Dear Dr. Diane, I am a volunteer on the dog adoption floor of a large shelter. It is this organization’s philosophy/protocol to use the Gentle Leader for the pressure points believed to offer for all kinds of behavior issues (some I happen to believe caused by the Gentle Leader) on large numbers of dogs of all sizes all day long. From less than 12-pound featherweights, to gentle 60+pound giants, to docile senior dogs, I’ve watched them during my three-hour shift rub/scratch their noses raw from the GL. I’ve seen the visiting public, so stressed by the dog’s behavior to it, remove the gentle leader while in observation rooms. I’ve told staff about this and that I don’t believe a dog must go through a “a bit” of annoyance and discomfort (i.e., to the point of scratching its nose hairless) to calm down. What do you think?
As you are aware as a volunteer, an Animal Shelter can be a very stressful environment not only for the animals, but for Shelter personnel and volunteers as well as those visiting in the hope of or with the intention of adopting a pet.
In theory, the Gentle Leader is designed to help reduce a dog’s anxiety level in stressful situations. Sometimes, the situation may require professional support from a professional trainer or your veterinarian. These leads are easy to put on and take off dogs for quick control. Its ideal usage is in multiple dog situations such as kennels, shelters, vet offices and training sites. The Gentle Leader, in theory, painlessly and effectively removes the dog’s natural tendency to pull by placing gentle pressure on calming points and eliminating uncomfortable pressure on the throat and neck.
In addition to reducing a dog’s desire to pull or tug, it can be a very effective tool in combating lunging, excessive barking and helping to calm down an aggressive and/or anxious animal. It can be very useful in preventing fights between dogs.
In my opinion, this may not be the “perfect” or ideal resolution to controlling the behavior of a Shelter animal, but it does decrease the opportunities for dogs to exhibit aggressive, fear-induced, barking, snapping, jumping, chasing and other undesirable behaviors. The Gentle Leader should be comfortable and not too tight or loose for the animal’s comfort and safety. It should not hurt the animal at all and is preferable to choke collars or other devices. By the way, the manufacturers of the gentle Leader claim that the device can be comfortably worn by an animal for 18 hours/day.
Dr. Pomerance is an animal behavior specialist and an expert on topics such as deciding which puppy is best for your family, how to pick out a rescue, and on healing from the loss of a pet.
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