Has anyone used on of these?

We bought on for Kota over the past weekend but have only gotten to use it once with everything that has been going on. It seems like it really helps with the pulling but I am not sure that once we try to go back to collar/harness walking that she will be right back to pulling terribly. Granted we have only used it once, but it doesn't seem like a corrective tool, since the only real reason it makes her walk better is because she literally has to walk well when on it.

Does that even make sence? Lol

I know what you mean. I think haltis and no-pull harnesses are really useful, and can make going for a walk so much easier, but you still need to work on training for loose-leash walking. It helps to practice loose-leash walking inside and in your yard before you go out on the street, so you can use the halti for walks while working on loose leash walking at home, if you see what I mean.

I like Kikopup's video on teaching loose leash walking, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFgtqgiAKoQ . I think some dogs get it really quickly if you just stop and stand still whenever they pull, but with other dogs it really helps to reward for being in the right position (like Kikopup does with the clicker).

Word of caution, and one of the reasons i depise head halters; be aware that if Kota sees something interesting like a cat or squirrel, he might go after it, firgetting about the halter. It can really damage his neck. I've seen dogs come in with severe injuries to the vertebra in their neck. One of them completely ruptured 2 discs. Just thought I'd share that.

Yikes Brooke, thanks for sharing that. They certainly don't suit some dogs at all but I didn't know they had caused injuries like that.

Ghost wrote:

I know what you mean. I think haltis and no-pull harnesses are really useful, and can make going for a walk so much easier, but you still need to work on training for loose-leash walking. It helps to practice loose-leash walking inside and in your yard before you go out on the street, so you can use the halti for walks while working on loose leash walking at home, if you see what I mean.

I like Kikopup's video on teaching loose leash walking, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFgtqgiAKoQ . I think some dogs get it really quickly if you just stop and stand still whenever they pull, but with other dogs it really helps to reward for being in the right position (like Kikopup does with the clicker).

I do too! I just watched it. However, I think Juneau would run off once I dropped her leash.

hypers987 wrote:

Word of caution, and one of the reasons i depise head halters; be aware that if Kota sees something interesting like a cat or squirrel, he might go after it, firgetting about the halter. It can really damage his neck. I've seen dogs come in with severe injuries to the vertebra in their neck. One of them completely ruptured 2 discs. Just thought I'd share that.

Thanks for sharing. I will definitely work faster on training Juneau to not pull so I can stop using the Gentle Leader.

I was worried about that when I bought it but we keep her on a very short leash when we walk her with it so that she cannot take off and really hurt herself but I am going to pay extra attention to it now. I hate using it because I dont feel like it correct anything but we needed sometime temporary because nothing else had worked. Kota is very stubborn.

Thanks again for the heads up though!!

I need to do some more research on the loose leash walking but no matter what we have tried she just doesn't get it. She literally hurts me when we try to walk the way she pulls. If I put her in a harness its 100 times worse and if I use a flat collar/prong collar she just chokes herself. She just doesn't get it and I am very frustrated. Our other husky is a dream and walks wonderfully but not Kota.