Feb 26, 2020
Before reading this article, please understand the basic concept presented: Head halters, like ALL training equipment, need to be used carefully. Why readers are sometimes violently angry […]
On one hand, I’ve used aversives. At this point in my training journey, I have no problem with fairly and humanely applied aversives. But it’s frustrating to see how much “gentle leaders” are touted as unproblematic, safe, and humane options for force-free training. They are a tool that may be useful in the right situation, but certainly have a suppressing effect on most dogs and are at least mildly aversive. I’ve yet to see a dog walking with enthusiasm on a head halter.
#dog training#head halters#head collars#gentle leader#I have literally seen dogs as an outline on the horizon and been like#yup#that dog is wearing a headcollar#and sure enough#that suppressed looking dog with its head decidedly off the ground and facing straight forward stiffly was wearing a gentle leader