gentle leader WARNING!!!!!!
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Boxermom1434
Boxer Booster
Ellen, I couldn't agree with you more. But for so many who use PetSmart training I have to say in defense of those who train there...it is "highly" pushed. The moment a dog starts to pull or act out they say" here let me show you this" I am still a firm beliver that a good old fashioned collar and multiple short training sessions throughout the day are the best way to "train" your pup. A wise person once told me ..."if your dog has to wear a collar to behave then they are not trained at all". When your dog obeys as well off leash and collar as they do on then you can consider your dog trained, until then you are in training.
mybubbieroo
Boxer Insane
I purchased that collar, but after coming home and looking at the way it worked I couldn't bring myself to put it on Bubbie. I just did it the old fashioned way. Work with the big boy until he decides my way is the only way! He wears a body harness which actually encourages pulling, but after ten months of training he is doing great!
Abbey's Mom
Boxer Booster
The jury is still out at my house
I am currently using the Gentle Leader headcollar, but I am not 100% sold on it yet. I have been using it for almost 2 weeks, but I am still evaluating. The difference in our walks in dramatic. We walk farther, faster and more often since Abbey isn't pulling as much. She still pulls some and it is still difficult to keep her from leading me.
Prior to using the headcollar, she had done some serious damage to both of my shoulders when pulling or lunging after a squirrel. The same thing happened to one of my friends when she decided to take her for a walk.
Now Abbey and I both look forward to our walks. While I can't say I'm 100% sold on it, I think the Gentle Leader headcollar is an amazing tool to have at your disposal. I also tried the Gentle Leader Easy Walk Harness which worked well also. I chose the headcollar over the harness because it also addresses barking issues.
As for the dangers of the Gentle Leader headcollar, I think the risk is somewhat overstated. I seriously doubt that it is any more dangerous than a regular collar. When they pull and choke themselves or lunge and snap their heads back, I'm sure that is damaging too.
Obeying voice commands would appear to be the only method that would be without detrimental impact. Unfortunately, most of us don't live in a place where we can exercise that kind of freedom from the start. We use these devices until we gain control with verbal control as the goal. Ultimately I may or may not continue to use either of these devices, but in the end the choice is mine.
I am currently using the Gentle Leader headcollar, but I am not 100% sold on it yet. I have been using it for almost 2 weeks, but I am still evaluating. The difference in our walks in dramatic. We walk farther, faster and more often since Abbey isn't pulling as much. She still pulls some and it is still difficult to keep her from leading me.
Prior to using the headcollar, she had done some serious damage to both of my shoulders when pulling or lunging after a squirrel. The same thing happened to one of my friends when she decided to take her for a walk.
Now Abbey and I both look forward to our walks. While I can't say I'm 100% sold on it, I think the Gentle Leader headcollar is an amazing tool to have at your disposal. I also tried the Gentle Leader Easy Walk Harness which worked well also. I chose the headcollar over the harness because it also addresses barking issues.
As for the dangers of the Gentle Leader headcollar, I think the risk is somewhat overstated. I seriously doubt that it is any more dangerous than a regular collar. When they pull and choke themselves or lunge and snap their heads back, I'm sure that is damaging too.
Obeying voice commands would appear to be the only method that would be without detrimental impact. Unfortunately, most of us don't live in a place where we can exercise that kind of freedom from the start. We use these devices until we gain control with verbal control as the goal. Ultimately I may or may not continue to use either of these devices, but in the end the choice is mine.
OK so I tried the gentle leader once on two dogs. Hated it! The dogs hated and my trainer a professional trainer had me take it right off. Still it is probably less harmful that the dog choking itself to death on a regular collar if the owner never chooses to train it. I know most people won't really approve here but I use traditional training collars. I know how to use them correctly with positive reinforcement. I use a balanced aproach and yes I used some avoidance when they hit the end of the leash a few times which to be honest with correct methods should be a rare occurance, but guess what my dogs don't pull on the leash they walk beside me and their happy! But you really need to know the proper use.
First off the pressure collar is the most misunderstood collar I've seen. I've seen far to much crap written on a collar most people know nothing other than it looks scary. Sorry folks the pokey parts do not stab the dog, you want to know how I know, I stuck it on myself just to see how it felt. Also people put the pressure collars on so loose that it simply is uneffective.
I don't see one collar as the best for all dogs and I shouldn't think a pressure collar is correct for many dogs but regardless of the collar the dog shouldn't pull, that is what is damaging the poor dog, not the collar. Just like the horse and a bit. You can really screw up the horses mouth if you're heavy-handed.
The fact is the collar is only as good as the handler you really shouldn't have to be yanking the dog around so go see a good trainer...to me the gentle-leader is only a means to get to another point and a temporary fix, as soon as it's off the dogs are often back to pulling their owners everywhere.
I see far too many out of control dogs pulling the crap out of their owners, which is doing far more damage than my dog walking quietly beside me on a loose leash..or at this point the dogs are just on tab leashes with their pressure collars on...oh and my dogs as soon as they here the jingle of their "training" collars they come running to the door, so they are happy and do not relate those collars as something negative.
Oh and ALL collars provide a correction to a dog to some degree. Better a correction once or twice than trachea damage down the road.
Just my two cents.
First off the pressure collar is the most misunderstood collar I've seen. I've seen far to much crap written on a collar most people know nothing other than it looks scary. Sorry folks the pokey parts do not stab the dog, you want to know how I know, I stuck it on myself just to see how it felt. Also people put the pressure collars on so loose that it simply is uneffective.
I don't see one collar as the best for all dogs and I shouldn't think a pressure collar is correct for many dogs but regardless of the collar the dog shouldn't pull, that is what is damaging the poor dog, not the collar. Just like the horse and a bit. You can really screw up the horses mouth if you're heavy-handed.
The fact is the collar is only as good as the handler you really shouldn't have to be yanking the dog around so go see a good trainer...to me the gentle-leader is only a means to get to another point and a temporary fix, as soon as it's off the dogs are often back to pulling their owners everywhere.
I see far too many out of control dogs pulling the crap out of their owners, which is doing far more damage than my dog walking quietly beside me on a loose leash..or at this point the dogs are just on tab leashes with their pressure collars on...oh and my dogs as soon as they here the jingle of their "training" collars they come running to the door, so they are happy and do not relate those collars as something negative.
Oh and ALL collars provide a correction to a dog to some degree. Better a correction once or twice than trachea damage down the road.
Just my two cents.
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Boxermom1434
Boxer Booster
You may think what you like about the dangers of this collar. I can tell you the dangers are not overstated if anything they are understated. The damage done by a regular collar is generally trachea damage, I have never seen a regular collar snap a dogs head around (the handler does this while yanking on the dog). The head collar does and this puts an enourmous amount of pressure on the dogs neck. This is what causes the damage..But as you said it is your choice..so feel free to use it. I felt it important to warn people of the possible risk of irreprable damage and so Ihave done so. In my opinion if one dog is saved by this information then I have done a good thing. I guess everyone will do as they wish...much like so many are still using elevated feeders even though we "KNOW" they increase the risk of bloat.
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kidzarme
Boxer Insane
We started Shae with a plain harness to walk and it was better than a regular collar, choking around her neck. But when she outgrew that one, we got the GentleLeader Easy Walk. I really like it. She still pulls some and we're working on that but we have good control of her without pulling on her neck or trachea. She now comes to me and stands still for me to put her harness on when we're getting ready to go! yeah Shae! I researched lots of them online before deciding on this one and now I'm glad I did!
IluvLucy
Boxer Insane
If you'll check the sticky at the top of page 1 of this forum you will find that the Gentle Leader is very much reccomended by this site. IF USED PROPERLY, it doesn't pose any more danger to your dog than a regular collar and can be a useful training aid. The problems come when people don't read and follow the directions that come with it. It is not meant to be a substitute for training. It does require some time for your dog to get used to it before using it. You are never supposed to jerk hard on it to get your dog to stop pulling. It is way better than a choke collar or a shock collar. Those are designed to cause the dog pain.
agilityboxer
Super Boxer
The Halti brand variety actually has a strap that goes to the collar and a spot to clip the lead to. That way if they get out of the head halter for any reason you still have a leash on their collar. I actually trained with two leashes. One to the collar and one to the halti.
What do you recommend?
Im seeing alot of posts here that give advice about taking time to train the dog. The hardest training I had to do with my dog that I used to have is not to pull on the leash. My wife is petite, and one time, our dog, who was a medium sized dog, (45lbs) pulled and jerked scrambling after a squirrel, the dog pulled her down, to where she badly bruised her knee, and dislocated her elbow!!!
Now we have Foreman. And he pulls on his leash. We live in a Town home and so we have alot of neighbors with dogs and cats that Foreman will see everytime we go on our walks. The neighborhood is new to Foreman, and he has discovered squirrels. And boy does he really want to meet them!!! So, he sees one, and he goes for it. I have to be constantly aware of what he is looking at to brace myself because he lunges everytime he sees one. Doesnt matter if they are on the ground or in the trees. So, since I do have muscle, I am the one who walks him. I cant train him out back. Even though we live in a town home, we do have a small back yard. But there are tons of squirrels out there. I would never get his full attention. My wife would love to take Foreman out for a walk. But she could get hurt. So, what leash do you all recommend that can control Foreman, that is safe for him, and safe for my wife?
Im seeing alot of posts here that give advice about taking time to train the dog. The hardest training I had to do with my dog that I used to have is not to pull on the leash. My wife is petite, and one time, our dog, who was a medium sized dog, (45lbs) pulled and jerked scrambling after a squirrel, the dog pulled her down, to where she badly bruised her knee, and dislocated her elbow!!!
Now we have Foreman. And he pulls on his leash. We live in a Town home and so we have alot of neighbors with dogs and cats that Foreman will see everytime we go on our walks. The neighborhood is new to Foreman, and he has discovered squirrels. And boy does he really want to meet them!!! So, he sees one, and he goes for it. I have to be constantly aware of what he is looking at to brace myself because he lunges everytime he sees one. Doesnt matter if they are on the ground or in the trees. So, since I do have muscle, I am the one who walks him. I cant train him out back. Even though we live in a town home, we do have a small back yard. But there are tons of squirrels out there. I would never get his full attention. My wife would love to take Foreman out for a walk. But she could get hurt. So, what leash do you all recommend that can control Foreman, that is safe for him, and safe for my wife?
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