[This was originally posted to the Fairmount Animal Hospital website on 20 October 2008.]
Dear Dr. Lee,
My Golden Retriever, Indy, is 10 months old. He’s grown so much since I got him, and now he is pulling me whenever I try to walk him. I’m afraid I’m going to end up looking like Linus at the end of his blanket when Snoopy is running with it. Help!
Sincerely,
Indy’s Mom
Dear Indy’s Mom,
If you have not taken Indy to an obedience class yet, I would highly recommend starting with that.
One tool that can help with pulling is a head halter called the Gentle Leader (see picture above, www.premier.com ). This tool consists of a nose loop and a neck strap. The fit of the neck strap is quite snug and sits above the larynx, so no pressure is ever put on the larynx or trachea. The nose loop may at first glance look like a muzzle, but when properly fit, the dog can open his mouth to eat, drink, and play fetch. The leash is attached to the ring at the bottom of the nose loop.
The Gentle Leader is a training device that operates without the use of pain, as the choke and prong collars do. When it is worn, if the dog pulls too far forward, the nose loop tightens and pressure is applied to the top of the dog’s muzzle and to the back of the neck. The dog walker should not jerk the leash – instead, gentle backwards pressure is recommended to correct the dog for pulling. As soon as the dog stops pulling, the pressure on the muzzle is released.
Dogs have a natural reflex to oppose pressure placed upon them – that is why they lean into petting – and why they lean into collars and harnesses when walking. The Gentle Leader puts pressure elsewhere when the dog pulls, so the natural tendency to pull is eliminated.
Gentle Leader headcollars come in a variety of sizes and colors. For dogs with short noses (Pugs, Boxers, Shih Tzus, etc.) the Snoot Loop (www.SnootLoop.com) may be a good alternative.
Sincerely,
Dr. Lee
