We recently purchased 2 female cocker spaniel puppies. We lost our 15 yr old cocker in Sept, and wanted another. We found 2 littermates who were 12 weeks old. We now know that littermates are a real challenge, altho I doubt I would have done anything different. One (Lulu) is easier - she will walk without her sister, altho they are both truly bonded to each other. The other (Lily) is quite skittish outside, and we have a very difficult time keeping her out - even just to do her business - when her sister is not there. Any sound makes her charge for the door to get back in. We take them out one at a time specifically to try to make them a bit more independent. But also they really distract each other from the business at hand when they are out together. They are impossible to walk together. We purchased shorter leashes to get a bit more control over the walk but they tug like crazy, zig zag back and forth to play with each other and make the walk impossible. They are now 6 months old (we have had them for 3 months) and we are very discouraged at this point. Lulu can take walks by herself, but Lily will NOT leave the yard w/o her sister. I have never known a dog that does not like to walk. She will go to the park and run off leash and has no problem there -- even greeting other dogs. HAve I put out too much info?? Sorry - any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks, Kristen Ryan

You say Lily won’t leave the yard without Lulu. Pick Lily up and take her out of the yard, by herself. Drive to a school playground, baseball field, etc., and walk her by herself. Take plenty of treats and some tugs or tennis balls in case you have to coax her, but I don’t think this will be the case. Make her think that YOU are the best thing that happened on her walk – not Lulu. When you take her back home, just deposit her in the yard as if nothing happened. Don’t make a big fuss over seeing Lulu again. Do the same thing again tomorrow and the next day and the next day. She will soon learn that good times and good treats happen on walks.

As far as walking them together, this takes a lot of time and patience. You must be very confident in walking each one separately before you put them together. However you decide to eventually walk them – one on each side of you or both on one side of you – start now by walking Lulu in that position and keep it that way. I think you must take baby steps with Lily because she doesn’t have any foundation in walking by herself. If she goes all over the place, let her. When you see she is on equal footing with Lulu, then enforce the position you will eventually use.

Bottom line is that you have to control the walks, not Lily or Lulu.

And make them FUN, FUN, FUN!!!

Thanks, Jan. Patience is the trick and we have to work on that!! I appreciate the advice and we are working on it. It all sounds like a good plan -- Kristen