Quote Originally Posted by joycenalex
tamara, how do you sort out which dogs do best with dog on a run? if i pick up a leash, i get 2 dancing dogs, you have 23/24 dancing howling dogs, how do you do this?
As long as I have one command leader(Pingo, Sundin or Paxil), I generally just take whoever else wants to go. Sometimes that's just the first six dogs through the gate! Sometimes it depends on the time of day. Running Deuce on a Sunday afternoon is out of the question. Franklin can be iffy with loose dogs so sometimes if I think there are going to be lots of them around, I leave Franklin at home. I almost never get out of the yard without Pacer. Sometimes it depends on how far I want to go. Paxil doesn't do really long runs anymore. If we have to break trail, I take more dogs and always take Hobo.

Their actual pairings and positions are decided on past experience. Chase will only run in wheel. Chase is a doofus until he runs far enough to "get the stupid out". He needs a confident dog who doesn't get distracted beside him. Pingo is left pawed, Pacer is a rightie. Pacer can't lead, doesn't like wheel. He's a swing dog. Keeping Franklin on the right reduces problems passing. Anvik can run anywhere with anyone. Deuce, for reasons unknown, HATES Sundin. I never run them in the same team, let alone side by side! Raven used to lead, but she refuses now. She likes to run in wheel. Paxil will not under any circumstances run any positon except lead. Hobo has to run alone, in swing. Antare is a line chewer. He can run in swing or wheel, but has to have a cable filled neck line. Antare and Pacer don't like each other. And so on and so on!!