Can someone please give me some tips on the best way to go about this AND recommend a lead suitable for the job?

Get a second person. Easiest way period. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I tried this for a while. It was a real pain. I can tell you this. I bought one (a double lead extension splitter thingy) from the sporn company. A high speed one. Save your money. The little thing that adjusts the length between the two never worked. There are cheaper ones that dont adjust. If you chse to go that route. Probably will still be a pain.

Originally posted by Mike Franklin:
I tried this for a while. It was a real pain. I can tell you this. I bought one (a double lead extension splitter thingy) from the sporn company. A high speed one. Save your money. The little thing that adjusts the length between the two never worked. There are cheaper ones that dont adjust. If you chse to go that route. Probably will still be a pain. side note: wow I guess 30 is the magic number. I would like to thank my mother and .....

I walk two dogs all the time, we walk informal and at heel (this is the hardest to do). But started walking one dog teaching him to walk with out pulling informal away from the knee but slack in the line. As a matter a fact the way I trained the on leash heel the more slack I give, the closer he stays to the knee. After getting both dogs accustom to walking informal and in heel. I can walk them together they both walk a head of my knee informal and in dog pecking order. Unless I issue a heel or stay close then they become formal shoulder to shoudler head in front of my left knee. I usually will issue this command inside of Pet Mart or as people or dogs approach.
I've walked as many as three dogs in this manner.

The key is to get them use to each other and control when they can play, and of course teaching them separately what is expected. When I stop they both sit a wait to be take off leash or whatever I decide next. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Ob, Ob, Ob and I still Ob to learn. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I walk two dogs on a coupler, informally. I do not allow them to pull, but I don't expect them to maintain a perfect heel. They know where I want them to walk by how much lead I give them. The purpose of my walking them is for exercise and fresh air; if I wanted them both to heel while on their coupler, then I would train them specifically for that situation (they are trained to heel as individuals).

My first answer was sarcastic, but you asked the "easiest" way.

I don't like couplers unless your dogs are the same size.

If these walks are just for excercize walking two can be easier if you have one heel and teach one "right" so that one will heel on the right side. Less chance of fighting that way too. Nothing worse than two dogs attached by snaps going at it.

My dogs are 72lb and 32lb. No problems there. I think extreme size differences would be problematic, but not minor ones like mine. I agree I wouldn't use a coupler if my dogs couldn't walk closely without fighting, but that hasn't been a problem either. What I really like about the coupler is ONE leash to manage.

I have two dogs that I walk together. A 2 year old American Bulldog that is about 75#, and a 5 month old GSD that is about 40#. I have no problems at all. The AB has learned to stay at heel and the GSD is just starting to learn. I do however let them both walk as they wish for part of the walk, usually when we're on a side road with few cars and no stray animals.

I have been training my two GSD bitches to work in a brace for obedience. This has taught them to walk very nicely together on a coupler. They are very close and they work well together so I don't have to worry about them fighting. What one does, the other does too, yet they respond immedeately to me.

The key to walking two on a coupler is a lot of obedience. These dogs have been extensively trained in obedience individually so I only have to polish what they know to work them together. I most definitely would not try this if even one of them is not well trained already!

And Deanna is right, a coupler does not work well unless the dogs are close to the same size. And I like what Lisa does: one leash to manage!

Best of luck to you!