The lead I am talking about is like this. One end on each dog's collar, the main leash on the ring in the middle.
We had always put the two bigger dogs on the double lead and the new itty bitty one on her own leash. The two big one would pull each other and the itty bitty one would walk, around, under, and past the two big ones. Knotted leashes ensued.
So today I walked the three of them but put the itty bitty one on a lead with one of the big dogs. The walk was amazingly uneventful. The big dogs are sufficiently strong that the little one can't pull them off course. The little one just fell in line and we all just walked. Interestingly, they all seemed very happy this way.
So here's the experiment . . . . later in the day I went out to get the mail. The big dogs usually come with me. I want to take the itty, but she has no sense of the front yard and just keeps walking out to the street. The big dogs never do that. So I hooked the itty to one of the big dogs and off we went.
The big dog seemed very pleased to be a "babysitter" and the little one seemed very happy to follow the big dog.
Anyone ever done this? My hope to have the itty learn by example. We're convinced she housebroke that way - going out with the bigs and then learning to ask to go out. Now maybe she can learn her territory the same way.