After we adopted Luca, our Jack Russel Terrier, our lives totally changed. Having a second dog (and third pet) has been an adjustment, but he fits into the family so well.
At home, he is a sweet cuddling dog, but once we go outside, he is more reactive, barking and lunging at other dogs. He is small, but powerful, and can almost make me fall with how hard he can tug the leash.
Look at how cute he is!!
I've lived in this condo for over ten years now, and having the dogs I've known for years that were so sweet see my dog and start barking because they knew he was a troublemaker, was upsetting. Luca is such a little baby at home and I wanted everyone to know how loving he was but felt helpless in figuring out how.
I've tried training him on my own this past year, as private training wasn't in our budget, and wasn't getting anywhere. Instead, we started walking less, because his leash pulling and barking was causing stress on me, our older dog, and the neighborhood. I hated that we went from walking five miles a day when I first got him to a quarter of a mile a day in less than a year. Luca deserved to be outside and have walks, but I didn't know how to do that with his reactivity.
My sister-in-law told me about a product she bought for her dog, the Gentle Leader, which is a leash that holds that dog on the head at two points, rather than a harness, and keeps them from pulling.
I was nervous about it at first, but seeing how her dog immediately changed behavior made me curious.
How does the Gentle Leader work? Is the Gentle Leader painful for dogs?
According to the website, the PetSafe Gentle Leader Headcollar is a specialized device designed to reduce or eliminate pulling behaviors during dog walks. Unlike traditional collars that encircle only the neck or harnesses that go around the body, this is headcollar that holds the dog differently (and safely).
When a dog begins to pull while wearing the Gentle Leader, the tension on the leash causes the muzzle loop to apply gentle pressure. The Gentle Leader was not painful for my dog, but it was annoying to him, so the behavior stopped nearly immediately.
We've been using this for a week now and it feels like a miracle. We're slowly moving back up to walking a few miles a day, and he isn't pulling or barking at the neighbor dogs. He does occasionally wine at them, like his habit of barking is trying to escape, but knowing how the collar will react to the barking and pulling keeps him from trying.
Luca, a Jack Russel Terrier, wearing a PetSafe Gentle Leader
This redirection naturally discourages pulling by guiding the dog to focus on the owner rather than external distractions. The design capitalizes on the principle that where the head goes, the body follows, making it an effective tool for managing leash manners.
It's important to note that the Gentle Leader is not a muzzle. It does not restrict the dog's ability to open its mouth.
How to walk reactive dogs
Developed by a veterinary behaviorist, the Gentle Leader is recommended by veterinarians and trainers as a humane (and inexpensive) solution for dogs that exhibit pulling, lunging, or jumping behaviors during walks.
And it's only $15, so I'm impressed. This small collar works nearly immediately, my dog still loves and enjoys his walk, and it brings less stress to the family, all for under $20.
I'm so grateful I gave this headcollar a try and that Luca has adjusted to it well! I was worried he wouldn't want to go on walks while wearing this, but he is just as eager to go outside with it.
How to walk more than one dog at once
If you are like me and walking two dogs, one of which being reactive, I'm glad to say that the Gentle Leader works fine with my two-dog leash!
If you try the Gentle Leader or the two-dog leash, let me know! I hope it's as much of a miracle worker for you as it is for me and my family.
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