Gentle Leader vs. Gentle Leader Harness

[Sandy]

We had obedience classes again tonight, and Toby was, ahem, obstinate. I didn't help that is has rained for 24 hours straight here, and he did not get much exercise today, and that none of the other dogs did either. I was suggested to me by two separate instructors that Toby might benefit from a Gentle Leader. We tried a loaner one the first week of classes, and he fought it hard, and got it off in five minutes. The harness looks like a better fit for him, but I don't know if it would be as effective. Any thoughts? The whole thing ticks me off a bit, because he is so good at home, and when we walk him here. It's just like my kids - I don't like when someone criticizes my kids or my dog, even if it's deserved. :)

[nonnie browne]

Hey Sandy,
My Buddy is nearly five months old. We have (or have tried) both devices. I gave up on the harness as he chewed it off his body (yes he did) on the way to obedience class (it can also serve as a seat belt). So that lasted one hour. We do successfully use the gentle leader head collar - after a lot of fighting like you suggest. I havent needed it in obedience class, but use it to give my grandkids "power steering" when we are out for walks because they want to hold the leash and they are only 5 and 3. If you desire to sit for the Canine Good Citizen Test, any obedience title, or therapy work, they will not let you use this, so consider that. Persistence with a buckle collar, the clicker and treats worked for me. I do know what you mean though - we seem to perfect our work at home and in the yard, but when we get out in public, huh?, did I ever learn anything! Welcome to puppy adolescence. From past experience I know it is a temporary thing. Good Luck

[Sandy]

It was suggested to us that if we ever want him to walk well in parks, into the vet's office, etc. we will likely need the Gentle Leader. I'd really prefer to just wait it out and work through using the collar, but I'll gather some recommendations and see what I think. Puppy adolescence.....yuck.

[Debbie and Thomas]

We use the harness and it seems to work well. We were told that the dog cannot pull as much because the leash ring is on the front of their chest instead of their neck. We were given a loaner by the trainer because she knew he would need a size large soon enough. We are at that point now-the medium is extended to the largest it will go. I guess we'll have to buy one now because it has worked really well for him and he doesn't seem to mind it being on.

[Elizabeth]

Sophie fought the gentle leader at first as well, but with time that passed. It may pass with Toby as well. My advice is that whichever method you choose, stick with it for a week or two. If Toby doesn't want to give up his independence with all of the distractions and playmates around, (this is how my Sophie was at first) no matter what you try, it will be difficult at first. She wants to see and play with everything... But of course, she's an ANGEL at home!! I can relate to the idea of wanting him to behave even when the leader is off. Just remember, this may be a useful tool for you. It's not one or the other of course, you can work on his "collar only" manners too!
Don't be discouraged! Good luck..

[Erin]

We use the Gentle Leader on Hershey for our walks. She's a very well-behaved doggie, except on the leash, unfortunately... I'd say she is slightly more "controllable" on the leader, but she can still pull us where ever she wants to go. Because the ring sits under her chin, when she pulls on the leash, her head gets pulled downward - however, I think she's got a very strong neck and chest, because she just puts her head down and keeps going! However, I know a lot of folks who have gotten very good results! Obedience class for us in May...

Sorry you felt criticized... I think I've recommended the Gentle Leader to friends whose doggies (at the time) were being crazy, just as a suggestion. I wonder if they felt the same way!! But if he's usually good when you walk him at home, I'd say don't stress about it...

[Stella]

If he is doing well most of the time at home and in the neighborhood, then why not stick with the collar and just work on building up his concentration amongst distractions? It will take a lot of patience and treats (!!) but you will get there in the end. Or you could try the gentle leader for a while until he calms down a bit and then go back to the collar when he is a bit more responsive to your commands? (I never used either so can't really help you with advice about which is best).

[LeAnn, Lucy & Rusty!!]

I didn't try the nose thingee... I used the harness and it saves my back greatly!! Lucy is now 16 months old and walks perfectly on the harness but if I put the leash on the pulling and jumping comes right back. The other thing to consider is that you could use the harness when you first get to class and then once Toby gets over his initial excitement you can switch to the color and no one will know better... it's no biggie.. we just have very enthusiastic dogs! I'd rather have the exuberant spirit than the boring, oh hum, move at a snails pace dog. So, I'll take the bad with the FANTASTIC! Good luck!

[fergie11]

The can criticize my kids but not my doodles (or my husband). I can male-bash him but nobody else better. That's all normal. Anyway on the gentle leader subject -- I'm a big believer in the Gentle Leader - not the harness, the other one. Fergie went thru a really bad streak of pulling and that really snapped her out of it. Even now if my DH complaigns about his walks, I'll take a day with her with it and it snaps her back into reality.

Now just this morning i put my little one on my new Little Lucy. (She's 9 wks.) She is not liking this. So I look outside and she's got it off. So I go back out and tighten it and put it back on. Not liking it. Too bad, so sad. I fed her with it on and I think she was happy about that. She's quite the little pig and I think she was afraid she wouldn't be able to eat. I just checked on her and she still has it on. I'm going to leave it on her for a few hours so she can get used to it.

Re: the harness type. If you watch Cesar Milan, he's not an advocate of harnesses. A dog's chest is very strong. They can still pull with that. They can't possibly pull with the regular one on. You just need to get him used to that pc. over his nose. It will come. I'd keep trying.

[Leslie, Dexter & Kirby]

We love the gentle leader. We have the harnesses too, but only use them when we are hiking and want them on retractable leashes. The GL gives us so much control. I walk both doodles at one (on separate leashes/GLs) and there is hardly any pulling.

If you want to use the GL, you need to get him used to it. We put it on our doodles in the house and gave them treats and played fetch while they wore it. We did this for a few days before we used it on a leash. They still don't like them, but don't fight them either :)

[Ginny Nightingale]

My smaller doodle never got used to the GL that went around her nose. She'd start rubbing her head on the ground whenever we stopped. I switched to the harness and she has been great since then. My new doodle was more used to the nose GL ( the breeder had used it on her) and was fine with either one. I like the harness better because i feel it is a more natural control of the dog.

[Karen Gaffney]

WE have used this harness with both dogs and it has been fabulous!!!! No pulling ever! Nimbus is four we still use it for training on him and with our one year old Cirrus!

[Sandy]

Good to know. I was also told the Martingale collar was good. I'm going to look that up now. No pulling ever sounds like a good thing. :)