Can you run with two dogs? What to Know

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Practice in Low-Stakes Areas First

No matter how much practice your dogs have had running separately, you’ll want to practice running with them together somewhere that the stakes aren’t particularly high. If your dogs tangle you up and you fall, if one gets off the lead, or if anything else goes wrong, you want to be somewhere without major traffic, excessive distractions, or potential dangers like loose dogs.

Work out all of the kinks as you practice in this low-stakes area. Keep in mind that you probably won’t actually accomplish much of an effective jog during this stage of training. There will be lots of stopping and starting, detangling dogs, and checking to make sure all of the equipment is working properly as you get the hang of running with both dogs.

Make sure that problem behavior like dogs trying to play with each other, running from one side of you to the other, etc are taken care of at this stage. Ideally, both dogs will run on the same side of you so that you are all in a line. If you tend to have more of a problem with one dog sniffing or being distractible, it may be best to put them next to you so you’ll have more control over them and so that the other dog will serve as a buffer to keep them from being as distracted.

Potential Issues Involved in Running With Two Dogs

  • Twice the potential of tripping over your dog
  • Dogs can get tangled up together, resulting in panic or even a fight
  • Dogs may tend to want to play with each other while they’re running, which can make them very disorderly and hard to control
  • If dogs are of different sizes or fitness levels they may struggle to run together
  • Controlling two dogs is twice as hard, especially when there are distractions or problem behaviors
  • If you run a significant distance more than your dogs can run, you may not be able to complete your run with a dog companion
  • For dogs that are overly attached to one another or have littermate syndrome, they may benefit more from time alone during a run

    • How far is too far to run with your dog?

    Many dogs can safely run 20-40 miles per week or more. The key is building distance slowly over time, just like you would for yourself. If you’re three months into marathon training, don’t take your pup out on that 20-miler just because they have endless energy.

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