Which Dog Breeds Are Best to Walk Together?

24 Feb 2021

“WALKIES!” The sound dogs across the nation love to hear. Dogs desperately need their daily walks whether that is done by the owner or a professional dog walker. However, do you know which ones are best to walk together? There are many different factors you need to consider including size, temperament, and personality. Whether you just walk your dogs for fun or do it as a profession, we will discuss which dogs are best to walk together.

Matching breeds together

Here we have created a table showing the which of the most popular breeds according to Rover.com are best to pair together based on their size, behaviours, personalities, and strength.

Breed Name	Pairs Best With
Mixed Breeds	The breeds they are mixed with
Jack Russell Terrier	West Highland White Terriers, Bichon Frise, Yorkshire Terriers, Pug, Chihuahua, Dachshund, Shih Tzu
French Bulldog	Golden Retriever, German Shepard, Labrador, Staffordshire Bull Terriers
Cocker Spaniel	Cockapoo, Springer Spaniel, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Beagle	Border Collie

Small dogs

Small dogs such as the Jack Russell Terrier and the breeds it is matched with all go together due to their size. It’s an obvious choice to walk breeds with shorter legs together. Dogs with shorter legs are not going to need as long a walk as dogs with longer legs. If you do this, you risk tiring and potentially harming the smaller dogs.

Another reason to walk breeds such as Shih Tzus and Pugs together is because of their small snouts means they have a smaller breathing capacity and can’t go on very long walks.

A concern with smaller dogs being around especially larger ones is not just the size difference being a problem but, as Pawversity, the pet information site says, “Having a small ‘prey-like’ pup around could trigger a larger dog’s predatory drift instinct, putting the little dog at risk.”

Generally though, having the smaller dogs together means that they will be able to play and socialise more easily with dogs of their own size without you having to constantly worry one may be accidentally hurt by another dog.

Working dogs

The Beagle is a gun dog and therefore needs to be kept stimulated, as do Border Collies, which are known as sheep herding dogs. Therefore, they are best paired together. When taking them on walks, being able to keep them stimulated by the places you take them or keeping them distracted with toys would be the best for them.

Strong dogs

You might be confused as to why the French Bulldog is paired with dogs of a much bigger size. This is because of their strength. Even though Bulldogs are smaller dogs, because they are strong, they do not do well with dogs of a similar size that are active. As such, pair this small dog with a larger dog with a calmer temperament, such as a Labrador or Golden Retriever. It is still wise to supervise them in case the larger dog mistakenly harms the small dog.

Breeds together

With both the mixed breeds and Cocker Spaniels, they have been paired with the same breeds since they socialise well with other dogs, so they will be okay with their own breed. Due to being the same breeds, they are all a similar size and therefore will need similar walks in terms of length and terrain.

Dog advice website the Dog Clinic says that, “All dogs need exercise but how much varies depending on the individual. The breed is a major factor.”

With cross breeds, because the breeds are alike, they are going to be a similar size and have the same type of personality. This means it will be easier for these breeds to socialise and play together without the risk of them hurting or getting angry with each other due to the differences in their stature and personalities.

Other breeds

Most breeds will be ok together personality-wise and will usually follow the lead of their human; if the human likes the dog then so will they. But according to Sprucepets, there are a few aggressive breeds that might not get along with other dogs, such as the Kerry Blue Terrier and the American Pit Bull.

Another thing you may not have thought of is dogs may also get affected by the humans around them. Herding dogs may want to chase bicyclists and joggers, so keeping those breeds together and maybe changing their walking route to avoid people on bikes and joggers as much as you can will make life a lot easier for you and keep the dogs a lot calmer. This also goes for Sighthounds who may feel the urge to chase too, so keep them away from the rabbits and squirrels in the park.

Overall, the best way to keep you and your pups safe if you dog-walk as a profession is by getting a type of insurance for dog walkers. Insurance will cover you if anything goes wrong when looking after a group of dogs to keep peace of mind for you and the dogs’ owners. By choosing the right breeds to stay together, your dogs should be safe and happy with their other doggo companions.