The Gentle Leader Dog Leash: Should I or Shouldn’t I?

April 29

The Gentle Leader is a dog leash, harness or head collar (sometimes referred to as a Halti) designed to stop your dog from pulling while walking your dog.Will it actually stop your dog from pulling?Yes. It will stop your dog from pulling while on walks. But it is not really a training tool. It doesn’t teach your dog anything else. And you have not established yourself as your dog’s pack leader. The Gentle Leader dog leash is strictly a restraint mechanism. There is a huge difference between restraining your dog and training him.How does it work?
The Gentle Leader slides over the head and muzzle. When the dog pulls, pressure is applied from the back of the neck causing the dog to pull backward instead of pulling forward. It controls the dog’s head. Whatever direction the head goes, the body must follow.

The advantages of the Gentle Leader are you get definite control of your dog on walks. The Gentle Leader is inexpensive. Although it does take getting used to, a dog can adapt to it rather quickly. You don’t have to be a dog trainer to get him to respond to it.

The disadvantages of the Gentle Leader are that it is a restraining device rather than a training tool. Its purpose is really only for walking your dog. The dog will probably become “collar smart” which means you will have to use the Gentle Leader every single time you want to take your dog for a walk. It is not designed to work on other dog behaviors. Your dog may go through some spastic reactions while learning to wear it.

You will hear claims from head collar enthusiasts and others state that it is a humane device for dogs. It is no more humane than other tools such as training collars, martingale collars and pinch collars as long the person using them knows how to use them. In fact, I will go so far as to say that the latter tools will address more behaviors and make your dog more obedient than the Gentle Leader or head collar.

In conclusion, if all you want to do is be able to walk your dog without him pulling, the Gentle Leader dog leash will do the job. If you want total respect from your dog, I recommend a sound obedient training program. The money will be well spent if you get the right dog trainer and you commit to leading your dog.

Think the Gentle Leader can help you? Amazon seems to have the best prices available. If you do decide to buy one, it is worth it to buy the Gentle Leader dog leash that has the DVD included. Click below to view them:

Gentle Leader