UPDATE: How long before your dood tolerated the Gentle Leader?

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

We broke down and bought the Gentle Leader for Peri (goes around the snout).  I know, I know, it "masks" the pulling that happens, but we had had enough.  Right now, it is too hard to train both dogs on a leash at once. 

 

So, DH had Peri fit for one on Saturday.  Our trainer told us to put it on her around the house, let her eat in it, etc...DH did this while I was out of town.  She is pitiful when we put it on her.  She just lies down and pouts.  DH called me during lunch and said she was asleep on his feet pouting with it on (we leave it on for about 20-30 minutes off and on to get her used to it).

 

Yesterday I took her on her first walk with it and the first 1/2 mile was terrible. She wanted to lie down and pull it off. Finally she started heeling perfectly, but would still end up behind me and jump/put her front paws up my legs - telling me "mom please...".  We did make it over 2 miles (surprisingly).

 

We are doing this for her safety and our sanity because she pulls so much.  Do any of you have tips to help her tolerate it or is this just something they will get used to????

 

Please keep in mind we do frequent walks, at least 3-4 per day for 15 minutes each. Tonight it is gorgeous and I am doing a 3 miler with the dogs.  So no pulling is a must.  We live in a condo.

 

Thanks for any advice.

 

Update 9/30:  After much thought, I decided Peri was not going to train me into feeling sorry for her and taking the head harness off.  Maybe I have some pride???  Anyway, I set out at 5pm last night for a 3 mile walk on the greenway. Told DH to hang with Taquito.  Dropped liver treats in my pocket.  Put the pink gentle leader on her and rubbed her ears, talked in that annoying baby voice with some high pitches, gave her a liver treat, and we set out.  Starting out was rough - she scooted in the grass and tried to paw off the halter.  As soon as she would stand up and concentrate on me and walking, she got the "yes, good girl" and a liver treat. Once we hit the pavement on the greenway, she was perfect. PERFECT the whole time.  I kept yesing and treating when she would focus on me.  She even peed on the walk (breakthrough with harness on)!  At the end, there is a big field (where we start out, right outside of my condo).  I spent 10 minutes walking her in grass - she did not paw at it once.  DH did not believe me until we took her out later - no pawing.  Same thing this morning. 

WHO'S TRAINING WHO NOW??  That walk was the most pleasant, perfect walk I have EVER had with any dog.

[HeatherA]

We have the Halti for Veruca. Our trainer suggested putting it on several times for a week, increasing the time slowly and not connecting the leash to it at all. Letting her get used to it and giving her lots of love and treats while she gets used to it.

My parents bought the Sporn No pull Halter for their dogs and really enjoy it. Their dog is 65lbs and was pulling, the harness stopped it but doesn't seem to annoy her at all. She doesn't pout when it goes on. I've mentioned this one before because you can find them at Tuesday Mornings sometimes if you have one in your area. My parents paid a whopping $6 for theirs.

http://www.sporn.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=SPU...

Thats the Sporn link, but I know they have them much cheaper on Amazon and you might find them even cheaper Tuesday Morning.

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

I had trouble with the snout one on Rosey because her hair was too long and it wouldn't stay in place. Right now we are using the harness but she still pulls. So I ordered the Sporn harness one for each pup and a coupler, hopefully they will arrive tonight.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

We use the Gentle Leader Head Halter on both Lucy and Sophie. Our trainer put it on them one night in class. The pulling was instantly stopped. There wasn't a huge adjustment time. I won't say they loved it, but it wasn't awful. They will still occasionally try and rub it off on our legs. We have tried the GL Harness and the Sporn as well as one other one and always come back to the Gentle Leader Head Harness. Sophie tested in it for her therapy registration so she has to wear it for therapy work. They are just so much better behaved in it than anything else. If the harness will work I personally would suggest you just go ahead and switch vs continuing to get her used to the GL Head Harness. The head one is a little bit of a turn off to some people only because they think it is a muzzle ..... they don't understand what it is! I've bought the harness twice at Petsmart and taken it back twice because it just doesn't stop our girls from pulling. With the GL Head Harness I can walk both girls (53 lbs and 67 lbs) with one hand, loosh leash! Without it just Lucy could pull me down if she wanted.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Okay, so you have the one that is one the chest, not the nose? I am confused about what they all mean....the one I have goes around the snout. It works but she hates it. :( She heels like magic in it (aside from an occasional lay down and refusing to pee in it).

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

No,, we are one of the few that the chest harness did not work for! Didn't phase Lucy and Sophie at all. I tried to two different times. We use the one on the nose. However, if the chest one worked, I would definiately be using that one. I can walk them one at a time on a regular collar, but I could never walk them both on regular collars. I however like the security that either of the gentle leaders provide. I always just have this fear of one of them pulling out of their regular collar if I didn't have it tight enough.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is the one your DH got:

This is the one he should have gotten:

Believe me, if it had Jack heeling perfectly with no pulling in 15 minutes, it will do the same for Peri. She doesn't need the head halter. I believe it's meant for dogs who are reactive and not just for control of pulling.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Got it - will get him to exchange tomorrow. Thanks everyone!! DH is waiting for another contract to start, so I have him out running around for me. He cooks dinner these days - yahoo.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Do these types of harness/leaders serve as training tools or more as a tool to control? I mean eventually if you switch them back to a flat collar and leash will they still loose leash walk or heel? Or will they just go back to pulling again?

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I am thinking they control more than train........not sure yet!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I only use a flat collar & lead for Jack for short trips, such as to the pet supply store or on our way in & out of the dog park. No problems. I just like the security of the GL Easy Walk harness, so I use it for all our walks. Jack does get reactive to other dogs occasionally when on lead, and I like knowing I have control if I need it. I wouldn't say the harness is a training tool exactly, but it helped me train him because in order to get his focus on me for training, I had to have control, and no collar gave us that.
But a dog who is trained is trained; he will obey commands whether he's wearing a collar, a harness, or when you get advanced enough, nothing. So if your dog learns to do a reliable heel, sit, stay, etc, with a harness, he will still have those if you switch to a flat collar after using the harness.
If you use training methods that call for leash corrections, though, neither of the Gentle leader products will work for that.

[Carla, Lucca and Izzy]

Lucca hardly ever pulls (except for the occasional squirrel:)) and we haven't used the Easy Walker in over a year. He is much more manageable.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

How long did Lucca wear the Easy Walker?