# Gentle Leader



## jaclyns

Hey everyone! Okay, so KoDa is almost 7 months and he's just TERRIBLE at pulling. Especially when he's excited. I've tried the gentle leader dog harness but it seems like it's encouraging him to pull even more. So i'm thinking of trying the gentle leader headcollar. What are your guys' thoughts about it and how did you guys like it? Thanks guys!!


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## Moose

we have the head collar- and can't walk Moose any other way! He's either off leash, or wearing the gentle leader head collar. What a difference!! Definitely try it, Moose pulls like MAD when he's on a simple collar and leash...I can't take him out. But with the Gentle Leader on I can walk him alongside my double side-by-side stroller with no problem at all.


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## DarDog

Koda sounds exactly like Darwin . Same age, same walking deal! We started using the gentle leader too, and it has helped us, or, mostly my shoulder. When he does pull though, I stop moving, and call him back to me - praise when he does so, and continue moving again. He is definitely more manageable with it.

One thing I found when we started using it, was that it rubbed some of the hair off his nose. We waited for it to heal mostly, then I bought moleskin and applied it to the part that rests on his nose. That has helped a lot!


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## LynnieB

Archie is almost a year old & is a different dog as soon as I put the gentle leader headcollar on. No pulling & calms him down. We also put it on him when we were in a dog friendly pub (that we were staying overnight in). We lost count of the amount of people coming up to us saying how well behaved he was. I didnt tell them that he is actually a hyper mad little rascal.


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## Lisa

We can only walk Catan with the gentle lead on. It's very good for calming him down as well. If we have company coming over the gentle lead goes on, especially if they have young children.

Right now Catan is still recovering from shoulder surgery and has spent much of the past month with the lead on. He's not allowed exercise of any kind including running around the house or walking up the stairs. The gentle lead has saved us and his shoulder over the past month.


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## jaclyns

Nice! This was soooo helpful. A friend at the dog park said KoDa looks like he'd be a size Large. Does this go for your guys' V's as well?


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## Lisa

A large might be too big. I believe we had bought Catan a large and had to return it for a medium. Catan's very tall at almost 26 inches but he's very thin. Not sure if this helps.


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## DarDog

Darwin has a medium as well


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## Kobi

Has anyone used the gentle leader harness vs. the gentle leader head collar? I think you are all talking about the head collar. I looked at the head collar, but having never seen one in use it just doesn't look like something I would want to put on my dog. I'm thinking I probably need to be convinced otherwise  Do you guys consider the head collar to be more effective for a Vizsla?


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## Lisa

Sorry, I've only ever used the head harness style. They will find it uncomfortable at first but will get accustom to it. I do know that everyone in the house was experiencing shoulder pain before we got the gentle lead.


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## Kobi

Well I was at the hardware store and they had Gentle Leader headcollars (they are a confused hardware store, also sell grocery items), so I went ahead and picked one up. Hopefully it fits. Should find out soon!

Hopefully I can get it on before Kobi eats it.


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## Caroline e

Think gentle leader must be the same as a halti here in england works a treat but makes me smile when I put it on my viszla bean as the she gives me this sad look as if to say "that's right rob me of my spirit)


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## NashOwner

I use a martingale on my pup. 2 pops and he is at my side. I have difficulty telling people to go with the gentle leader because it is hard to walk them when all they want to do is get it off. It takes time for them to get used to it. I know a girl I work with was teaching a dog to walk nicely on the halti and I watched with horror as the dog almost got whip lash. She would run and then stop suddenly and they dog just whisked around on the halti (she is now fired). I stay away from it when I can. A lot of people seem to think the pinch is bad but I am a fan, maybe not for a viszla though. I used to have my golden on one. He will wear the gentle leader now because he knows the command leave it.


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## cathyl

We used the gentle lead harness, and it didn't work at all. We basically take them and run both of them off leash to get their excersize now. It is miserable to walk the 20 month old on a leash. Great article, we will definately try the gentle lead head collar.


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## Ms1234

The gentle leader headcollar has been a lifesaver for us. It is obviously great for walking as there is no more being dragged down the street by a crazy V, but also for calming our V down when she is excited or out of control while in the house. As soon as the collar goes on she calms right down and becomes a different dog completely. It is great for when guests are coming over so we know that she won't be jumping all over them. While she does put on her best, "you are so mean, I hate this thing" sad face, it has really been a great training tool for us. Sometimes when she is ripping around the house or jumping on us all we have to do is show her the collar and she knows we mean business and that she has to settle down.

We started using it when she was about 5 months old and she is now 10 months. She wears a size medium and there is a lot of space for it to expand as she grows. I would definitely think size large would be too big for a V. I was also able to find a tan coloured one at Petsmart which blends in nicely with her coat and doesn't stand out as much as a black one would. 

Thankfully, unlike our Australian Cattle Dog, she hasn't figured out yet how to get it off by using her nails and pulling down like he has.


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## Tina2329

My husband and I started using the gentle leader head collar because Riley would pull so much, but when we went to puppy class our instructor said only to use that device as the last resort. So we have been using the "easy walk" with the buckle in the front of the chest and it works better than the head collar. The instructor also taught us to start saying "heel" and to give little treats when the V is by your side and I seriously thought that Riley would never get this, but with time it has definately paid off! My husband can walk him by his side without a leash and say "heel" until he is released....it's amazing.


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## bryceandmichelle

Has anyone had a problem with the fit of a Gentle Leader? Specifically the neck piece. I know it is supposed to be significantly tight and be behind the ears, but it still tends to slip down to the middle of his neck. We have a 4 month old V and he is still getting used to this type of lead, but it does eliminate all pulling that we experienced with the standard neck collar.


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## labar349

I did not like the Gentle Leader but have used the Easy Walk for over a year and it is great!!


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## riley455

The Gentle Leader works great with Riley.


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## RubyRoo

I don't know what we would do without the gentle leader. We started Ruby on it at around 4-5 months old. She is 11 months now and use it for walks and even when we have visitors. She hated it at first and now she tolerates. She has such a tiny head so we have the medium and it fits but has a lot of extra slack.


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## finch

I haven't tried the gentle leader head harness on Finch yet b/c I am trying to teach her loose lead walking without one (we are working toward Therapy Dog cert.), but we have them for our 2 black lab mixes. We got one for our first dog when he was around 6 months and we called it "power steering for your dog." He was like a different dog! We just automatically got one for our 2nd dog when we adopted her. I think all dogs take a little time to get used to it, but it really works if you have trouble with pulling. I do have a body harness (Red Dingo) for Finch, but she doesn't necessarily walk any better in it... it's just better if she pulls so it's not hurting her neck. My only problem is when other people think it is some kind of muzzle and that my dog is dangerous! They have come out with more colors now to match your dog's coat, so it makes it less visible, which can be nice.


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## datacan

Sam hated the gentle leader. There are a slew of negative reviews and warnings (can cause neck trauma if dog blots). The strap across the nose looks horrible, not to mention hair loss.


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## chusair

I think that the inventor of the Gentle Leader deserve to go to heaven no questions ask. My V, Ahoj is simply a different dog, I have full control and bonus, he actually enjoy the whole thing. I don't take it off when he is free walking with me unless there are other dogs and he will be offleash otherwise he run and play with it while we walk our mile x 3 times a day. For a 4month old puppy it was a changing experience.


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## Lindsey1420

I have went out and got the Gentle Leader just a few weeks ago. I have tried to use it and no luck. Jack does not like it. I have watched the video for help and no luck. It's like Jack is say a big F U, I'm not doing this to me!! I have tried to get him used to it by using it in the house first, then just leaving it on him with the leash attached (that is how he got used to his collar and harness), and I have tried using treats. No Luck!! I know it is new and Jack is only 6 mos, but I dont want to ruin what I have already accomplished with him. I thought getting the gentle leader would help him with his problem of being scaried of moving and parked vehicles when we walked (See my posting vizsla is SCARIED of cars).

Any advice? Or maybe I should go get the Easy Walk that labar349 used.


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## kristen

Just bought the Gentle Header Head Harness, and all I can say is WOW. We have worked a ton with Odin and loose leash walking on his flat collar. He is great 80% of the time, but if he knows where he's going (i.e. the park, or obedience school) he pulls like a mad man. We were doing turns around and stopping to try to curb him, but we'd end up going farther backwards than forwards. On suggestion of our trainer we purchased the gentle leader last week, and its night and day! The slightest of tension has Odin backing off. He is a dream, even on the way to places he loves. We will continue to work with loose leash on his flat collar, but when we need to get somewhere, this is a godsend! Hes had it on 4 times so far, and no rubbing on his snout, and hes not trying to wrestle it off at every moment. I Highly recommend it.


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