so they deserve it. And most amateur field trial training groups have a formal or informal limit of two dogs per set up.
b. I have found that I simply cannot adequately train more that two dogs at a time. I have tried training three, but all three end up getting insufficient training, with one being the most "short-changed." I retired one of my pretty nice dogs a little early, partly because I had two young dogs which needed more of my attention. (The retiree really didn't need much training, but I wasn't even able to keep the dog in peak physical condition for running field trials. That dog has made its mark, so there wasn't a whole lot left to accomplish.)
3. With two, no; with three, yes.
4. I can't answer this one because my sole focus is field trials. (But I don't think that I could do it, mainly because of time.)
5. If I find the right place and have time, I'll run each of the dogs on a wagon wheel ... it gets them in the right frame of mind. If there's no place or time, I just get them out of the truck a couple of times before they run, air them very well, then cross my fingers and head to the holding blind.
6. That's not an issue at a field trial.
FTGoldens


----------



## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Funny you are asking this Stacey as I am trying to wrap my head around it as well. We have yet to go in the field with three or even outside much. Calling for another 6-9 inches of snow starting tonight. It has warmed up for the past couple days and the back yard is a major muddy mess. 

Last night I actually tried to do some very simple obedience with all three. Found myself making too many mistakes after I re-watched it. It took forever to upload on FB for some reason. 

In one way it is good. I have planned to work each individually (even basic obedience) at home using pet gates. One out and two in. That way two get used to be with each other without the third. Luckily I have an outdoor kennel and that will be used the same way. 

Since I train on weekends only (no time with work during the week) I hope that other than one extra dog to run, two will be in the car and one out to train, based on their levels. On weekend I have my daughter joining us so she either does homeowner and helps with the dogs in the truck or she helps in the field.


----------



## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I feel like I only really can focus on one dog for training and the others suffer. I don't have any problems running 2 dogs at a hunt test. But daily training seems to focus mostly on Lucy and not my other 2.


----------



## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

So far with the two I have always rotated. I would never start with the same dog. One day I would start with Rose the next training day I would start with Darcy. When one acts like a moron they get put in the truck. Dealing wit three is new territory for me. 
le
Possibly Belle will always come out first for the first few months. Mostly to tire her out and then teach her to stay in the truck. So far I can tell she does not like to be alone. Darcy is the same way but worse. So I am hoping this would help both Darcy and Belle.


----------



## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

Alaska7133 said:


> Any theories out there for training with more than one dog in your household at once?


There are nearly as many theories as there are people participating in dog sports. The best come from those with the most invested in the pursuit, usually professionals.


Alaska7133 said:


> So what are your secrets to training more than one dog at a time?


There are few secrets; just things you don't know yet. Like any other pursuit, when you're new at it you don't know what you don't know, and that even makes it hard to ask good questions sometimes. But if you're open minded and eager to learn you soak up the information that is so abundant in field sports.


Alaska7133 said:


> Do you find that one dog suffers from lack of training while you focus on another?


Inevitably. That's why you need first to understand that those who are the best at any sport usually only compete in that one, or possibly only one other. The more you add to the mix, the more you water down the quality of the result. It's the magnifying glass principle. If you don't focus on one point you will produce less heat.


Alaska7133 said:


> Is it hard when your dogs have different strengths for different sports?


Sure. And that's what happens sometimes. A dog that is strong in agility may be average or poor at hunt tests, for example. No two are alike. Many hunt test and field trial people have multiple dogs, but they usually run only those sports in order to get the best results, and to keep any money at all in the bank!


Alaska7133 said:


> When you attend an event, how do you warm up all your dogs and get them and yourself mentally to compete or train?


I do the same thing at a trial or test that I do in training. I air them, and take them for a walk. I talk to my dogs as I walk, just to connect. I'm solidly aware they don't speak English...it's not that. It's just sensory connection.


Alaska7133 said:


> How do you switch between dogs at an event or training?


Easy. Work one, put him up, and get the other one out. But I'm a field work guy.

EvanG


----------



## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

I have many times over the years been in position to be training two dogs at a time in multiple venues. Each venue has it's own particular issues but with all of them the hardest thing I have found is to keep straight in my mind who I am working/training - and I mean more than just names. With some being softer than others, using different commands for what ever reason, etc. But beyond that, no big issue in my opinion.
As to showing that can be a little harder in my experience. Everey dog has displayed a different need as to warm up and stress relief needed especially in obedience and agility (when I was running that). So now when I bring out a dog for the beginning of their obedience career, match and trial, I enter just the one dog so I can get a feel of what works best, then I try to incorporate trialing the other one also. It has worked reasonably well for me.


----------

