Gentle Leader Training Collar

[babybluetx23]

What do you all think about the Gentle Leader Training Collar? Is it effective? Is it more Effective then a regular collar around the neck?

[Wookie'sMom]

For control, yes, it is more effective. For training it's questionable (unless you're training with Mick Trainer, that is!). Wookie doesn't like it and seems to spend more time thinking about how much she hates it rather than concentrating on me, so I don't like it for her.

[jakesfostermom]

Cynthia - I'm with Wookie's Mom - we didn't do well with the GL - personal experience only - and there are many who like it.....

[cisom]

Our goof pulled like a train and no sharp jerks, small snaps, big yanks would make her do otherwise. The Gentle Leader worked immediately. She got used to it pretty quick. Just make sure to fit it correctly and don't yank on it and have treats with you the first couple of times.

[judrops]

Hi,
I used this for Kai and although it stopped him pulling and has greatly helped with his lead work, we have had to leave it of him as he hated it that much that he was refusing to go out for walks - despite it being used from when he was a puppy, he is now 11 months old and walking on the lead okay. It was useful for learning him to not lunge ahead of me, but useless at learning him the heel command, BUT, when I removed it the instinct to pull ahead of me had gone and he learnt the heel command more quickly. Hope this makes sense. :)
Julie.x

[Wookie'sMom]

Maybe it's just Wookie, but the GL stoped her from pulling, but she did not translate not pulling with the gentle leader on to not pulling with a flat collar on...I know I have things to work on regarding this as well, but it didn't help the pulling situation at all once the gentle leader was off for Wookie.

[carolynnl4]

The GL was fabulous (above and beyond a flat collar) for Athena DURING training sessions, but as soon as you wanted to go on a walk, she spent half the time trying to paw it off. (Probably because she was distracted with commands during training.)
In addition, I worry that it won't work for pulling because the only time she pulls is when she sees something terribly exciting, (a new person, dogs, squirrels, butterflies -- sometimes, the world), and she doesn't have it on all the time.
I don't keep it on her all the time for more reasons than the pawing -- when we're on a casual walk, I keep her on a 15 foot lead, and I've read about *severe* neck injuries when they're allowed that much distance to build momentum and speed. So it makes me paranoid, I don't want her to wear it when there's any chance of her violently jerking away from me.
So on a regular walk, I keep her on a flat or harness, but as soon as she weighs more than me, will move up to a prong. (That's not a joke. )
Carolyn

[Anne]

We actually use a Halti rather than a GL and.. yes.....we do train with Mick Trainer. :D

My girl is brilliant on the Halti but on normal walks now I am using a Martingale simply because I get sick of people asking me is my dog savage... is that why I have her muzzled??

Before the Halti (and Mick Trainer) this girl was an absolute nightmare to walk. She pulled like a train. Mick had us walking nicely at the first lesson with the Halti.

She did start to pull again on the Martingale but I just use the commands Mick taught when training with the Halti. No probs! I do the stop and quick turn whilst telling her to heel and all is well.

[babybluetx23]

So basically it can be effective but it depends on the Dog? I may give it a shot. Harley has a flat nylon collar and we use a flat nylon dog leash at the moment. I have been working with him walking nicely on a leash with just the flat nylon collar and he does pretty well. The only time is he pulling now is when he can see the house on our way back from a walk. As soon as he can see the house he starts to pull pretty hard. That and when we go to petsmart. One of the girls that works there is harleys "Girlfriend" He LOVES her and when I say he name he gets excited and runs to the front door, grab his lease and bark and whine! hehehehe Rotties are SOOO Smart!

[Lefty]

When we first got Bullet we used the Halti on him as he was puller. We used for about a month and never needed to use it again, Bullet walks on my left side with his head even with my knee, he is such a smart boy.

[Anne]

I really feel that it depends on the trainer rather than the dog. I had no luck with the Halti until Mick taught me to use it correctly.

I had no idea how to issue a proper correction with the Halti and the dog was still pulling with it. She didn't hit the end of the lead but kept a bit of pressure on. After our first lesson we had no further problems with the Halti.

[archery]

My trainer started Thunder on a choke collar, but very quickly went to a gentle leader, the change in his resposivness was very noticeable. We now use the Gentle Leader whenever my wife or I take him for walks through the neighborhood. If you go over and pick up the Gentle Leader, he knows what is coming and gets very excited. He has never pulled against the Leader and is very responsive to a gentle tug. Being 135# and all muscle, he has never fought against it when it was on, or tried to push it off with his feet. We are now training Daizsha with the GL and after only 2 sessions of trying to get her to pay attention to me only, she has racted very well. She fought against the GL at first, but now is getting use to it and doing very well. We got Daizsha at 20 months and I don't know what type of training she got before us. She now responds with a gentle tug on the GL and stays on my left side and pays attention to me and does not wonder or pull against the GL. I am very happy with the GL and the progress with my two Rotties.