Jump to section
Are you plagued by a pulling pooch?
Tugging on the lead and refusing to walk to heel are common problems that most pet parents are familiar with. The dog that lunges forward turns a pleasant stroll into a battle of wills and can ruin an otherwise relaxing walk. But worse than this, a strong dog can pull an owner over or become dangerously out of control.
What's to be done?
There is no shortage of training aids that are said to cure pulling. However, most of these rely on inflicting pain or discomfort on the dog, such as prong collars, choke chains, or electric collars. For those wanting a healthy, happy relationship with their pet pal then ruling through fear is not an acceptable option.
Enter Prof Robert Anderson and dog trainer Ruth Foster. They devised the Gentle Leader (™) as a humane way to guide and control strong dogs. It works in two ways: by utilizing pressure points on the neck and nose that have a calming effect, and by turning the dog's head up towards the owner.
The Gentle Leader is a headcollar that fit snugly around the neck and muzzle. It is equally suitable for pups and adults, although the dog does require to have a snout, so is not suitable for flat-faced breeds such as pugs.
When leash walking while wearing a Gentle Leader, the dog pulls and his head is turned up and backwards, discouraging him from surging further ahead.
As with any new collar, some dogs may take a while to get used to wearing the leader. It's not usual to paw or rub at the halter in an attempt to remove it. Simply distract the dog, perhaps even walking briskly forward and encouraging the dog to follow, then give him treats for obeying.
Key to successful training with a Gentle Leader (™) is to use positive, reward-based training methods and only to use gentle pressure on the lead. Never tug, snatch, or pull hard on the lead as this will frighten and confuse the dog and possibly even injure him.
The Perfect Fit Method
Most Recommended
2 Votes
Most Recommended
2 Votes
Size correctly
The Gentle Leader comes in small, medium, and large sizes. Select the most appropriate option for your dog.
Adjust the headcollar to your dog's size
- To do this, fit the neck strap and alter the size so that it is a snug but not too tight. Aim to fit one finger between the strap and the neck.
- Remove the neck strap by opening the clip.
- Now slide the nose loop over the dog's muzzle and clip the neck strap into place.
- Adjust the sliding clamp up under the dog's chin. When correctly placed, the nose and neck strap should come together in a 'V' rather than an 'L'.
Celebrate!
The dog is now wearing the Gentle Leader. Give him lots of praise.
Start walking
Clip the leash onto the control ring and away you go!
The Stop Pulling Method
Effective
2 Votes
Effective
2 Votes
Walk forward
Walk your dog on a leash with the slack taken up.
Hold tension
When the dog pulls ahead, maintain tension on the lead. The dog's head now turns towards you, restricting the forward surge.
Loosen tension
Once he slows his pace, slacken the tension on the lead. This helps him understand that the absence of pulling returns his head to a more natural position.
Reward!
Once walking beside you, praise the dog and reward him.
Be proactive
Learn to anticipate when the dog is about to surge ahead. For example, once his shoulder passes your leg, apply gentle tension on the leash to raise and turn his head.
Reward!
As soon as he falls back into stride, release the tension and praise him.
The Walk-to-Heel Method
Least Recommended
2 Votes
Least Recommended
2 Votes
Choose a side
Decide which side you want the dog to walk to heel, and stick with this side.
Walk forward
Hold the leash with a small amount of slack in it. Walk forward and encourage the dog to follow. If he hangs back, encourage him with a treat.
Lure as needed
If he still doesn't move forward, apply gentle pressure to the leash while luring him with the treat. As he moves off, release the tension on the leash and praise him.
Introduce command and praise
Once by your ankle, give your cue command, e.g. "Heel" and praise him as he walks. If he surges ahead, follow the method to stop pulling.
Written by Amy Caldwell
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 09/20/2017, edited: 01/08/2021
More articles by Amy Caldwell
Training Questions and Answers
When first training with a gentle leader should there be a limit to how far they walk when getting them accustomed to it
Jan. 27, 2021
Shadow's Owner
Alisha Smith - Alisha S., Dog Trainer
253 Dog owners recommended
Hello! Usually about 20 minutes is enough. But if your dog is really refusing, you can keep it as short as 5 minutes. Always try to end the walk on a positive note while getting them used to it. So if you can only go 5 minutes for a few days, that is totally ok.
Jan. 27, 2021
Hi, when I put the Grntle leader on him, he just lies down! It can take 30 minutes to just walk down my hall to the elevator! Help!!
Oct. 7, 2020
Izzy's Owner
Alisha Smith - Alisha S., Dog Trainer
253 Dog owners recommended
Hello! Have you tried carrying some super tasty treats with you on your walks? You can use the treats to not only distract him, but lure him to walk next to you. Try keeping a few treats in your hand, in front of his nose while you're walking. Every minute or so, give him a treat. It can take dogs a few weeks to become accustomed to the Gentle Leader.
Oct. 9, 2020
I've started using the Gentle Leader leash and followed all instructions to adjust them, but my dogs are still pulling and trying to lead the walk, even snuffing the floor. Would you help me understanding what I'm doing wrong?
Sept. 8, 2020
Maya and Olivia's Owner
Alisha Smith - Alisha S., Dog Trainer
253 Dog owners recommended
Hello! I am assuming you have the one that goes around the head and snout. It may be tricky to answer this without follow up questions but I will do my best! You may want to carry some treats out with you the next time you go for a walk. Keep a treat in hand to lure them close to you as you're walking. Give them treats for good behavior. Right now, the good is just not pulling. Eventually you want their attention to be on you or just the walk itself. You can start rewarding them for looking at you or keeping their focus on the walk. Give it a few more weeks with the Gentle Leader. It takes a bit of time for dogs to learn not to fight the harness.
Sept. 8, 2020
I introduced her to her gentle leader two days ago and she just wore it around the house the first day and then took her on a walk yesterday. She frequently tried to shake it off but would walk for a little while too. Should we continue to let her get used to it on walks or let her wear it more around the house first? I want her to have a positive association with it for walks. Thanks!
July 13, 2020
Granite's Owner
Alisha Smith - Alisha S., Dog Trainer
253 Dog owners recommended
Hi! You had the right idea by letting her wear it around the house first. Continue to do that, but also start rewarding her for being calm while wearing it. You can utilize treats or what I call “life rewards” if you don’t want to utilize treats. When you go to put it on her, make it a direct positive by giving her a treat, or tossing her her favorite toy. And continue to reward her if she is calm. Do this for a few more days. This will show her that the halter comes with goodies! While walking, if she starts shaking it or pawing to get it off. Have her stop and sit. This will “reset” her and then you can continue walking. Carry treats on your walk, and be sure to reward her good walking. This process should only take about 3 weeks. Please let me know if you have additional questions. Thanks for writing in!
July 14, 2020