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Gentle Leader FAQ's
Troubleshooting and Common
Questions
At what age can
a puppy begin to use a Gentle Leader®?
How many hours
a day can a dog wear the Gentle Leader®?
The dog keeps getting the Gentle Leader® off his nose - should the nose loop be
tighter?
What do I do if at first the
dog resists?
What do I do when the dog continues to struggle with the Gentle Leader®?
The dog has
developed a sore on the front of his neck!
I've
heard the Gentle Leader® can cause neck/spine injuries.
The
Nose Loop has excessively rubbed the dog's nose hair or skin.
The dog won't move or play - he just "pouts" - when the Gentle Leader® is on.
Should I recommend
a Gentle Leader® for a shy dog?
When can an owner
go back to a traditional collar?
At what age can
a puppy begin to use a Gentle Leader®?
How many hours
a day can a dog wear the Gentle Leader®?
- Up to 18 hours a day, removing it
at night.
The dog keeps getting the Gentle Leader® off his nose - should the nose loop be
tighter?
- Do not immediately tighten the
Nose Loop. In almost every case, when a dog gets the Nose Loop off, it is
because the Neck Strap is too loose. Check the fit of the neck strap first -
high on the neck, directly behind the base of the skull and snug so that you
can BARELY get one finger underneath. If you're thinking, "this is too
tight," you're probably there! Only after you have the Neck Strap adjusted
correctly can you determine if the Nose Loop needs to be tightened or
loosened. The Nose Loop rests just behind the corners of the mouth, in front
of the eyes. You should be able to pull it forward to the beginning of the
fleshy part of the nose, but not all of the way off.
What do I do if at first the
dog resists?
-
The
dog may resist the Gentle Leader® by pawing at it, flopping on the ground,
etc. Remember that he is not in pain, he is simply resisting the new message
telling him he is no longer in control. Don't try to "comfort" the dog with
petting or soothing phrases like, "It's OK, it won't hurt you, I'm here..."
If this is done while he is resisting, you are actually telling him that his
resistance is what you want - you'll be reinforcing his attempt to control
the situation. Save the praise and stroking for when he is no longer
resisting and is calmly walking, sitting, standing or lying down, and keep a
happy and upbeat voice.
-
For
the dog who resists, we've found the easiest way to help him quickly adjust
is to distract him from his attempts to fight or pout and to encourage a
desired behavior - namely, walking and sitting. The closed hand target along
with tasty treats and "happy talk" are great tools for getting him up and
moving or calmly sitting. Reactionary behavior will fade as the dog
acknowledges leadership.
- Some people prefer to let the dog
have a few minutes to adapt to the new feel of Gentle Leader® before making
the final Nose Loop adjustment. If the final Nose Loop adjustment has not
been made and the dog begins to paw, it's very important that the slack is
taken up on the leash so that the dog cannot get the Nose Loop off. If he
gets it off once, he'll fight ten times harder to get it off the next time!
(People with less "hands on" experience in this type of situation may be
better off making the final Nose Loop adjustment before attempting to
walk/sit/walk/sit, etc.)
Caution:
A dog needs to open his mouth to pant/breathe during physical activity or
stress. Do not keep a constant pull on the leash for more than about 30 seconds.
Your dog will be able to open his mouth as needed when there is no tension on
the leash.
What do I do when the dog continues to struggle with the Gentle Leader®?
-
First, check the fit. In many cases, it is because the Nose Loop is too
tight. People often mistakenly make the Nose Loop too tight because they
have made the Neck Strap too loose. If you loosen the Nose Loop, check the
fit of the Neck Strap, which will probably be too loose now. Snug up the
Neck Strap and readjust the Nose Loop.
- Next, make sure there is not
constant pressure on the leash. It is important to release the tension on
the leash immediately whenever the dog is performing the right behavior.
Remember that tension on the leash applies pressure on the muzzle telling
the dog this is not the right behavior. A loose leash releases pressure and
tells the dog, "Yes, this is what I want you to do!"
The
dog has developed a sore on the front of his neck!
-
A
"hot spot" can develop if the headcollar is left on the dog for days without
taking it off at night. The hot spot develops at the FRONT of the neck just
above the Adam's Apple. This is a moist area that develops as three things
coincide: the area under the front of the Neck Strap excludes light and
ventilation and the normal bacteria of the skin develop in the presence of
the increased temperature and lack of light.
- Remove the Gentle Leader®
immediately, and allow the hot spot to heal. Wash the Gentle Leader® before
using it again (it is safe to machine wash and dry or drip dry). When
reintroducing the Gentle Leader®, be sure to take it off each night. We
recommend that the Gentle Leader® not be left on any longer than 18 hours
per day.
I've heard the Gentle Leader® can cause neck/spine injuries.
- The co-developer of the Gentle
Leader®, Dr. R.K. Anderson, has investigated rumors that wearing a Gentle
Leader® can cause injury to the dog's neck or vertebra. None of the rumors
could be substantiated - not one case of neck or vertebra injury could be
documented as being caused by the Gentle Leader®. Dr. Anderson has
investigated all of the injury reports that have come to his attention and
continues to actively solicit any injury report for his personal
investigation. Much of the early research used in developing the product was
conducted in leading veterinary schools. During the past few years of use,
behaviorists, veterinarians and trainers have come to recognize the inherent
safety of the Gentle Leader® Headcollar when used according to instructions
and increasingly recommend the Gentle Leader® as a safe and humane training
aid.
The
Nose Loop has excessively rubbed the dog's nose hair or skin.
-
Excessive rubbing can occur when the Neck Strap is not properly fitted (too
loose) allowing rotation of the Nose Loop. It will also occur if the handler
jerks or yanks the leash to the side causing the Nose Loop to rotate.
- Remove Gentle Leader® immediately
and allow any skin abrasions to heal. Wash the headcollar before using again
(it is safe to machine wash and dry or drip dry). When reintroducing the
Gentle Leader®, make sure the Neck Strap is snug (one finger!) and the Nose
Loop is behind the lips and can move freely to the end of the nose, but
neither the handler nor the dog can pull the nose strap off. While the key
is the proper snug fit of the neck strap and proper use to avoid rotation
(no jerking or yanking to the side), a strip of Mole Skin can be used on the
underside of the nose loop with the soft side of the Mole Skin against the
dog.
The dog won't move or play - he just "pouts" - when the Gentle Leader®
is on.
-
Don't buy into it! Trying to soothe the dog with "it's okay," petting and
eye contact inadvertently reinforces the "pout". Save the words, petting,
treats and eye contact for when the dog is behaving the way you want him to.
-
When the dog is subdued and quiet, increase his activity level by using a
high, happy voice, animated gestures (in other words, acting the fool) and
encouraging him with toys, really tasty treats (freeze dried liver treats
are often the "million dollar doggie reward") or encouraging him to stand
up, walk or come using your target hand. Try creating a "treat trail" on the
ground, and the dog is rewarded while walking from treat to treat. Work with
him when he's hungry - right before his normal feeding time. Plan on a
number of short (two-minute) practice sessions before an actual walk.
-
Completely withdraw all attention - no eye contact, no verbal cues, no
touching - or better yet, walk away. He gets attention - eye contact,
praise, petting and sometimes food - when he's not fussing with the
headcollar or is displaying desired behavior. Make sure good things happen
when the Gentle Leader is on - eating, playing, petting. Do things that are
fun for him while he has the headcollar on - going to the park, lake, pet
store, for a ride in the car.
-
If
he refuses to budge, try "rocking" him like a stuck car with a pull and
release, pull and release (no jerking) on the leash. Squat down and
encourage him with your voice and target hand. Immediately release the
tension when he starts to move, praise and treat.
- Remember that the dog is not in
pain, he is simply resisting the new message telling him he is no longer in
control - the handler's patience and persistence will pay off!
Should I
recommend a Gentle Leader® for a shy dog?
- Leading behaviorists and trainers
report that Gentle Leader® is particularly effective in helping fearful and
shy dogs feel more secure and calm in situations that previously produced
anxiety. With Gentle Leader®, your dog instinctively senses and responds to
your leadership, allowing him to relax and let you be responsible for his
welfare. When fear and anxiety are reduced, your dog will learn faster and
be a more rewarding companion.
When can an
owner go back to a traditional collar?
-
This is a common question, and the answer is as individual as the handler
and the dog. One of the most unique features of Gentle Leader® is that it
can convert to a traditional-style collar at anytime. (In fact, Gentle
Leader® is the only headcollar that can be converted in this way.) The
handler might choose to use Gentle Leader® as a headcollar for only a short
period of time to deal with one specific behavior problem, then convert it
to a traditional-style collar from that point on. After the initial training
period, the handler might use it primarily as a traditional-style collar,
converting it back to a headcollar in those certain situations when more
control is needed. For many owners, Gentle Leader® provides such ease of
control that the headcollar option is their permanent choice throughout the
life of their dogs. (There are some who feel that because it never chokes,
Gentle Leader® is more humane than collars of any style and, therefore,
replaces a collar for daily wear, even without behavior problems.)
-
The
owner is the one who must make the determination as to when and if a change
is in the best interests of the dog and family. Chances are that an elderly
couple with an energetic Great Dane will benefit from using Gentle Leader®
forever! If the owner has a young Lab who loves to jump up on people, the
Gentle Leader® might be used with the Indoor Drag Line for a couple of
months up to a year to continue to reinforce "sitting to greet." Again, it
all depends on each situation. A simple guideline is that Gentle Leader®
should be used whenever the owner/and or family members want to have greater
control of the dog.
- When an owner is happy with the
level of control and would like to see how his dog does with a standard
collar, Gentle Leader® offers the convenience of convertibility. Simply use
the Neck Strap of Gentle Leader® as you would a regular collar, without
placing the Nose Loop around the dog's nose. Attach the leash to the Control
Ring, and the Nose Loop becomes an extension of the leash to the collar. If
you are out for a walk and find the need for more control, just slip the
Nose Loop back over your dog's nose.
Note:
When
using the Nose Loop as an extension of the leash, be sure to slide the snap
clamp all the way up to the Center Bar Ring to prevent chewing.
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