Riley and Sadie are both able to lock their necks and pull with their gentle leaders. It's not awful, but if I'm not paying attention when they see a cat or people, I have to catch my balance. Riley likes to pick up trash on walks, and he's recently decided that he can pick up stuff on the road if it's close enough to the sidewalk. Of course, I don't want him lunging into the road.
Aside from this, Riley rubs his snout on any person he meets while he has the gentle leader on. I actually had a sales guy at my favorite little pet store here use him as an example to another customer of why they should buy the gentle leader body harness instead.
Both Riley and Sadie make a big deal of rubbing their faces on the floor and couch when I take the gentle leaders off of them. I know I have them fitted correctly, so that is not the issue. I think they just don't like something on their snouts.
Has anyone used the gentle leader body harnesses? I have prong collars for both of them. Sadie does fairly well with it. Riley seems not to feel it when he's determined to go after something.
For the most part-on either the prong collars or gentle leaders-they walk well (barring any darting cats or for Riley, people expressing interest in him who are within about 10 feet... past that, he doesn't care). I have Sadie trained to walk in heel to my left and Riley to my right. They don't really know the command "heel", though Sadie may remember it. I just say, "slow down" or "walk". They know "stop" to stop at intersections and "cross" to cross the street. I can take them in front yard on their regular collars and they're okay, but taking them for a walk in them is free license to pull, even sans cats or people.