Anyone use a Halti or Gentle Leader?

[Kenny R]

I'd like to hear everyone's experience with either one. We use the Halti, and for us it is a must.

[Beth E]

Well Star is old enough that when we take her for a walk, we take her for a walk. But let me tell you when she was younger she always took us for a walk.

[jelly8bean]

I use a gentle leader on both my girls with very different results. My little red girl is always walking the max out she can.. before the gentle leader she was always at the end of the leash. My new young (22 month) blue girl started on a regular collar, and we quickly moved to gentle leader due to her pulling. She walks wonderfully on the GL.. but not so much without. I'm reading up on Obediance work and there is one passage in the heeling section that seems very appropriate. "any of the equipment you use on your dog (ie collars, leash, headcollar etc) are merely training tools. They're there to keep your dog under control while it learns to obey verbal commands and control its own behavior around distractions". I'm going to be working harder on my walks from now on...

[magtie]

My brothers dob is funny when he wears his. He'll lean his head against your leg and try to rub it off. hahah

[Rich S]

Magnum is so strong that we have to use a Gentle Leader on him. We've tried a couple times going for a walk without it, always ending with the same result.

He is starting to get use to it. Although when ever he sees it he hides behind the couch.

[jelly8bean]

Last night I walked both my girls together.. it was really cool. We walked for about an hour one on each side of me. Both had gentle leaders on, and I swear that is what made it possible. Once we get walking and forward they were really great. And they were incredibly good with passing people on the trail. I would take them to the side (because we filled up the path) and told them to wait, no lunging or smelling anything. Again due to the gentle leaders in my mind. I want to be able to walk these girls without them one day.. but I think I have lots of training to do before that. :)

[Mandy F]

It's like my credit card...don't leave home without it!

[Rich S]

It's like my credit card...don't leave home without it!

You sound an awful lot like my wife to be.

[Jeff P]

We use a gentle leader. Mandy is right, you can't leave without it on your dog.

I have a few people ask if my dog is vicious, assuming he was wearing a mussel. I'm always caught off guard when I'm asked that. To me, it looks nothing like a mussel, but I guess I can understand, on some level, the confusion.

[BlueDobeGroup]

Always! we use a Gentle leader. I'd like to shake the hand of the guy/girl who invented this.

[reddobe]

Gentle Leader here.

We tried the Halti first but found it would rub on his eyes. Maybe we weren't using it right.

[apollo]

Not many people know what the gentle lead or the halti are especially if they don't own a dog so they automatically think it's a muzzle and that the dog bites. there are many people who use these at my campground and they say the same thing. I never knew of these products until after I trained apollo to heel It took a long time and alot of pactience but we both enjoy our walk now. My wife would have probably used one of these products in the beginning as we've seen many people with them and have herd positive feed back.

[Tombo]

I used the Halti. Worked very nice for me. And ya i sometimes call it a mussel without knowing . only because they almost look alike

[Rich S]

Yeah that's true, a lot of people, from a distance, think it is a mussel.

[jelly8bean]

One of my three current dogs is a rottie - she is my brother's dog and I wanted a way for my neice to walk her and the gentle leader is the ticket. This is a sweet sweet dog who loves kids.. and when you walk 89% of the time she is right at your side.. but one rabbit/squirrel too close and 90 lb of muscle can take you down. With the gentle leader my 7 yr old neice can take her for a walk.

On another note.. how long did it take you to teach heel starting with the gentle leader? I want all my 3 to be able to heel and walk nicely with flat collars and we are all on gentle leaders right now. They do well on the leader.. not so well without. One trainer says... use the training tool till they understand the command and can control themselves. I'm working on it.. but would like to know when we need to call in re-inforcements.

[apollo]

You will need to start with baby steps ( and i mean literally it may take you 15 mins to walk 20- 30 feet) you have to have the dogs total attention keep him on your left side is what I was taught there are many reasons for this but I'll stick to the topic you give the command to heel take a couple of steps and praise the dog (treats are also helpful. When he starts to pull or loses your attention give the command to sit and praise him then give the command to heel and repeat the process until he can walk in the heel position with you. Dobes most times want to do everything fast so it may look like they want to take off walking fast or running from the heel position just give them time they will get use to it and enjoy it. Make sure to start him from the sit because most commands start from this position and you will get him use to this. when he masters this command you can train him with a hand signal, slapping your left thigh.

[apollo]

also after you think he has mastered the heel get someone maybe even your child to run by you calling the dog to follow them and see if he stays with you maybe even have a stuffed animal tied to there waist i.e. a stuffed rabbit or squirrel. Keep his attention with you and only you.

[jelly8bean]

oh.. heeling. That is harder and definately will take longer. :(
But we can do it.. :)