Using the Gentle Leader:

When fitting the Gentle Leader, it is important to remember that:

• The nose loop should be loose – loose enough to slide along the dog’s muzzle, but not so loose it can be pulled over the dog’s nose;
• The back, or neck, loop should be tight – you should only be able to get two fingers between the collar and the dog. The strap should be placed directly behind the dog’s ears so that, when viewing the dog’s profile, the two straps form a "V" and not an "L."
• Fit the neck loop first without slipping the dog’s nose through the nose loop.

Get the dog slowly used to the Gentle Leader by guiding their nose through the nose loop with some treats.

Once the Gentle Leader is fitted and on the dog, you may observe frustrated behavior by the dog – pawing at the nose loop, rubbing his nose on the ground or on your leg, etc. Distract the dog by saying a sharp "eh-eh!" or clap your hands, or get their attention with a food treat or toy.

Remember to keep the leash LOOSE. Do not hold it tonight. The clip of the leash should hang perpendicular to the dog’s head. If the strap that clips to the leash is pointing upwards or to the side, you are holding the leash too tight.

Praise your dog enthusiastically when he is not pawing at the Gentle Leader. Remember that it is important to heavily reinforce (reward) the behavior you want with praise, food treats, and other things the dog likes.

Most dogs do well with a week to ten days of desensitization to the Gentle Leader. Follow the following schedule for the first seven to ten days:

• Put the Gentle Leader on when you are feeding the dog and take it off when the dog is done eating;
• Put the Gentle Leader on a few times a day for 30 seconds to a minute; feed the dog some really excellent treats like roast beef or chicken or cheese for the time he has it on;
• Put the Gentle Leader on when you take the dog for a walk, but do not clip the leash to it;
• Put the Gentle Leader on when you are playing with your dog or massaging and petting him, and take it off when you are done.

By doing these steps at the beginning, your dog will associate the Gentle Leader with the things in life that he enjoys (food, walks, treats, massage, play, etc.)

Another useful method is to massage your dog’s muzzle gently with your fingers and associate this with some really good food treats as well. The feeling of having their muzzle massaged will help them to get used to the feel of the nose loop.

You can also clip the dog’s leash to both the Gentle Leader and their regular flat collar until you are sure that you have the proper fit and the dog is used to the Gentle Leader. Realize that this will decrease the effectiveness of the Gentle Leader somewhat depending on the dog.

Never jerk or yank the leash hard when the dog is wearing the Gentle Leader. Don’t think of this as a "traditional" training collar. If you’ve ever ridden a horse, remember that you don’t jerk the reins to go right or left, but instead use a slow, slight gentle movement to get the horse to move in the desired direction.
Remember not to keep a constant pull on the leash. Keeping the leash relaxed is very important.

Most dogs that paw at the Gentle Leader get used to it in a few weeks. If your dog paws at it, talk to them in a happy, upbeat tone of voice; don’t coo or coddle them or talk in a soothing voice. Much the same way it takes people a few weeks to get used to the feeling of wearing eyeglasses, dogs will get used to the feel of the Gentle Leader and soon learn to ignore it.