Of course I've heard of and seen the Gentle Leader but always thought that with my reinforcement and training that any dog can be taught to heel or not pull out in front. Well I've been proven wrong! My German Shorthair has been taught to heel since before the age of 1. He's always been pretty good at it but it's very short lived during a walk. After all, he is a bird dog, 60 lbs of PURE muscle and is in constant "hunt mode". I thought about trying the Gentle Leader after using one with a client of mine (also a little energetic bird dog). The difference has been phenomenal! With both my dog and my client the Gentle Leader directs the dogs attention back to me, keeps them at a controlled heel yet allows them to explore and sniff on our walk.
I would say that both of these dogs have the same demeanor....high energy, not stubborn and submissive to voice command. So the true test will be using the Gentle Leader on a dog that is none of those!
Another client of mine uses the Easy Walk Harness. This is a great alternative for a dog that just can't or doesn't want to get used to having something around it's face like the Gentle Leader. The Easy Walk Harness goes around the dogs mid section and your lead hooks in front of the dogs chest. If the dog pulls you just pull back towards you gently and the harness tightens slightly around the dogs midsection and directs the dogs attention back to you.
Remember, always use your preferred voice command when you direct the dog back to you and always, always REWARD....whether it be with small treats or physical rewards!! My guy gets both!
Happy Walking!
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Love the blog! Great to have fresh stuff to share. We use the easy walk on Calvin & it is GREAT! Love that thing.
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