Halti Head Collars-Gentle Training For Dogs

Boo and I always attract attention when we're walking--(he's so big and handsome, of course!)--especially when he wears his Halti. Everyone looks at Boo and his head collar. Children and Veterinarians! Chidlren want to know what it is, and the Vets want to know if it works. I always tell the children it's like a horse's halter, and makes it easier on his neck. I told the Vet that Boo tolerates it well, and it seems to work for us.

Our History
We used to live in the country, with unlimited land for romps. Now we live in a town with leash laws and no fenced yard at our house, so walks are a several-times-a-day event. One night over a year ago a young woman stopped us on our walk to visit. She'd just jogged up the steep hill nearby, and needed a breather, too!

It turns out she used to own Great Danes, and discovered the Halti Head Harness when she had "steering" problems with her Dane. (Boo was lunging after something as the young woman and I talked). I can't remember how she heard about the Halti, but it was a lifesaver for her and her dog.

She told me that it helps guide the dog's head so that there's no harsh pulling on the poor dog's neck--like I'd been doing for years! She raved about the collar so much that the next time I was at the pet store, I asked the clerk, and he showed me the display. He assured me that the collar was safe and fine for dogs, and that it is NOT a muzzle. A dog can still pant , drink water, and eat while it wears the Halti.

The Halti works as a gentle guide, gently pulling the dog' s head towards you, instead of tugging on its neck as with an ordinary collar. This allows you to quickly and gently remove your dog from the "wrong" pile of leaves he might want to investigate! As you pull on the leash, the straps tighten around the dog's muzzle, and his head just naturally turns. Your dog might feel "interrupted" as you pull him away from the latest blade of grass, but there is no pain or shock involved.

It comes with some "how-to-put-it-on" directions--but not a lot. There was a picture diagram, and I think, text, too, but it's been a while since I first bought it and looked at the packaging. I actually had a little trouble figuring it out, and asked my husband to help. He got the "puzzle" solved within a few moments. Once "solved", it is Easy to place on Boo's head.



More than a year after I started using it, I came across some online instructions that said I should have put it on Boo for a few minutes every day, several times each day, until he was used to it! I'm glad I didn't see those instructions first! I'm impatient! But if you think your dog needs that amount of adjustment time, then definitely try the slower training time. Once we figured out how to put it on, and then got it on his head, I attached the leash and we started walking!

Does Boo like it? Who knows! He tolerates it well, and, like the rattle of car keys signaling a car ride for a dog, he gets VERY Happy when I start to get him ready for our walks. He knows once I put the Halti on, we're getting to go outside! In warm months, he LOVES to roll in the grass on our walks, and has figured out if he rolls in a certain way, and nudges his head just so, he can get it off! If we're close to home, I let it stay off. If we still have a ways to go, I put it back on.

I am NOT a professional--or a hobbyist--dog trainer. I love dogs, and we've raised several. We've had puppies (PLEASE Mom, Can we keep him/her? PLEASE?????), and half or full grown dogs (Boo himself came to us as a 4 1/2 year old, fully housebroken, neutered, and totally wonderful!).

C Nyl Halti Head Halter Size 3

Somehow I've managed to train the dogs to be normal, well behaved dogs, without training myself first. So, when I heard about the Halti, I just did as I described above, I went out, bought it, and put it to use.

A few months ago I was on a forum discussing large dogs and if the owner should get a Halti. The woman asking the questions was afraid that if she bought the Halti, she would be considered a "bad" dog owner, for not being able to control her dog with voice commands only. Most of us assured her that that shouldn't be her worry--the Halti is just another in a dog owner's tools.

If you have a small dog you can possibly do without this kind of collar, but I saw a review on Amazon where the woman said that she used it on her small to medium sized dog because of pulling issues.

But.....If you have one of these dogs, and they decide to chase a squirrel--with you attached to the other end of the leash--then I hope you have a Halti attached to the dog on the other end!