Gentle Leader

[Erin]

Anybody's dog pull like a sled dog with this thing on? Hershey's gotten so much better, but some days, like today - she just puts her head down and pulls me down the street with her face!
Every time I stop, she stops and comes and sits by my side and looks at me. And then we take another couple steps and I have to stop again, and she comes, without prompting, and sits by my side... Am I doing it right? Any suggestions? The gentle leader fits her, and like I said, sometimes she's great! It's gotten to the point where we will soon have to replace the gentle leader due to wear and her pulling!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

The fleece-lined Sporn Harness is very nice. Great Price too! We have one also but no longer use it on walks, although I love the design.

[Erin]

Wow - never imagined the discussion would go on like this... Thanks for everyone's helpful suggestions. I think the key will be consistency for me. As I said before, SOME DAYS are really great! She heels, she stops in her tracks and calms down when I say "Leave it." after she's seen a squirrel... and we go on our merry way. Also I think that the days she is more insistent in pulling could be the days when she hasn't gotten the chance yet to burn off her energy. She's an extremely calm doggie inside. Mostly sleeps during the days while my husband works from home. My husband and I take her on a minimum of 2-3 twenty minute walks a day, with other rambunctious playing and potty trips in the yard. However, when we're both home and have more free time, and are able to tire her out a little more - the walks go better. Amazing, I know... Let's see if bumping up the time on actual hard-core training walks works.

And, at least my walks with her have always been training walks. I learned early on that my wrists and shoulders were in a great deal of soreness if I just let her carry on like that, no matter how much fun and sniffing she was doing. I always carry treats and reward positive behavior and correct pulling and distractions.

When this gentle leader finally goes and breaks, I might invest in the harness easy walker one. I have always liked the idea of a dog not pulling at its neck when on a lead.... Pride comes from the fact that I have a lovable affectionate gentle fun-loving dog, not from what she wears to go on walks.

[Karen & Lucy]

AMEN, sista !

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Oh my gosh, you made me laugh out loud with your description! What a wonderful picture you painted for me. I once tried, at the advice of my vet no less, gentle leaders on two of my huskies. One behaved just as you said. Pulled like a sled dog with his whole body weight into the harness on his nose. I am quite sure he thought I was crazy. The other dog looked at me with deep criticism in her eyes when I put her in the gentle leader. As if to say "Really, a noose around my nose?". We went four blocks with Thor pulling with all his strength and Storm walking gently by my side occasionally turning her head slightly one way or another. At block four Storm took a few steps ahead of me, turned full around to look me straight in the eye, dipped and twisted her head slightly and was free of the gentle leader. Just like that. I swear she winked at me. Those were my only experiences with "gentle leaders" so I am no help to you at all unless you want to switch to the Herman Springer prong collars I went back to and still use. Thanks for the excellent laugh!