Gentle Leaders - More info

We hope you find this additional information on the Gentle Leader helpful. If you have any questions, please email us, or add a question to our Forum. Thanks.

Gentle Leader Gallery : your dog can play, eat, pant and drink whilst wearing the Gentle Leader. (Please click on the Gentle Leader pic for a larger view.)

And thanks to the manufacturer, for this quick Gentle Leader video clip (altho sorry for the advertorial style....)

At the Premier site, you can also find : the Gentle Leader Fitting Guide(PDF), FAQ's, and testimonials

Some questions and thoughts...

Is the Gentle Leader right for my dog? There are occaisions when the Gentle Leader may not be the right product for your dog. Some people, for instance, simply think they are muzzles and become wary of your dog - perhaps that actually is a good thing for you - or perhaps not - it really depends on what you're trying to achieve. A small number of dogs however, simply hate having the Gentle Leader over their noses. Either they find it annoying or they find that they can't cope with the frustration of not being able to pull.

If your dog find's it annoying, and the seem to want to paw their noses, then simply take sime time to get your dog used to the feeling: slip it on for just a second and take it off, and give your dog a treat. Repeat that a few times, then put it on for a few seconds and treat, and gradually build up that time. It can help if you put a treat in your hand, and slip the nose loop over your hand. Then as you feed the dog the treat, slip the nose loop over the nose. Then connect the neck catch, again for a few seconds and build that up. During this desensitisation time, keep your dog occupied with treats, or a game. Repeat this process for a minute or so several times a day for a 2-3 days. Your dog should be much happier about it now. Do make sure that you don't "reward" your dog when they are trying to get it off, or rubbing their nose on something (you / thr ground etc). But, don't just ignore them either. Instead, distract them - use training - get them to sit, and give a treat.

If your dog seems to feel frustrated, then the chances are that really, you could possibly benefit from the help of a behaviourist/trainer. Pleaes have a look at the capbt, or the apdt for help.

What are the alternatives? Some dogs however, are simply much more suited to a similarly functioned harness. The Gentle Leader harness, again provides control from the front, and most dogs seem to accept it readily.

Which one to choose? Really it's a personal choice.

One recommedation tho': if your dog really pulls like a 10 ton train, then you might find that a multi=pronged approach is best. i.e. the Gentle Leader, and the Gentle Leader Easy Walk harness, linked together with a Double training lead. However, again, if this is you, then I would really recommend that you also seek professional help. These tools are training aids. They help to curb and prevent the pulling continuing, and help to calm. They don't however, help you to look at the motivation and deal with the underlying reasons for your dog pulling.

We do hope you've found this helpful. Please do get in touch if you have any questions. Thanks.