Gentle Leader: godsend!

[mcemily]

Yeah, we tried our best to introduce it gradually, using treats to get him to let us put it on him, letting him just wear it around the house for a bit, feeding him with it on, etc. before we ever tried walking him with it. He was ok with the GL at first (clearly didn't love it, but tolerated it), and initially, we saw a huge improvement. He wasn't pulling much at all, and seemed to be very comfortable and relaxed. But that didn't last long, and every day he was less and less tolerant of it. When it got to the point where he ran at the sight of the GL, and we couldn't walk for more than 5 minutes at a stretch without him trying to rip it off his face with his paws, we decided enough was enough and we went back to a regular leash/collar recently.

Interestingly, he is pulling less on the regular leash/collar than he used to. Whether that is just because he's a bit more mature now, or because he's just grateful not to have the GL on, I'll never know!

 

[mmcginty]

Agreed.

When I was teaching, and had to watch the training from the GL people, they said you should be able to get one finger in the neck loop. That's it. Anything else is too loose.

He can duck it even with only 1 finger, his head is the same diameter as his neck. Thus the need for the martingale. If it doesn't tighten under load, it'll slip off.

I solved my problem with a double-ended spring hook.

 

[mmcginty]

I ran into my closest neighbor while I was walking him, got to talking, let Jake and Brandy off leash in his yard but didn't take off the GL -- big mistake. They got the muzzle strap off and chewed through it.

There's plenty of length, I think I can stitch it together.

 

[BarbV]

Jake has always pulled against the leash, I tried numerous different tactics, but he just wouldn't slow down, even to the point of choking. Then 2 days ago I bought a Gentle Leader collar (+ loop that goes around his muzzle) -- man what a difference! Now he heels beautifully, I've never even dared to dream he'd be this good!

The only drawback is that if he gets really excited, he can duck out of it, so I need a leash with 2 clips on the end, so I'm still hooked to his martingale as a fail-safe. But even so, it's already conditioning him to walk right, I'm really pleased!

It was a little pricey at $24 from Petco, but well worth it in my book. It can be had for $7 less on their web site, but after shipping... the extra several days I've had it were worth more than the difference. (Besides, I hate going into stores and using their time to sell me on something, then buying online, it's a false pretense, I'd rather pay a little more and walk away with a clear conscience.)

As a pet supply store owner, I thank you! I have to admit that I hate having my brains picked about a product and they never come back. so I just KNOW they went online to buy.

It doesn't seem to bother them at the time that we have an easy, no questions asked return policy (though I have to admit I'm thinking about tightening up on that lately!)

Now back to your comment.

I've had mixed feedback on the gentle leader. I'm not personally fond of it myself for Shelties, but hey, if it works for you, then go for it! I still prefer a martingale to avoid slipping the collar, but you have to have it sized 100% correct.

I've noticed that my martingales have stretched and Bacca can now slip his collar easily. Memo to file....leather collars do not last forever....they will stretch.

 

[OntarioSheltie]

As a pet supply store owner, I thank you! I have to admit that I hate having my brains picked about a product and they never come back. so I just KNOW they went online to buy.

It doesn't seem to bother them at the time that we have an easy, no questions asked return policy (though I have to admit I'm thinking about tightening up on that lately!)

Now back to your comment.

I've had mixed feedback on the gentle leader. I'm not personally fond of it myself for Shelties, but hey, if it works for you, then go for it! I still prefer a martingale to avoid slipping the collar, but you have to have it sized 100% correct.

I've noticed that my martingales have stretched and Bacca can now slip his collar easily. Memo to file....leather collars do not last forever....they will stretch.

Not sure if you saw it Barb, but I addressed the issue of slipping the headcollar.

You may want to mention to your customers (or try yourself) that it should fit snug, that its not fitted correctly if they can get out of it, similarly to a martingale. It should fit snuggly

The strap at the back of the dog's head tends to loosen. Adjusting it to the desired size, then putting a few stitches in it to keep it from loosening takes care of that problem.

 

[BarbV]

Not sure if you saw it Barb, but I addressed the issue of slipping the headcollar.

You may want to mention to your customers (or try yourself) that it should fit snug, that its not fitted correctly if they can get out of it, similarly to a martingale. It should fit snuggly

The strap at the back of the dog's head tends to loosen. Adjusting it to the desired size, then putting a few stitches in it to keep it from loosening takes care of that problem.

Thanks.....I think I'll try it on my own dogs. I would hate to recommend something and not be educated in how to fit it. Thanks for the advice!

 

[mmcginty]

As a pet supply store owner, I thank you! I have to admit that I hate having my brains picked about a product and they never come back. so I just KNOW they went online to buy.

It doesn't seem to bother them at the time that we have an easy, no questions asked return policy (though I have to admit I'm thinking about tightening up on that lately!)

Now back to your comment.

I've had mixed feedback on the gentle leader. I'm not personally fond of it myself for Shelties, but hey, if it works for you, then go for it! I still prefer a martingale to avoid slipping the collar, but you have to have it sized 100% correct.

I've noticed that my martingales have stretched and Bacca can now slip his collar easily. Memo to file....leather collars do not last forever....they will stretch.

It seems to me a lot of people perceive value selectively, with minimal input factors -- unit price is not the only concern. I factor-in my time pretty heavily, 5 minutes with a knowledgable sales person often beats an hour picking through the web, and in general I can make a buying decision faster, easier and with less worry in a regular store. So I perceive an extra level of value when I shop in person, and that justifies paying a higher price.

OTOH, when I know what I want, know a reputable etailer, and don't mind waiting a few days, I can buy it on the web in seconds, and have it delivered to my door. I buy a lot of things online.

I guess it's mostly a matter of being aware that it costs more than the unit price to acquire the right thing to suit a given need, just how much more varies greatly. How many times do people buy something online for a few dollars less, but forget to consider shipping as part of the overall cost? How often do people know 10 seconds after opening the package that they get the wrong thing? Buying online can become a false economy in a heartbeat.

As for my ethics and consideration for local merchants, it seems like common courtesy when you look at the big picture... but I also view it in a selfish light too: if local stores can't make a profit, they will go away. I don't want that to happen, so I treat them as fairly as I expect them to treat me. Milking a store for information with no intention of buying is every bit as dishonest as shoplifting. That it isn't illegal doesn't mean a lot to me.

 

[mmcginty]

Thanks.....I think I'll try it on my own dogs. I would hate to recommend something and not be educated in how to fit it. Thanks for the advice!

In the case of Petco, their own corporate website competes with the stores -- that's got to be a drag for franchise owners. It is irritating as a consumer to see the store price is 25% more than online, and I'm sure it makes it easier to justify abusing local stores. (That still doesn't make it right.)