Coo - ta. I can send him first class if you like.....

Would you believe Ailsa, that the only other "normal" lead I have is 30 foot long......basically his recall training lead. He doesn't run when on the extending, he just walks a bit quicker than me so I think we might be ok. I'm gonna stay on the normal lead for his shorter walks and take him on the extending walk for his long'un and see what happens.


Edited to add - I think you're right on thinking about it again - maybe it's got to be the training lead. The longest one I managed to get today at PAH was 47" .

I'm not sure about the halti as I've not used one, but I wouldn't recommend leaving the gentle leader on when you're not with him as he could get hooked onto something fairly easily and he will also paw at his head trying to remove it and probably succeed, perhaps hurting himself in the process...

Think I might have been posting the same time as you Ailsa

blimey 47"....he'll be in the next town by the time you get outta the house!!!!!!!!
hee hee hee hee hee...

Could you 'lock' the extendable so it is like a longer 'normal' lead?????

great minds Vicki...we did it again!!!!!!

Yep - will it be ok then?

I'm no expert on these things...but I think if you lock it at a length that you are happy with then it should be fine..the thing to NOT allow him to do is to 'pull' it out, so he can't have that freedom as he's been used to if you're trying to get him to walk better...plus on the GL i think it would be difficult to use effectively if the dog was quite a way ahead of you and could even hurt it. It also would become an ineffective training aid if the dog learns how to pull into it, which it would do with a flexi lead on that it can 'pull' out...It seemed to work the best with Ems if he was walking just slightly ahead (which is what he was trained to do, we don't get them to walk to 'heel' just ahead of us...).
What would possibly be best, is for you to decide how much of the lead he can have, lock it and don't change it, so you need to watch how far ahead he'll be for roads etc as well....once he's learnt how not to pull...he can have his freedom of movement back...
so you'd be using it like a conventional lead as it would be locked and he doesn't get to dictate where he is.

In all honesty, if I were you, I think I'd be looking at a slightly longer conventional lead, not a long line, just a long lead, if ya see what I mean??? I've seen dogs that learn to pull into the gentle leader and as soon as they do that it is a waste of time putting it on, to keep it working you need to 'train' him with it for a while...

hmmmmm
Thinking aloud.

Could you do some specific training walks with him...??? Just with him and his gentle leader...on a normal lead, where you reward his good walking etc...then have seperate more 'fun ' walks on his flexi?
Could you use the GL specifically for training walks with him or is that not practical?
Just a thought.

If not, I'd be inclined to lock the flexi and use it like a conventional lead..or buy a new, longer lead (but not a long line..).Sorry bit garbled, hope you understand what I'm trying to say!!!! (Cos I bloomin don't after all that!!!!! :smt002 )
Ax

Yep - I see what you're saying exactly Ailsa. We've just had our last walk, and I've noticed a problem.....because the GL clips underneath the chin, if I let the lead go loose, he steps on it, so I have to hold it and him quite close. He walked very well without pulling, and after a few mins, I put the new lead onto his normal collar which gave him a little more freedom, and he didn't fall over it as it didn't drag on the ground. This would be a problem with the flexi as well, so I think it's got to be the new lead and GL for training, and then letting him have a bit of freedom by either changing the collar or lead.
Thanks for your advice hon xx

ahhh I see...yep good thinking..bit of training...get him walking well...reward...FREEDOM...just click your lead onto his normal collar...leave the GL on as it will act as a reminder thatb he'll be whizzed back on it if he starts to pull...that'll work...good thinking!!!!
One lead...GL and normal collar...move lead between the 2...

Good thinking Vicki...got there in the end huh??????
Hope itall helps!!! Lets us know how he gets on with it tomorrow!!!! Axxxxx