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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 10:57 am Post subject: gentle leader harness?

I need to know about the gentle leader harness. I have a 70lb lab that does not behave very well on her leash when men walk by. it's gotten to the point that my girls have to take seperate walks because it's hard to hold on to Wrigley when Libby starts acting up. Has anyone used them before? do they work?
just to make myself clear I'm talking about the collar/harness that goes over the head(like a horse bridal almost)

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 10:59 am Post subject:

I have one of those and I love it! I do not like the head halters, but love the gentle lead harness. The dogs seem to take to it much better than the head halters also. I would definetely give it a try.

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:09 am Post subject:

thanks, I bought one of the no pull harnesses that goes across the chest and once i got it on her i didnt like mechanics of it i just need something to focus her attention back on me and our walk, i dont want it to pinch her anywhere.

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:14 am Post subject:

the gentle lead harness is like the no pull harness, is it not?

the version I have is called the Sensible harness.
http://www.softouchconcepts.com/products/sense_ible_harness.html

Is that what you are referring to? This is what I was commenting on, but I thought they were all similar.

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:21 am Post subject:

http://www.gentleleader.com/pages.cfm?ID=29
this is what i was refering to, although i haven't seen a harness like the one you showed me. the one i bought goes under her armpits and has fleece sleeves, when she pulls it will pinch her little pitties and I'd rather not use anything like that. i returned it.

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:42 am Post subject:

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:46 am Post subject:

ok, thank you very much.

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:58 am Post subject:

Just so you know, the sensible dog harness does kind of go directly behind the armpits (as you can see in the pic), if that's what you mean. Most harnesses do though, I believe. My dog is a big baby about stuff like that and she never minded the harness at all.

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 2:37 am Post subject:

I work at a no-kill shelter/clinic where the majority of the dogs are either major pullers, or like to lunge at certain things like trucks or other dogs. We use both the Gentle Leader and the Easy Walk Harness for different dogs, depending on what kind of restraint they need.

Gentle Leader: http://www.gentleleader.com/pages.cfm?id=17
Easy Walk Harness: http://www.gentleleader.com/pages.cfm?id=74

For your dog, from what you've described, I'd honestly go with the Gentle Leader. As long as you adjust it correctly, there is no pain/discomfort and it can get almost any dog to behave, because they hate the way it pulls their face downwards (by putting pressure on the top of the muzzle) when they try to pull/lunge, so they almost immediately stop and calm down. I’ve seen dogs go from complete nut-jobs to calm and quite in seconds with the Gentle Leader.

One dog we have in particular, Horace, is a huge APBT who has learned to walk so perfectly with the Gentle Leader you'd never guess he used to pull people around the block like it was nothing. Once the dogs get used to it being put on, they become accustomed to it and seem to not mind it at all. However, for the *crazy* dogs who just can't deal with something being on their face, we use the Easy Walk Harness (although they still lunge if they get the chance, as it doesn’t really stop that behavior as much).

I would recommend the Easy Walk Harness mostly just for constant pullers, not for lungers. At least this has been my experience with the two different products and many, many dogs at the shelter, anyway. =) Good luck!

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:35 am Post subject:

I like Gentle Leaders, but I prefer the Halti.

Halti: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=875

I find it to be more adjustable then the Gentle Leader, and it comes with a safety clip that attaches the Halti to the dogs regular collar, in case your dog manages to slip the Halti off it's head, you still have a back up, so that your dog can not break free.

I think pretty much all collars and harness's of a type are good tools, for the right dog, and in the right hands.
For each of them, you need to know how to use them properly, or you shouldn't be using them at all.

With most of the dogs I've trained, I use a half chain Martingale and/or Halti.

Half Chain Martingale:
http://www.callicoma.com.au/images/combimart_sml1.jpg

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 12:07 pm Post subject:

We just bought one of these yesterday. Going into the pet store as our dog was pulling very hard, a couple leaving said we should get one of the Gentle Leads. Once I got my dog in for her grooming, I researched it. I talked to several people in the store that were using them, and I talked to the trainer at the store--all highly recommended it. Today was our first time using it and it was amazing. Our dog immediately stopped pulling when we took her for a walk. I am very excited about this. We stopped walking her because nothing seemed to work (choke chains; harness; etc). Our dog is a 2-year-old, 40 pound mixed breed (Brittney and something else unknown) that we got from a shelter 6 monts ago. I'm looking forward to our walks now. I highly recommend it the Gentle Lead.

Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:37 pm Post subject:

I tried the Gentle Leader harness on my 20 pound terrier who pulls like the dickens and he just kept tripping over the leash. the attachment was at his chest which was just too low for little dogs... in my opinion.

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:19 am Post subject:

Just wanted to thank everyone for this thread. My Lab pulls something awful, and we've been thinking this might be the way to go. With the good reviews in this thread, I think we'll go ahead and try it.

Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 12:45 pm Post subject:

It might be too late but here's what i've found--

1) Halti's give blisters (not my experience, my friends poor dog!)

2) I bought a Gentle leader at Target for $14.99. I bought the large one to donate to the shelter I volunteer at, but I tried it on my dog 1st--it was amazing!

3) the harness I use now was bought from a seller fo N2 paws, it is great!! IT was only $15.00, and it works amazing!

Hope this helps.....

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:40 am Post subject:

I have both the gentle leader harness as well as the face version.

First the face. A big con is the dog has to learn to like this. It does take time to teach the pup that it is ok. Gives you 100% control over the pup. you can "drive" the dog in the direction you choose. We have one for each of our pups.

Second the harness for the body. Can be a pain to place on, I have to look at it every time to make sure that it is placed on correctly. has two straps color coded for ease of use. I usually keep the top stap snapped. I know my two pups that can use this still can pull which is fine for me as they are a service dog or a service dog in training that use it.

For a puller I would recommend starting with the face version then when you have the pulling under control switch to the harness while leaving the face one on but the lead attached to the harness on the body. This iwll prevent the pulling due to the dog thinking the one on his face will do the pulling if he pulls. Then when he is good with that for a few days take off the face harness but bring it with you on walks and if he starts to pull place it back on and latch the leash to it for a block or two then place the lead on the body harness again and leave the face one on. Over time you will be able to drop the face harness and have zero pulling on the body harness.

The Service dog that uses this body harness still can pull when directed to. If she is having an off day and pulling without direction I have placed the face harness on her for a minute and she settles right back down and it comes off never having the lead attached to the face.

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