Gentle Leader

Mom here...Someone asked about the Gentle Leader...so I started a new post.

The Gentle Leader is a safe and effective way to teach your dog to walk beside you without pulling. It is not used as a correction tool, you do not yank on the leash like you might with a choke chain, or a prong collar. You simply put on the Gentle Leader and let it do the work. By keeping your arm in a relaxed position by your side as you walk, you are helping the dog to know where it needs to be. If the dog pulls out in front of you, DO NOT YANK. The Gentle Leader will gently apply pressure to the nose region and guide the dog back to his/her place, where it is comfortable...where there is no tension. If your dog attempts to pull, keep your arm in a locked position at your side. Your dog will return to a loose leash position without much correction.

The Gentle Leader works WONDERS for teaching your dog to walk without pulling, however...you have to make sure that it is fitted correctly, otherwise it may be uncomfortable to the dog. The part that goes around the nose should move loosely until the end of the nose, but not pass over the tip of the nose by itself. It should be able to pass over the end of the nose by gently pulling on it (this actually transforms the Gentle Leader into a regular collar with leash extension). The part that goes around the back should have enough room that you can fit one finger between the collar and the head. If you have lots of extra puppy skin on the back of the neck, make sure to slide the loose puppy skin below the back of the neck strap.

As for getting your dog acquainted...start by using it for short amounts of time in the house. Put it on your dog while they are getting a long-lasting treat, or eating their dinner. They will be less likely to paw at the nose strap if they are preoccupied. Gradually lengthen the time that your dog wears it in the house until they can go at least 5 minutes with no fussing.

When you begin to use it outside on walks, shoot for a little amount of time. Treat lures are great for keeping your dog's mind OFF of the Gentle Leader. When your dog looks up at you, give them a treat. If your dog stops and attempts to rub his nose on the grass, on his paws, etc. Simply keep going. The Gentle Leader is designed to give a slight amount of pressure to the nose region and harmlessly guide them to where you want to be. Give LOTS AND LOTS of praise...they are walking with a new funky thing on the end of their nose...they need the encouragement.

Our dogs would prefer to walk without the Gentle Leader, and typically do fine when it is just one of them. However, with 2 dogs, it is so much easier to use the Gentle Leaders because there is NO pulling, or competing to be out in front.

YOU CAN TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS!!! This summer my parent's 9-year-old dog came to stay with us for 2 weeks while they were on vacation. He was a nervous walker, and pulled in every direction possible. Within 2 days, he was a walking pro. The Gentle Leader helped him gain confidence about where he needed to be in relation to the person walking him. He now trots along beside anyone who walks him with ease.