Is a Halti/head collar worth it?

Question

i hear c**p on it, but wanted to hear others opinions...I just use a martingale collar

Answer 1

Hm....

Well, with some dogs (not all) it is very handy in stopping them pulling and having more control. But, if the dog suddenly decides to jerk forward after a bird or something, it can seriously damage their neck.

Also, the minute you take the Halti off, the dog just resorts back to pulling.

It's like a plaster, basically, it just covers up problems, not fixes them.

I definitely recommend a Prong/Pinch collar over a Halti or Choke Chain. Much more effective, and cause no damage to the dog like Choke Chains and Halti's do/can.

Answer 2

i got one and it does work; however my dogs don't like it and they will start scratching it - i guess it happens to most dogs that start wearing this in the beginning - however i have short dogs close to the ground so when they scratch they hit their nose into the ground and one started bleeding, i stopped using and went back to the collar instead - i rather spend a little more time training my dog to heal than have him hurt.

Answer 3

I use one and I love it

I have a very bad back and I can not take any kind of pulling

this stops my dog from pulling.

At first he did not like it

even now when I go to take him out he turns his head but once it is on he is fine.

the only draw back is his drooling because it is over his lips he drools

but that is better than pulling  

Answer 4

i have a boxer as well and the best thing to use is a pinch collar because as much as i love boxers they are strong and stubborn. it doesnt hurt them if used properly. if ur dog isnt well trained and doesnt heel i.e. if it walkes you then start with a choke chain

its not cruel and nothing else works as good on this bread. people who think pinch collars are cruel should consider how "cruel" it'd be to have someones undisciplined dog lunge and eat someone elses dog or bite someones child because their owner cant control them

watch ceasar milan (the dog wisperer)

Answer 5

I got one, and believe me, It works wonders!!!

Many people will tell you it doesn't work because they use it a few times and take it off because their dog doesn't like it. It takes the dog about a week to get used to. They will at first scratch at it, but soon the dog barely relizes it is on! Prong collars are not a humanely effective method, this method works a lot better.

I prefer the gentle leader, like this one:

http://www.premier.com/View.aspx?page=do...

I use this one for my Guide dog in training. I've had no problems.

The person below me is wrong. I used the gentle leader for my dog up until last month. I took it off sice he is going in for training soon, and he doesn't pull at all. I can walk him with one finger! Just my personal experience.

BTW- the loop (on a gentle leader) is attached to the dog's muzzle. If it were to jerk forward, it would cause no damage to the neck. These products wouldn't be sold if they did that. However, if you pull on it too hard, you could cause the dog injury, but you would have to pull pretty hard. Very hard.

To avoid anything like this from happening, I use a double sided clip leash. One clips to the collar so you can jerk the collar, and one clips to the gentle leader.

double sided leash:

http://www.promopeddler.com/03-21/nylon-...

Answer 6

I have 2 VERY large dogs. I have a Rott and a Chocolate Lab, both males both stubborn. That is the only way I can walk them!! Even my 4 year old can walk them with ease.

Answer 7

Nah.  I tried one on Creek my older boxer once, and she HATED it.  Had it on her for about an hour, but she showed no signs of warming up to it.  She hung her head low to the ground, wouldn't budge.... so I guess it did help with her pulling ;)  haha

I actually used a prong collar for a bit while training Caney, it worked pretty well.  We didn't use it but a few times....  her martingale collar works just fine really, she is able to pull a little harder (of course) but usually nothing I can't handle.

Now I rollerblade with the dogs, which eliminated the pulling completely.... now THEY have to keep up with ME ;)

Answer 8

It works on my GSD when nothing else has.You just have to be careful to not jerk on it,as you can cause neck injuries or injury to the nerves in the muzzle.You only need to pull very gently to get the dog's attention.I use one because my dog is aggressive to strange dogs,so if we're going where there are other dogs,like to the vet,I have her in control. My vet likes them,and I see that many service dog puppies are trained with them.Like I said,you just have to use them correctly. If your dog is a strong puller or you have a habit of jerking on the lead,don't get one.

Edit: My dog didn't like it on her nose at first,but now she gets all happy and excited when she see me get it out,because she knows we're going for a walk!

Answer 9

I used an Halti on both my Labs who were both pullers, especially Amy.

They didn't like it at first and would pull and tug at it, try and scratch it of with their paws, but I stuck with it and it took about a week for them to get used to it.

It did work, which was a great relief to my arm!

I walk them both together on one lead and a splitter lead, so too big Labs at the same time pulling was murder.

It took a while, put they no longer pull and don't need the Halti anymore. It may not work for all dogs but it did for mine, and for the cost of it it's I feel it's worth giving it a go, it may help you.

Answer 10

Heres an article on it

Head Halter

The head halter is a popular tool for good reason. Some otherwise difficult behavior problems respond to the use of a head halter with ease. An immediate improvement in safety enables the handler to focus on solving the problem. Out-of-control dogs may relax and begin to learn. Though it’s not the right tool for all situations, the head halter is ideal for some.

Like a Bandage

One way to think of a head halter is as a bandage, protecting the dog as well as others while behavioral healing takes place. The head halter applies restraint to the mouth, providing extra control for problems such as barking, biting, or snapping.

Another application for the head halter is to give a handler weaker than the dog enough control to work with the dog for training and day-to-day management. In this case the goal is to teach the dog to walk reliably on a loose leash. Then a different collar could be used.

When there is a behavior problem, the goal is to improve it so that a controlling device such as the head halter will no longer be needed. The head halter is not completely comfortable for the dog, so using it for life is not ideal if training can remove the necessity. It can rub hair off on the dog’s face if used for long periods of time, and has an inhibiting effect on dogs that can be depressing.

Some dogs definitely need to be inhibited, though, at least long enough to learn. Dogs with aggressive temperament problems may be best handled in head halters on an on-going basis, for safety reasons. The head halter is a tool, with the ideal being to ultimately train your dog not to need it. Some dogs won’t make the ideal, but most can with the right help.

Getting Started

Unless you are a skilled trainer, it’s best to have a behavior specialist or trainer help you fit your dog with the head halter, introduce the dog to it, and teach you how to use it safely and effectively. If you do this correctly from the start, the process will go more smoothly and potential stress can be avoided.

If you are a trainer, you may be able to follow package directions on the head halter and do it yourself. The dog needs to be conditioned first to working on a loose leash, and so does the handler. The snap of the leash that is attached to the halter needs to be hanging vertically.

With the Halti brand of head halter, if you hold your hand with the leash higher than the dog’s head, the halter will close the dog’s mouth if 1) you lift your hand holding the leash or 2) the dog lunges. By keeping the lead loose as the normal position, you make a clear difference to the dog between the desired and undesired behavior. The Halti also has a “muzzle” effect when tight, though it is not actually a muzzle.

The Gentle Leader operates differently. The neck is fitted more tightly in the relaxed position, but it does not close the dog’s mouth in the taut position. It does give the handler a strength advantage through leverage.

With either of these head halters, the dog can drink, eat, or carry a toy when the leash is loose. Many trainers recommend that you have an extra connection to the dog’s collar in case the head halter slips off. It’s also necessary that a head halter be correctly fitted to the individual dog. Some breeds are difficult to fit.

There are other brands of head halters and new ones produced from time to time. Be sure to get complete instructions and read them carefully. If possible, work with an expert who is familiar with the device, especially if you are a novice. This is true for any training device. Dog training is a skill that we all need help to learn.

There is some controversy over whether head halters pose a risk of injury to dogs’ necks. To minimize this risk, do not use a long line with a head halter, and do not jerk the leash when it’s attached to your dog’s head halter.

Solving Problems

The best time to change an undesirable behavior is before it becomes a habit. The head halter can be a valuable tool to stop a dog from developing habits such as lunging out or barking at other dogs or people when out on walks.

Don’t just “control” the dog’s behavior with the head halter, though. Make use of the opportunity. With the undesired behavior interrupted, train your dog to replace the undesired behavior with a desirable one. A good substitute behavior for lunging and barking on walks is to train the dog to look at you instead.

When you spot another dog or person on a walk with your dog wearing the head halter, you know you have control of your dog, so you are free to concentrate on teaching the new look-at-me-behavior. Since the head halter easily allows the dog to eat treats, you can use treats for this training.

Initiate the attention, eye-contact sequence BEFORE the dog spots the other person or dog and starts misbehaving. Your goal is to “short-circuit” the undesired behavior and slip the desired one into its place. Doing the new behavior re

Answer 11

usa a pinch collar some people thing her horrable but if its a big dog and its pulling thats what it needs it does not hurt the dog  it just makes them so they dont wanna run for like squrales there pufictly safe my dog wares one and hes fine  

Answer 12

I've never tried one, but I've always heard they suck.

We use prong collars for training our beasts :)

Answer 13

nope. It is not an effective training device.

use a prong collar.

ADD: guide dog puppy, i used a gentle leader for YEARS on SEVERAL dogs.

it is, as i stated above, an ineffective training tool. sure, if you have softie wussy dogs who never lunge or anything, they just pull a tad bit on walks, maybe use it.

for the rest of the dog world, it is a waste of money.

Answer 14

I LOVE the halti. The body follows where the head goes. Very easy way to control a dog. This makes more since than a collar.... you don't see horse trainors with collars around a horses neck.....

Answer 15

Sure they might stop the dog from pulling, BUT they don't teach the dog not to pull.

I like the Prong which teaches the dog not to pull.

Answer 16

i doubt it. alot of those fancy dog collars arent wat its cracked up to be.

but my friend trains seeing eye dogs and got a "gentle leader" for her shepard. and he walks amazingly great.

and since you have a boxer i think it would work good on him too good luck =]

add: the pinch collars work good for big dogs, my dad's shepard lab uses it, he walks good on it too =]