My experience with the Gentle Leader is very positive. Pebbles would pull so much when I walked her that it just wasn't worth the effort. I started in the driveway with a pocket of treats and within no time she was walking very nicely up and down the driveway. I was very impressed with the improvement when we finally started walking with her. She does try to rub her face in the grass when she has it on but I just keep moving and telling her good girl and this usually works well.
I'm not sure about the idea that you can eventually switch to the regular harness because I have tried and she is right back to pulling.
I'm also not sure about letting them wear it in the house since the principle of its use is to lead them like a horse in a halter. So if you just put in on their head and let them walk around it really has no purpose. The leash is attached on the underside of their mouth and then dangles below their jaw, so there is no tension but when you GENTLY move the leash in whatever direction you are moving their nose and then head will follow.
If there is no leash attached there really is no point in keeping it on.
You need to put it on pretty tight around their head for it to work properly almost to the point you are thinking it is too tight but this is the correct way to use it Do not try to use it without reading all the directions.
When I made the adjustments I cut off the excess so there was nothing dangling on the side of her head and then wicked the end with a lighter
~of course not while she was wearing it.
When I walk her now, she will sit at every corner, walk nicely w/o pulling with slack in the leash and she does ignore the other dogs which was a problem before. Let me clarify about other dogs, what it does is keeps them focused on walking so when there is another dog or other distraction I will just keep walking and so will she~does that make sense? It's not a punishment and does not hurt then at all. Pebbles is on the larger end of 11 to 12 lbs and I originally purchased a small but returned it for the XSMALL. I'm not sure how it would work from a very small yorkie since Pebbles' GL is adjusted to the smallest it will go. I would recommend purchasing the tan since it will blend in to their coat.
I hope this is helpful.
