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Establishing
Positive Leadership
With the Gentle Leader®, human
leadership is accomplished through
its neck and nose loops.
The neck loop applies pressure
on the back of the neck, working
with your dog's natural relaxation
instinct, producing a calming
effect. This is the spot originally
used by the mother dog to pick
up her puppies. When the mother
carries the puppies by the back
of the neck, it triggers an instinctive
"go passive" reflex.
Evolutionarily, this makes it
easier for the mom to carry the
pups to a new safe place. This
passivity reflex decreases with
age, but is still present to some
degree in most adult dogs.
In addition, one of the ways
the "pack leader" of
wolves will demonstrate his or
her position is by gently but
firmly grasping a subordinate's
muzzle in his or her mouth. Since
dogs are evolved from wolves,
this leadership message seems
to have been carried forward in
domestic dogs. The Gentle Leader®
Headcollar's nose loop encircles
the dog's muzzle in the same manner.
The Gentle Leader® puts pressure
on both of the neck and muzzle
spots and gives two subliminal
messages: "Be calm."
and "Don't worry, I'm in
charge."
Never jerk or yank the leash
- try to forget everything you've
ever seen or heard about "choke
chains." A smooth pull is
all you will need to communicate
positively and effectively with
your dog. The dog can simply "do
the right thing" and the
reward is the release of pressure.
As long as the dog is walking
with slack in the lead and the
head collar on, reward the dog
with praise and food treats. Gradually
phase out the food treats and
increase the interval between
the praises. Most dogs quickly
learn that the Gentle Leader®
Headcollar means they get to go
for a walk and come to love their
Gentle Leader®. In addition,
when it is more fun for the person,
the dog gets to go on more frequent
walks!
Proper
Fit - An Absolute Must!
| Before you begin,
make sure you have the right
size. |
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The
guidelines provided with the
Gentle Leader® Headcollar
are according to weight, but
individual dogs may vary.
Breeds with long slender heads
(e.g., Greyhounds, Collies,
etc.) may take a smaller size
than listed for weight, while
breeds with broad wide muzzles
(e.g., Labrador Retrievers,
Chow Chows, etc.) may need
a bigger size. When in doubt,
choose a slightly bigger size,
as long as the nose loop is
not so large that the dog
can get the end into his or
her mouth to chew.
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| Here's
how to fit the Gentle Leader®
Headcollar correctly: |
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First,
position the neck loop as
high on the dog's neck as
possible - directly behind
the ears and touching the
base of the skull in back,
and above the Adam's apple
in front. Next, adjust the
neck loop so that it fits
very snugly (so you can barely
get only one finger underneath).
The neck loop is fitted as
"tight as a belt"
instead of "as loose
as a necklace."
Once the size of the neck
loop is correctly established,
disconnect it and take the
nose loop and pass it through
the D-shaped ring to create
space for the muzzle. Slip
the dog's nose through the
nose loop and immediately
give him or her a dog cookie
(i.e., food treat). If the
dog doesn't take the cookie,
then pass the cookie through
the loop with your hand,
extending it out in front
of the loop until the dog
will take the cookie. Do
not let the dog have the
cookie if he or she tries
to go around the loop for
the cookie. If the dog takes
the treat through the nose
loop, let the loop hang
on the snoot until the dog
drops it by looking down.
Then put it over the snoot
again and have the dog take
the cookie through the nose
loop again. Repeat this
until the dog will readily
stick his or her nose through
the nose loop in order to
get the cookie, and holds
the head up while the loop
dangles.
Next, with the dog's nose
through the loop, connect
the neck loop up again and
then tighten the nose loop
so the dog can freely open
his or her mouth (so that
the dog can pant effectively),
is resting comfortably close
to the dog's eyes but behind
the corners of the mouth,
and is freely movable from
the base of the muzzle (just
in from of the eyes) to
the beginning of the fleshy
(wet) part of the nose but
NOT so loose that it can
be pulled off over the end
of the nose.
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Common
First Reactions
When a dog is first being fitted
with a Gentle Leader® Headcollar,
it is quite normal and common
for the dog to resist it. This
is usually demonstrated by pawing
at the nose loop, spinning, or
rolling on the ground. The dog
may even attempt to put his or
her head down on the ground so
the dog can use his or her front
feet to pull the collar off. To
prevent this, keep the dog's head
up by pulling the lead up then
encourage him or her to keep walking.
As soon as the dog is moving,
relieve the tension on the leash.
Releasing the tension of the leash
is a reward for the dog because
it relieves the pressure applied
by the Gentle Leader®.
The saying goes, "The dog
who fights the collar most, needs
the collar most." The purpose
of wearing this head collar is
to prevent pulling on the leash
and hyperactivity, but also to
establish a positive leadership
role with the dog.
Additional
Information
For more helpful hints, product
information, frequently asked
questions, and testimonials, please
visit the website for Premier
Pet Products, Inc. at http://www.gentleleader.com/.
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