I bought a gentle leader head collar three days ago. I followed the directions, so the nose loop goes up to the nose, and the neck one touches the skull and tight enough so it doesn't rotate.
It looked like the pictures, but it might've been a little tight.

My dog still paws at it and rolls on the floor, but it has WORKED. No pulling or jumping while on the leash.

The problem is that the skin under the nose loop is very raw.
I don't know whether to keep using it or if I should take it back to petco and exchange it for a harness.

QUESTIONS:

If I do try to use it again (but make it a lot looser), when would it be okay to use it again? Will it infect/irritate the cuts caused by the chafing?

Which brings me to my next question, what can I do to relieve the pain and how do I clean it? The only thing I've done so far is clean it with a soft towel and hot water.

Thank you.

I've heard of a lot of people having the same problems with it. Try to let the dog's nose heal fully, before you put it on again. If it is too loose, it will chafe more, so you may actually need to tighten it a bit. You can wash it with a mild soap, just make sure it all gets rinsed out, and dries completely.

Maybe try coating it with a non-scented talcum powder, on the side that touches the dog's nose, to help with the chafing.

You should consider obedience classes so that you can train the dog to 'heel', with a training collar. Good luck!

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3 Responses

1. ☼Hello Sunshine☼ Says:
   June 5th, 2009 at 4:05 am

   I've heard of a lot of people having the same problems with it. Try to let the dog's nose heal fully, before you put it on again. If it is too loose, it will chafe more, so you may actually need to tighten it a bit. You can wash it with a mild soap, just make sure it all gets rinsed out, and dries completely.

   Maybe try coating it with a non-scented talcum powder, on the side that touches the dog's nose, to help with the chafing.

   You should consider obedience classes so that you can train the dog to 'heel', with a training collar. Good luck!
   References :

2. Yo LO! © Says:
   June 5th, 2009 at 4:34 am

   I would wait until the cuts have healed before using it again, they're just going to get worse with the leader rubbing against them.

   Use hydrogen peroxide to clean the cuts, then you can put Neosporin on them to help them heal faster.

   I'm not a big fan of gentle leaders for this exact reason. I've found that a Pinch collar is the most effective in training a dog not to pull.
   References :

3. Juno Says:
   June 5th, 2009 at 5:00 am

   Let it heal before putting it on again and when you do put it a little bit looser but no loose enough for the dog to wiggle out of. Give your vet a call to see if they sell an ointment you can put on it if the skin is broken. He may suggest something prescription strength or just something from petsmart/petco.

   I'm personally more of a fan of harnesses for walking and slip chain for training bigger puppies who tend to walk you. For the slip chain it is important to only allow them to wear the chain when you are actively training or supervisng. Never unsupervised in the backyard or in the crate!!!!
   References :