Gentle leader users help!

[Haley, Yeti, and Phin]

Hello! The gentle leader has helped us SO much with our pulling problem. The only thing is, yeti seems to really just dislike it a lot. We've almost been using it a month and he still isn't "used" to it. I don't believe it is too tight. It looks like he itches a lot when it's on. That or he is trying to get it off. He used to just let us put it on but lately is starting to run from us when he sees it.
Anyone have this problem? Did you stick it out and things got better. I really would like to continue with it but if it's hurting him I don't want to.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Roo acted exactly like you are describing.  He still occasionally acts rubs his nose and carries on a bit.  He has learned over time - it means walk, car ride or something fun and it is the only way he is going to go out that front door.  Just keep on slipping him a small treat every time you put it on and always associate with an immediate outing.

It really makes such an enormous difference for Roo, it is worth his occasional fussing about it.  We have been using it about three or four years, I think.

[Haley, Yeti, and Phin]

Tigger and Roo are two of the cutest names ever :) I totally agree with you. If we let Yeti out the front door for potty a rarity, but occasionally it does happen) on his regular leash he just bolts. Today I opened the door while he had the gentle leader on and talked out and sat while i shut and locked the door. His behavior is SO much better that it is worth the fuss.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

The same is true with Murphy.  He didn't like it at first, but we've been using it for several years now and it's second nature for him.  He knows it means we're going for a walk...and it makes his behavior on the walk so much better.

[Haley, Yeti, and Phin]

Awesome ☺️ We will stick it out! Just wanted to make sure we weren't the only ones having a little trouble with it at first!

[Pauline Rackley]

My dogs did the same thing. Like Maryann said, always use a treat to put it on. The benefits, not pulling and no damage to the neck, far outweigh the fussing. I have been using them for over 10 years on 4 different dogs and would not use anything else.

[Haley, Yeti, and Phin]

Thank you so so much for the reassurance. :)

[Stella]

Make it a positive experience. If he is running when you bring it out he is viewing it negatively. Put it on the floor and just leave it there. Give him a treat for even looking at it, jackpot with treats if he touches or sniffs it - this may take a few days. Then hold it and do the same thing - treats for looking at it, lots of treats for investigating it. Hold the halter open and hold treat so he has to put his nose into it, reward like crazy! Repeat this stage a lot, do not fasten the halter until he is consistently and happily putting his nose into it. If you make it a positive enough experience he should happily put his nose into the halter, you shouldn't have to put it 'on' him. Then begin fastening the halter on, reward and take it off. Repeat, repeat!! You may have to come up with an alternate strategy for walking him while you go through this process, but it really does work and by giving him a choice you are actually building value for the halter.

I personally prefer the Halti over the gentle leader, it has a more clear cause and effect to the dog. It tightens when the dog pulls and loosens when he doesn't, unless the gentl leader has change design I remember it stays a set size the whole time the dog is wearing it.

[Haley, Yeti, and Phin]

This is wonderful thank you so much! I looked for the halti when we got him but they didn't have any in stock. He is slowly out growing the gentle leader so perhaps I will look for a halti to try! Thank you!!

[Sarah Trott]

Treats are the answer to everything! Wally gets car sick and it got to the point where he wouldn't go near the car. Once I started associating the car with a high value treat (braunschweiger is his fave - gross) he got much better. Now he voluntarily goes in for a ride. We just went about it in a very similar way that Stella explained.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Lucy hated her's something terrible, as well. I mean, she was just miserable, which sounds like Yeti's reaction. We took our cue from her and looked for something different, but similar. We ended up with the Canny Collar, which is so much better made and operates on the same principle, but instead of the leash attaching under the chin, it attaches at the neck. You can find it at the best price on Ebay, although they have their own website too, cannyco.com. Both Lucy and Oscar tolerated the Canny Collar extremely well, even though they'd both rub their muzzles on the carpet after the thing came off. Neither of them hated it, and in fact seemed to enjoy walking with it. Today we use The Wonder Walker, which is a well made body halter/walker brand. At their ages they walk really well, but its nice to give them a reminder when we come in close proximity to another dog while on our walks.

[Haley, Yeti, and Phin]

I will look into those thank you so much ☺️☺️

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We used the gentle leader - not the harness, the snout one.  Even though we used it for years, my dog NEVER got used to it. My daughter has the same thing and her lab is fine with it.  I think the harness probably has the same response - some dogs get used to it and are fine, some hate it forever.