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.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jack once dragged me across the lawn and into the street from a sitting position. Dead weight. My elbows and knees were bleeding. He also snapped a 15 foot canvas lead when attached to a tie-out in the front yard. This was early on in our relationship, when he was more energetic and very untrained.
I don't weigh much more than he does, but I still could not figure out how he could drag me as if I weighed nothing. The vet told me that the strongest part of these dogs is their necks, and labs in particular are extremely well-muscled there...after all, they're used to tow boats into harbor. He also said that you have to multiply their weight by three to get an idea of the pulling force...so, 85 x 3 = 255...or about 2.25 times my weight. No contest.
And yet, the EZ Walk harness did the trick with him. If it had not, I would have tried any other humane method available, including a prong collar.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Wow! Across the lawn and into the street...that is some feat. Vern is the strongest dog I have ever owned and I am not small, by any means, but I believe he could pull me in the Iditarod race and we might win. We go tonight to the trainers and I can't wait. The harness I use, I think, actually helps him to pull harder. I might not survive Vern....my back is out right now from lifting him off the bed.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I often think that if I had two of him, they could pull me around in a little cart.

[Frannie & Callie]

When I have two doods in residence, I usually let them walk just ahead of me, side by side of each other and will say "mush doodles mush". I'm very lucky that I'm in a dog filled neighborhood. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure they would have sent men in little white coats for me by now!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Joy of Giant Schnoodle fame apparently does this.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Needless to say, being a crazy doodle person, I tried it on myself too.

[Frannie & Callie]

F - that makes me quite happy :-). My non-DK friends thought I was loon.

[F, Calla & Luca]

You have non DK friends--just kidding. But really, if I can why wouldn't I try out something before subjecting the dogs to it? Any canned dog food would be an exception to that rule.

[Pat & "Tucker"]

Tucker was in the head collar for 2 years. Took maybe a week to get use to. He sat nicely to put it on and didn't seem to mind much. He just graduated to a soft harness and walks very well now. No need for it any longer. You have to be patient and give it a little time. Make sure it's not too tight. The dog should be able to eat, drink etc. with it on.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

The Easy Walk harness that goes around the chest did not work for Fudge. She did not pull as hard, but she leaped in the air when we saw squirrels, birds, etc. and I did not feel like I had as good of control of her with it on. We had to switch to the prong collar and she does very well on that collar.

Vern is going to the trainer tomorrow. I hear you loud and clear about the pulling.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We began using a Halti or the Gentle Leader on our Springer when he was in puppy class. He hates it and spends much of his walk trying to paw it off -(I swear that is what keeps him from pulling). We still use it if we are actually going on a real walk. I know many people who have dogs who did get used to these and have no problems.

[Leslie, Dexter & Kirby]

I guess I'm in the minority, but we use Gentle Leaders on Dex and Kirby and we absolutely love them. The dogs behave like angels (for the most part) when they have them on. I know neither doodle likes wearing it, but they tolerate it. It didn't take us long to get them used to it...we had them wear them inside while we played fetch and we gave them treats with it on. After a few days they were used to them. I can walk both of them with no problem and there is no pulling unless we see squirrels.

We got a light tan one for Dexter so it blends in more with his fur...some people think they are muzzles (which they are not) so I'd rather it be less visible.