Gentle leaders

[kyredneck]

I would like advice, please!

I have seen gentle leaders mentioned in a few posts and I want to give it a try.

I have 3 dogs:

1-husky mix 65 lbs 4 years old. She used to pull a lot, but as she has aged, she is better. However, she is not very biddable and under the right circumstances, she will try to slip out of her harness and bolt. Like when she sees a deer, and there are a lot of them.

2- Mal mix 80 lbs 3 years old. The only time she is good on a leash is when she is tired. She will not try to slip her harness, but she does pull. A lot.

3- beagle x American Bulldog 35 pounds 2 years old. He is generally good. Will pull a little if he is on a scent, but because he is small, it's easier to manage. He will get hyped up by dog 2 and also hypes up dog 2.

What do I AVOID when buying?

What are the best resources for learning how to train the dogs to use them?

Is there hope that once they are trained, they will one day do well in a harness?

Is there any benefit in training dog 1 and dog 3? EDIT FOR CLARITY: I mean training them on a gentle leader. I understand all dogs need to be trained their whole lives.

I know dog 2 will be hardest. Do I start with her, or with someone who will be easier? She is actually the most biddable. Dog 1 learns the fastest when she wants to. She can be frustrating though due to her independence. If you catch her in the wrong mood she is stubborn and won't work.

 

[vdenni]

@kyredneck IMO, most harnesses are a hindrance more than a help unless you actually want the dog to pull. Even no-pull harnesses don’t let you control the dog’s head, which tends to influence how well you can redirect their behavior in my experience. They also can adjust their gate to still pull and do damage to their muscles/ligaments. I’d pretty much never use one if I could help it.

You can give the gentle leader head collar a try, but note that most dogs really hate it and it takes a while for them to accept it without too much of a fight. Also, if they get it off even once, they will forever try infinitely harder to get it off again, so beware. There are plenty of online resources to show you how to properly introduce it.

Personally I prefer prong collars and feel the dogs do as well, but do what you are most comfortable with.

 

[kyredneck]

@vdenni Thanks. I wouldn't mind if the pulling was just tension on the leash, which is where she is when tired. I mind it because she is sometimes at a full surge. She is big and strong. I have to counter balance her with my body weight. It makes going on a walk not very enjoyable for me, though she still has a blast LOL.

 

[mathek]

@kyredneck I avoided a gentle leader for my dog specifically because mine is also big and strong (and I am very petite) who had a tendency to lunge toward prey. If it was just constant pulling, I would be fine with using the gentle leader or another head halter; but the explosiveness of the lunging and the power/strength that my dog has, I got really worried about her neck muscles and felt she could really injure herself by pulling/tearing a muscle. So I went the prong route and am so glad I did for a multitude of reasons.

People tend to gravitate toward a gentle leader because prongs seem “scarier” or “meaner” to the dog, but sometimes prongs are the safest method. Just be aware and cautious of the lunging while it is on, but teaching leash pressure overall should mitigate the lunging and risk of injury.

 

[kyredneck]

@mathek Good to note. Thank you!

 

[emily99]

@kyredneck I went from prong to gentle leader for my strong 80 lb male pit husky shepherd mix. I wish I would have done it much earlier. He can still pull against the prong but I can control him with two fingers on the Gentle leader. It took him like two days to fully accept it. He hates harnesses of any kind. He will lunge at some other males and the gentle leader allows me to pull his head away easily where the prong probably just irritated him more. Tough to do a leash pop with prong when the dog is already exerting force on the leash.

 

[kyredneck]

@emily99 Thanks. Appreciate your input!

 

[dpardue]

@kyredneck I don't personally like the head halters as they keep pressure on the dogs nose even when they are not pulling (contrary to a slip or prong which only activates when the dog pulls). A lot of dogs stop pulling on them without any training because it is very uncomfortable.

I would do figure 8s and 180 turns until they know how to properly walk on the leash. They'll have to use their brains and that is often even more tiring than the actual walk. Also, if they often have the chance to pull it'll make it harder to train out of them even if you spend time training leash manners. Consistence is key!

Good luck!

 

[kyredneck]

@dpardue Thanks! I have tried a slip lead. I can use it correctly with the beabull, but I can't seem to keep it positioned correctly on the other two, so it doesn't seem safe.