Put a Gentle Leader on a Dog

Is your dog a little wild on the trail? Does he pull on the leash like he's in a race, or stop at every plant within sniffing distance? A gentle leader can help make walks with your dog much more enjoyable. Gentle leaders draw on a dog's pack instinct and will help him to see that he needs to follow your commands when on a walk. Best of all though, is the fact that gentle leaders are do not cause your dog any harm. However, they won't be nearly as effective if you put them on the wrong way. Scroll down to Step 1 to find out how to properly put a gentle leader on your furry friend.

Steps

Putting the Leader On

Before you purchase a gentle leader, you should put it on your dog to make sure that it fits properly and that you understand where each part is supposed to go.

  1. Attach your leash to the control ring. If you do not have a leash, buy one while buying a gentle leader. The control ring is the metal ring that is located at the end of the strap extending out from the neck strap and nose loop. Clip your leash in so that once you get your dog into the gentle leader, he won’t run away.[1]
  2. Open the neck strap with both hands. When you do this, your leash and the nose loop should hang down directly in the center so that the whole gentle leader forms the shape of a ‘T’. Place the neck strap around your dog’s neck. The center bar ring (which connects the neck strap, nose loop, and strap with leash) should be under your dog’s chin, above the Adam's apple, while the back of the neck strap should rest at the base of his skull behind his ears.[2]
  3. Unclip the neck strap once it is properly fitted to your dog. Putting it on before unclipping it ensures that it fits properly (it is harder to adjust when the nose loop is on your dog). control ring. Once you have the neck strap adjusted to the right size (See Part Two), unclip it. It is easier to clip the neck strap back into place after you put the nose loop on your dog.
  4. Hold the nose loop open. Make sure your dog is either between your legs or at your side so that you can hold him in place while putting the gentle leader on for the first time. Slip the nose loop onto the base of your dog’s muzzle by reaching under your dog’s head. Once you have the nose loop on, give your pup a treat to tell him he’s doing great, and to distract him a bit.[1]
  5. Snap the neck strap back in place in the pre-fitted position. Once your pup is snapped in, make sure all of the parts of the gentle leader are in place (see Part Two).

Fitting the Gentle Leader

Once you have gotten the gentle leader on your dog, make sure that each part fits your dog so that it is as effective as it can be while also causing your dog little discomfort.

Fitting the Neck Strap

  1. See that the gentle leader is the right size. The gentle leader’s neck strap must be long enough so that it as high up on your dog’s neck as possible. This means the front of the neck strap should be above your dog’s Adam's apple, while the back should reach around to touch the base of the skull directly behind your pup’s ears.[2]
    • You can adjust the tightness of the neck strap by sliding the adjustable snap clamp down towards the control ring (the ring where you clip your leash to the gentle leader).
  2. Make sure the leader fits snugly at the top of the neck. It should be tightened enough so that you can barely fit one finger underneath the strap. This is like the ‘collar’ of the gentle leader--it wraps around your dog’s neck and helps you to guide the dog. Keep in mind that it does not cause your dog any discomfort--resist the urge to keep the neck strap loose as doing so will reduce the effectiveness of the gentle leader.[1]
  3. Check that the neck strap does not rotate. It is important that the neck strap is tight enough that it doesn’t rotate because the point of the neck strap is to dictate the direction your dog heads in. If your dog can turn around in his neck strap, the strap is too large and will be not effective.

Fitting the Nose Loop

  1. Make sure the nose loop is loose fitting. The nose loop, unlike the neck strap, should be loose enough that your dog can open his mouth as wide as he likes--even wide enough to catch a tennis ball. However, you should check to make sure that it is not so loose that it can be pulled over and off the nose.[2]
  2. Check to see that the nose loop can move. As stated above, you don’t want the nose loop to be able to come off the nose, but it should be able to move from just above where the wet (or fleshy) part of your pup’s nose begins to right in front of his eyes. This movement will allow your dog to be comfortable, as well as help you to guide him.
  3. Note that fits around the mouth properly. This means that the gentle leader should fit behind the corners of your dog’s mouth. If it doesn’t, you have probably chosen a leader that is too small for your pup.

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Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://bigdogshugepaws.com/fit-use-a-gentle-leader
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 http://www.petsafe.net/media/manuals/gl-gentle-leader-headcollar-manual.pdf

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