wizer
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« on: July 04, 2008, 08:09:31 pm » |
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My puppy is about 4.5 months old. She's been very trainable, and she knows about a half dozen commands at this point, however once consistant problem is that she pulls hard on the leash when walking and jumps up on people.
The vet suggested the "Gentle Leader" which is like a "bridle" for horses, only its for dogs...it has two loops, one goes around the dogs muzzle but behind the mouth so the dog has full use of it's mouth, and the other loop acts as a snug collar to hold the nose loop in place. The leash attaches to a ring on the nose loop, so tension on the leash causes the dog to turn his head towards you.
One big conception is that it's NOT a muzzle!
It fits around the mouth but it is slid up, leaving the dog full use of their mouth, they can do anything they normally do including open it wide enough to catch a ball, assuming it is fit properly.
It is a miniature version of a horse halter, and makes it much easier to control your dog. When they are in the sit position, if you have them on a short leash..its almost impossible for them to get out of the sit position because when the head is up, the butt goes down.
No pulling, struggling, no worries about the dog leaping at someone, and in addition to that, a nervous dog will be more calm because he has relinquished control to his master who will take control of the situation, leaving him less anxious. On the DVD you get with the Gentle Leader they compare it to wolves who actually show their dominance by gently cupping the mouths of the wolves "lower down" in the hierarchy, much as the Leader cups around their nose.
The thing is amazing. Not only did it immediately stop the pulling but by keeping the leash short and standing next to your dog, pulling up on the leash gently pulls the dogs head up, and puts them in a sit-stay position which they very quickly learn to keep, with the help of rewards of course...
Rarely do I find a product that works as well or better than advertised. This one qualifies. If you have a dog that pulls and/or jumps, get this thing.
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