PetSafe Gentle Leader No-Pull Dog Headcollar - The Ultimate Solution to Pulling - Redirects Your Dog's Pulling for Easier Walks - Helps You Regain Control - Large, Red

Totally ripped off the below article from --> (http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/are-head-collars-on-dogs-dangerous-or-safe)...but it says it all. It works great for our dogAttached to leashes are tools designed to help you control your dog by guiding its head, just as halters and lead ropes are used to help control horses. An animal tends to go where its head goes. So, if the dog (or horse) wants to pull on the leash and its head can’t move, it can’t pull you so well. If the dog (or horse) wants to head in one direction and you want to go in another, gently (but not daintily) guide its head in the direction you want to lead the animal.The nice thing about head collars is that with some dogs, owners can just slap a head collar on and the dog suddenly walks nicely on leash, including around distractions that the dog would have barked and lunged at in the past. But in some cases, dogs randomly paw at the funny gear hanging off their faces the way you’d paw at pesky flies buzzing around your head. In other cases, the dog walks nicely and on a loose lead but, when he sees a distraction, he starts to sprint several feet to the end of the leash or barks and lunges and flails to get at the dog, cat, or person in the distance while fighting to get its head loose. Now if this were a person, flailing on the end of a leash attached to an apparatus on his head, he’d surely have a neck injury. But anyone who has seen a dog that goes to town playing tug-o-war knows that a dog’s neck is built differently. Because of this neck strength, few cases of injury due to head collars have been proven or medically documented (I actually haven’t seen any). Not to say injury could not happen. However, veterinary documented injuries caused or exacerbated by choke chain corrections and electronic collars are easy to find. . Most likely if dogs are pulling on their head collar a lot or running to the end, they may need massage or chiropractic care just the way people who work or study at a desk all day need back adjustments periodically. In fact, I think I need a lower back adjustment right now.The Basics of Teaching Dogs to Understand Head Collar GuidanceThe fact of the matter is, that as a trainer, if you’re concerned about injury due to head collars or difficulty accepting the collar, it’s best to learn the skills needed to actually train the dog to love wearing the head collar and walk politely on a head collar, as well as to teach the owner how to correctly guide the dog in an anatomically natural way. The first step of training dogs to love the head collar is easy. Just pair the head collar with food and systematically train the dog to stick its head further and further through. In most cases where the food and the collar are handled correctly, the dog can learn to shove his nose through in just a minute or two. Practice over several sessions if you’re worried that your dog will especially dislike wearing something odd on his head. On a side note, this method for training dogs to love their head collar is virtually identical to training dogs to love wearing a muzzle.Once the dog is good at shoving his nose into the head collar, then put the head collar on. Keep the dog focused on you instead of the funny thing on his face. You can lure him with a treat to hurry and follow you a few steps at a time; if he’s doing well after you repeat this five to ten times, increase the number of steps he must take to get the treat. You can also use targeting instead of luring if he already knows how to touch a target with his nose and loves it.Once your dog’s walking nicely and no longer has the desire to paw the head collar, it’s time to teach him that the leash has a limit. Every time his front feet pass yours, meaning he’s just a second or two from getting far enough ahead to pull, stop dead in your tracks. That will make it clear you’ve stopped and even the slightest pull will mean a halt to his forward movement. Once he clearly steps back towards you and then stands with a loose leash (or better yet, sits), walk forward briskly on a loose leash.In other words, he learns the leash hanging in a lazy “U” means he gets to walk forward. If the leash starts to tighten, it means you’re stopping. By doing this consistently for as little as one 5-10 minute session, Fido can learn that the leash has a limit that’s predictable. Note: in order for Fido to learn this and continue walking nicely you have to be consistent about how you walk and hold the leash. If you sometimes let him walk ahead and pull a little such that the leash is hanging but like a wide smiley face, or if you stop when his feet get ahead of yours but instead of keeping your leash–holding hand down low at your side-- you let Fido pull your hand forward when he continues to walk, you’re sending mixed signals about what you want. Fido may never clearly get what you’re imagining in your head. Have someone watch you so that you can see if you’re always being clear.Now that Fido can walk with a head collar on in a non-distracting environment, you may be ready to guide him better when distractions appear. When you see something that normally catches his eye, react ahead of time so that he can’t run to the end of a his 6-foot lead. Hold his leash so it’s just one to two feet long but still handling loosely so that you can easily and quickly guide Fido in the direction you want to go. If you hold the leash that way, it will only tighten when you head in the new direction if Fido does not immediately follow. Then, so that Fido knows you have a direction in mind, you must clearly and quickly move in the different direction the same way you’d move if you and a friend were jogging and you had to grab her arm to guide her away from the hole she was about to fall in (To understanad the importance of movement, read Dealing with Difficult Dogs at the Vet: 5 Tips That Don't Involve Food or Training Time).Head Collars Are Most Effective and Safe if You Have the Necessary SkillsOf course the choice to use a head collar is up to the individual; however, if you’re a dog trainer, it’s helpful to know why a head collar might be useful and how to use it more skillfully, beyond the basics described above. The number one reason I recommend head collars to some owners is that a head collar can level the playing field for owners who have mediocre timing and speed. Because the owners are able to guide the head, they can more easily get their dogs’ attention. The use of a head collar can greatly speed up the process of training dogs to focus on their owners and perform fun, polite behaviors instead of reacting to other dogs, people and stimuli. When used correctly, a head collar can even help control anxious dogs so that they can calm down enough to focus and take treats.

I have used these on my dogs for years and love the product. Preventing pulling and training are easy with this. They last a long time unless you accidentally leave it where your pup can get hold of it and chew the snap. Ignore all the people who will ask you if you have a muzzle on the dog and does it bite. They can easily eat and drink normally with this on. It has been a lifesaver for me since I am small and I love big dogs. Most dogs eventually don't need this item but I have had a few that had to wear it every time I walked them. Great product.

I have a 20 lb. one year old very strong mixed breed rescue dog that has never been socialized. He goes crazy excited on his walks, lunging and pulling the leash. I found myself not wanting to walk him as it was a battle to control him. In desperation I tried the gentle leader recommended by a YouTube content creator and the change was amazing. He does not run, lung. or pull on his leash when I use the gentle leader. It does not stop reactivity to other dogs, but that's another challenge to deal with. Some tips i'd like to share if you're thinking of purchasing this product: 1. Follow the size on the manufacturer's front page package. If you use the size chart provided by the Amazon chart, you may not get a good fit, which I'm guessing has contribute to the frequent returns. 2. Measure your pet's neck size BEFORE attempting to apply the leader to decrease the amount of time placing the leader and decrease your pet's anxiety. Use a collar you know fits your pet to measure out the gentle leader collar. 3. Select a bright contrasting color so you can easily check the position of the leader with a quick glance. It will be difficult to check a collar that blends into your pet's fur, taking your eyes off the environment longer. 4. Use treats right before and after you secure the leader on your dog to promote a positive experience. 5. Use a flat collar along with the leader in case your dog does not tolerate the leader (fighting, rubbing their nose on the ground, refusing to walk, etc.). That way you can switch the leash to the flat collar. 6. A shorter leash will help prevent the leash from tangling with your dogs legs when using the gentle leader. I would highly recommend this product.

Bought this for my shelter-rescued, over the top exuberant, young Dobie who has no clue what a leash and collar are for. With a regular collar he nearly pulled me off my feet! Dog trainer recommended this collar and, wow!, it was a game changer. Instant results the minute he felt pressure on his nose. The collar uses the same nose pressure method used for horse training which I'm very familiar with so this was a no-brainer for me. It's humane because it requires much less pressure on the nose/snout area than any neck collar to get the dog to respond. They have power in their neck and shoulder...they have sensitivity on their snout! I took off one star because the hardware that keeps it all together looks a bit thin and could be a problem after some use.