Gentle Leader: A Better Way to Walk
Sunday October 12, 2008
All dogs need exercise, and some need more than others. Routine walks are a great way to do this. However, if your dog is the kind that pulls, jumps or lunges, going for a simple walk can be a real headache. Pulling on the leash is actually an instinctual behavior, and many dogs need serious training to break them of the habit.
I recently tested the Gentle Leader Head Collar on a dog with the tendency to pull and jump up. I have seen it work for other dogs over the years and I was so happy to see it work for me! Now walks are a real pleasure. Read my review and see what you think - it might work for you too! Have you tried this or other head collars on your dog? What were the results?
Photo courtesy of PriceGrabber
Comments
Hmm…makes me wonder. Would it be good to use as a collar..like a preventative measure or just because. I will eventually get a yorkie, and I hate using a harness (plus they tend to make pullers, not stop pulling), but you have to with most small dogs because you can injure their throat (or they have a collapsible trachea). I guess I’m asking if you could use the head halter instead of a harness, even for well-behaved dogs.
Which brings me to the next question, do they have they for dogs that small?
And before I made myself look like an idiot I went to petsmart.com and they do have them for dogs under 5 pounds! Whoa.
Thanks for whoever may have an opinion on this matter.
-Jan
I’ve looked into these, but I have pugs. Since they don’t have much of a snout, I don’t know if it would work. Does anyone know if there are specially made leads for breeds such as the pug?
Me too–I’m interested in a gentle leader or something that fits my pug who pulls no matter how much training he has had. When he is going to see someone he really loves it is impossible to control him short of carrying him in the house and that involves a lot of squirming.
I use one for my boxer who tends to pull when a bunny hops by. The head collar really helps with his jumping, he has springs in his feet. He loves to greet fellow walkers with his dance and then a jump. Scares most, but with the collar he keeps it to a minimum. When he does not wear it he is back to pulling and major dancing
All my life I have owned dogs. I now have 3. The best and most effective way of teaching a dog to heal (forget all the stuff they market attempting to sell you) is when your dog pulls you stop…waiting 10 seconds you start to walk again, she pulls again you stop and on and on…eventually you dog will turn and look at you like you are crazy but, oh, how they soon get the idea! It is the lazy gog owner’s way of teaching a dog to heal and the most powerful!
i recently was given a halti for my golden mix. he is a year old. i have major back problems and have just had a hip replacement. with the time i lost in training and my own weaknesses using a leash was hard, i had a martingale collar but he was still too strong for me, the halti was like a miracle to me. he does paw at it sometimes, but its like stearing a horse. and he has gotten to wear he keeps his eyes on me to see what direction we are going in so he stays in step. the control is great, dexter, my bud, now comes running to get the halti put on, he knows we are going to do something fun and hes ready.
I am a firm believer in a Halte or head collar for dogs that will not pull and even tend to have agression issues like my own dog did. When you put the Hatle on it tends to put them in a more submissive state and it also prevents them from pulling too much. I also kept a choke collar on for back up in case it slipped off if she pulled backwards too hard when she got scare of something. Some dogs do well with them and some don’t. My friends dane just layed down and refused to move with his on.
Also a good way to teach your dog to not pull and heel is when they pull you turn around and go the other direction, then take a few steps and turn around walking in the orginal direction. I did this with a 3 year old boxer that had been left in a back yard her entire life and she learned how to heel in about 5 minutes. I wouyld have used the Halti on her but she had no shout to speak of to put it on.
I love the head collar I got from Pet Edge more than the Halti brand. The one from Pet Edge has a safety strap and clip that goes on the metal ring on the regular leather collar my rottie wears all the time since it has her ID tags on it. The Halti brand does not have this safety feature and I was afraid to use it for fear she would slip out of it. Also, the head collar from Pet Edge was 1/3 the price I paid for the Halti from my vet’s office. My 20 month old rottweiler is a wonderful girl but she does tend to pull when we walk. I’ve had 2 back surgeries and she was killing me! I tried everything - even the Illusion collar from Cesar Millan. Ever since I got her the head collar from Pet Edge that I can trust to not come off her, it’s been a miracle. She does try to rub it off sometimes but oh well! I just lightly pull on the lead and tell her no and she quits. I love walking her now. Also, from what I’ve read about the head collars they are NOT for short snouted dogs due to the problems they could possibly cause with their breathing.
I tried the Halti on my 130 lb GSD on the recommendation of a trainer at my vet’s. All he did was try to get off with his paws, and scratched his face. Needless to say, we don’t use it.
I found the Easy Walk harness by Premier for my 62 lb Staffy/Sharpei mix and it is a blessing. He absoulutely can’t pull or tug and knows it. It fits like a regular harness except the lead hooks in the front of the chest. I wish I had found this over twenty years ago when I received my first Staffy pups. Not sure of the web site. Just google it. You’ll be glad you did. You and your pup will both be happier for it.
Thanks, Shannon M! The Easy Walk Harness sounds like a great alternative to the traditional collar or the head collar. It is made by the same company as the Gentle Leader, so follow the “product description” link at the bottom of the review and you can get to their site.
So, if your dog resists the head collar or has a short snout, this might be a nice solution. I have heard great things about it and I can’t wait to try it out!
Good luck, and thanks to everyone for your input!
We recued abeautiful lab-shep mix that was a stray and going to be put down…she is quite a handful and did the same thing, pulling and such to walk her, she was about 10 months old, we got the leader coller, and going to the vet is now much more manageable for both of us, she has a big yard but traveling with her now is like nite and day with the leader coller.Its just what she needs.
After professionally training all sizes, shapes, and temperaments for over 15 years. The Gentle leader is a waste of money for 99% of dog owners. Get a front fastening harness. It serves the same purpose as the gentle leader without making the dog head shy. I have seen more aggression associated with it than was ever cured by it. The front fastening harness will also allow you to change to a normal collar after your dog gets used to walking properly. The gentle leader may get you short term results but will eventually lead to more problems and tears.
What you need is training. There are lots of tools to help you train your dog yourself for problems like aggressiveness, barking, jumping, pulling, etc. This will eliminate having to use a harness, that seems to cause more aggravation than help.
I love my dogs and enjoy walking with them but it had gotten to be such a hassle with my Rottie that I stopped walking them very often. I worked in a pet supply store and decided to take a chance on a Halti. It is a real lifesaver. She isn’t real fond of it and starts rubbing on anything (including me) to get it off when we get home but she knows she doesn’t go out the door without it and will sit patiently while I put it on. I had gotten to where I would only walk her once a month or so to now going several times a week. They do have a yard to play in but the walks are something special. Now can anyone tell me how to slow down my 100 mph Shih Tzu? lol.