April Fool’s has come and gone but if you ask Chuck Billy he’ll tell you it is a month long event.  Recently I purchased a Tandem leash extension and, as you can imagine, my best friend is not thrilled to be attached to a teething, squirming puppy.  Chuck Billy’s feelings aside, this is not as bad as it might seem.  In the past I used two leashes for walks and hiking with limited success.  Maybe I am just not coordinated enough but I often found myself the victim as my dogs wrapped around my legs at the sight of a squirrel – or anything shiny for that matter.  This year I wanted to try something different so when I saw a Tandem leash extension while picking up some supplies I decided to give it a try.

So far I am finding the Tandem leash extension helps with teaching Asa polite walking.  He is forced stay with Chuck Billy, side by side, walking next to me.  By the end of our first walk he figured out his travel limitations and happily trotted next to me.  Both dogs can change positions without getting tripped up too, something I thought could be a problem.  I have been working on leash training with Asa for several weeks now so this is not entirely new to him which helps.  I cannot take all the credit though, Chuck Billy is well trained in the art of leash walking.  Asa has a great teacher, as did Chuck Billy when he was Asa’s age and Lemmy patiently put up with his antics during walks.  I wish I had discovered the Tandem leash extension back then!

Here is the Tandem leash extension in action.  I shot this during a morning walk with my mobile phone, so the quality is not so great but look how happy they both are as the trot along beside me.

 

If you are thinking of trying a Tandem leash extension I have one more thing for you to consider.  Chuck Billy has a very mild temperament which helped a lot.  Initially when I introduced Asa to the Tandem leash extension he tugged and flailed about.  Chuck Billy was strong enough that it did not affect him and he only looked at me with betrayal in his eyes.  I can see where it is possible for one dog to overpower and possible hurt another if the power struggle is a bit more equal.  My advice – teach leash walking first then transition to a Tandem leash extension.

I plan to use the Tandem leash extension this summer during daily walks, hiking and exploring new places.  This should give the leash system a thorough testing for wear and tear in a number of different environments.  I will post the results at the end of the season and we will see if it gets Chuck Billy’s stamp of approval.