Gentle Leader help

[MavRyder]

What kind of halter are you talking about?

I wouldn't bash the gentle leader so severely, its almost impossible to get off when fitted properly and gives you lots of control over a reactive dog. I've used it on three dogs for training and not once has it come near to coming off.

Maybe it doesn't work for you and your dog but it works for plenty of people, including myself. Someone on the forums mentioned that they thought a Halti was better (maybe that was you), which didn't work for me or two of my shelties but that doesn't mean that its not good, it just means that it works better for other people and different dogs.

With a reactive dog its important that the leash connects under the chin and not at the back of the head, for maximum control for dogs with reactivity issues.

Toby reacts at people, dogs, trucks, buses and anything he sees and hears that he thinks is scary. He's both noise and movement sensitive, I don't know what I'd do without Toby's gentle leader, which he may need for life.

Do your guys still pull with the GL. Ryder still pulls with it on. Probably not as bad as with out it..but he still pulls. He hates it!! he runs and hides every time he sees it.

 

[OntarioSheltie]

Do your guys still pull with the GL. Ryder still pulls with it on. Probably not as bad as with out it..but he still pulls. He hates it!! he runs and hides every time he sees it.

Toby pulls when he's feeling anxious (like after he's had an explosion) or if he's over excited. Otherwise he doesn't really pull, but at the same time the leash is never completely loose.

I think that the majority of dogs hate head halters because it takes away their control and forces them to behave.

Toby on the other hand likes his halter the majority of the time. He happily puts his nose through the loop voluntarily, on his own when its time to go for a walk and he rarely paws at it.

My theory is that it makes him feel calm, since the loop over the nose hits a pressure point that is supposed to have a calming affect. Toby occasionally gets into moods where he paws at it, but rarely.

 

[corbinam]

Thanks, guys.

And I would love to see a video to get the right idea.

I don't think Bentley can get out of his GL (at least I hope not) because as I said, he had a full blown explosion complete with bucking and lunging, etc... and he didn't get out of it.

Bentley doesn't like the GL much, and he usually tries to pull it off at least once every walk (and makes this horrible grunting noise that makes me sad!) but once he quits, he's very good. No pulling or anything. It's sad that I have to use it because if there are no distractions Bentley is so well-behaved on walks (never pulls at all!)

Like I said, he usually seems to weigh his options when he can get his emotions under control. When it's something too exciting/scary, all bets are off.

(I just found out that when he was at the breeders until he was 7 months old he was living with a dog that didn't get along with other male dogs. I wonder if that was what had an effect on him?)

 

[OntarioSheltie]

I don't think Bentley can get out of his GL (at least I hope not) because as I said, he had a full blown explosion complete with bucking and lunging, etc... and he didn't get out of it.

Bentley doesn't like the GL much, and he usually tries to pull it off at least once every walk (and makes this horrible grunting noise that makes me sad!) but once he quits, he's very good. No pulling or anything. It's sad that I have to use it because if there are no distractions Bentley is so well-behaved on walks (never pulls at all!)

Like I said, he usually seems to weigh his options when he can get his emotions under control. When it's something too exciting/scary, all bets are off.

That's EXACTLY like Toby. He jumps, lunges and bucks and has never come even close to getting the leader off.

And when something exciting/scary sets him off, there's no thinking, just reacting and exploding.

Our poor pups.

 

[MavRyder]

Thanks, guys.

And I would love to see a video to get the right idea.

I don't think Bentley can get out of his GL (at least I hope not) because as I said, he had a full blown explosion complete with bucking and lunging, etc... and he didn't get out of it.

Bentley doesn't like the GL much, and he usually tries to pull it off at least once every walk (and makes this horrible grunting noise that makes me sad!) but once he quits, he's very good. No pulling or anything. It's sad that I have to use it because if there are no distractions Bentley is so well-behaved on walks (never pulls at all!)

Like I said, he usually seems to weigh his options when he can get his emotions under control. When it's something too exciting/scary, all bets are off.

(I just found out that when he was at the breeders until he was 7 months old he was living with a dog that didn't get along with other male dogs. I wonder if that was what had an effect on him?)

Ryder makes that horrible grunting sound too

 

[k9kreationz]

No advice, but had to say....
I always feel bad after I take it off, because it leaves an indentation on Koji's fur around his muzzle. Makes me feel like a bad mom.

Good luck. As you know, I quit using it for fear of Koji's physical health cuz he's a dork.

 

[Ania]

Well, here's the video. Sorry about the poor quality. You can see Maia lunge and bark. She will be even worse on the street - she will lunge to the point of hanging herself sometimes IF she does not have the snoot loop on. With it on, she tries, but after the first time, she knows the consequences and stops. Her leash is NEVER loose however, she knows exactly how much she call 'pull' on it and keep her head straight. But this is much better than fighting her the entire walk. And yes, there are indentations on her nose after I take it off, but the consiquences of me not using it are worse. I figure, she's doing this to herself and at least I am not popping her leash and correcting her by jerking on her neck. And if you saw the way she lunges and jerks with a normal collar or harness she would hurt herself very badly (I mean breaking her neck one day because that is how hard she jumps, lunges and flips in the air when she comes to the end of the leash).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adzkF29kjak

 

[MavRyder]

Thanks so much for posting your video. It was really great to watch.
You are so lucky to have a trainer and a facility to learn at.
I only have Pet Smart. Although the trainer is very good, the room is VERY small. I started a class last Tuesday night. My sixth one there, but I had not been in a class since December. There were 3 in the class, 2 big dogs and myself. Ryder acted exactly as you described in your post. When the course was over I was in tears. I was always hoping to join the Agility club but seeing his awful reaction in class I am now thinking that is out of the question.

 

[Ania]

Thanks so much for posting your video. It was really great to watch.
You are so lucky to have a trainer and a facility to learn at.
I only have Pet Smart. Although the trainer is very good, the room is VERY small. I started a class last Tuesday night. My sixth one there, but I had not been in a class since December. There were 3 in the class, 2 big dogs and myself. Ryder acted exactly as you described in your post. When the course was over I was in tears. I was always hoping to join the Agility club but seeing his awful reaction in class I am now thinking that is out of the question.

Don't give up. I think agility would be wonderful (of course, I am completely biased ) The technique Tracy showed in the video really does work. Shelties are so smart that they will figure it out. Maia would go crazy when she would see dogs run agility and she was just standing watching. This method really did help with that.

(oh, Tracy Sklenar is not my instructor - I wish! - she was here giving a semianr )

 

[danisgoat]

Well, here's the video. Sorry about the poor quality. You can see Maia lunge and bark. She will be even worse on the street - she will lunge to the point of hanging herself sometimes IF she does not have the snoot loop on. With it on, she tries, but after the first time, she knows the consequences and stops. Her leash is NEVER loose however, she knows exactly how much she call 'pull' on it and keep her head straight. But this is much better than fighting her the entire walk. And yes, there are indentations on her nose after I take it off, but the consiquences of me not using it are worse. I figure, she's doing this to herself and at least I am not popping her leash and correcting her by jerking on her neck. And if you saw the way she lunges and jerks with a normal collar or harness she would hurt herself very badly (I mean breaking her neck one day because that is how hard she jumps, lunges and flips in the air when she comes to the end of the leash).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adzkF29kjak

This was a great demonstration on how to use the gentle leader. Thanks for sharing this with us!