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.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Because of the Gentle Leader Head Harness Spud has to learn to correctly walk on a leash. Yeah Yeah, I did just blame it on the GL and not on myself, but there is some truth in our case. I was once warned that the GL was a Container--Not a Trainer. By this Spring, Spud at 18 months walked very poorly on a leash. Spud can out smart and fight a head harness too. They serve their purpose, and we still have two of them, but I really would prefer we walk together in harmony. We are working on this goal.

I've also used Sporn and thought they were no different than GL Head Harness.

I do love the Gentle Leader Walker. Starlit, who usually walks very nice on leash uses this harness for a security type of squeeze when we are out in public. She feels hugged and she also can't get loose if she spooks as she often does.

We use Prong collars now. Since we have been trained correctly in the use of a prong, I love them and I really don't think I'll change for a very long while. I threw all the chokes Out. Well they are hanging in the garage but my vet warned of a lot of damage also.

[Carla, Lucca and Izzy]

just thought I would share this article: http://blogs.dogster.com/dog-training/whos-walk-is-it-anyway/2010/08/. It's interesting regarding walks and our doggies!!!!

[F, Calla & Luca]

That's really like my general philosophy. I let them sniff and wander unless we need to get somewhere and "let's go" and a gentle tug usually works. My dogs get most of their exercise running around the yard, chasing everything and each other and mock fighting. Walks are more like adventures and that's what I tell them we're doing. But still, I don't want to come back from the adventure with my arm hanging from it's socket.

[Kyoko]

I am a big Gentle Leader fan. I have been using it for Charlie for about a year now. She doesn't care for it too much, but doesn't fight about it either. Once we get back in the house, she jumps up on the couch and rub her face with front paws, try to get it off..... Since I have used it for a long time, I now can't think to direct her by the collar....

[Paul & Michele]

We have the gentle leader for Molly and it works great. Every now and then I try and walk her with out it and she does ok but then she gets a little sure of herself and will pull a little. She doen't even try to pull when she has it on. Bailee on the other hand was like a bucking bronco with the leash or the gentle leader you would have thought we were killing her so I have a leash that splits off to two seperate leashes at on end and I put Molly with the gentle leader on one and Bailee just attatched to the leash on the other and she seems to be quite content walking next to Molly. It took a couple of weeks for Bailee to get use to walking but now she does fine. (We got her at 5 1/2 months old with no leash training at all)

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Should I keep it for a few more days??? I guess worst case I can get the Easy one and keep the Gentle leader for days when I need her to calm down in the house...LOL! Really, we put it on her and you'd think she was so tired she can't move. :)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

If it works then too bad if she doesn't like it. Use it when you need to. Dogs, like kids, can't always have what they want.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

You'll do a lot less explaining about (no, it isn't a muzzle) if you can use the Harness type one!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

We are going to take it back for this reason. I don't want people to think she is viscious...she is the opposite of course :)

[Kendra K. Rhoton]

It WILL get better... it just takes a little while. Stick with it :) Our gentle leader is a godsend!

[Christine & Shelby]

I used the sensation harness with Shelby (leash attaches in front on the chest). She did really well with it. I am now transitioning her to walk with the leash attached to her collar. 90% of the time she does great, but when we walk with her doggie friends - we must use the harness because she is a spaz for the first 3-4 blocks or so!

[Joy Williams]

We use the GL (snout kind) on our girls and it makes all the difference in the world. We did try the harness type, but it didn't even seem to make any difference at all in their pulling. So we returned those and stuck with the one over their snout. They both hated it at first and were such Drama Queens whenever we put them on, but they work. What I started doing was, every time I put them on, I sort of rub their ears and massage their faces and make sure that they are not twisted at all, and I tell them how beautiful they are. DH thinks I'm crazy, but, so what - I'm crazy about my Doods. Maybe its a psychological thing, but they don't seem to mind them as much.