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Halti Head Collar Review

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The Halti Head Collar for Dogs

A few years ago my family decided the time was right to expand. We thought long and hard about our new member and eventually chose an Airedale Terrier. Airedales are known for being intelligent, bold and energetic. Energy we could cope with; three long walks a day are no problem. However, Emmy had a problem with the “heel” command. It wasn’t that she couldn’t learn it, indeed she was our dog trainer’s star pupil for her “heel” work, it was more that she chose not to put it into practice once outside the dog training hall.

Her tendency to surge on ahead, occasionally punctuated with an enthusiastic jump at a passer-by, quickly resulted in stronger arm muscles and slightly sore shoulders. I put up with it until I broke my finger – not due to dog walking, I hasten to add. Drastic measures were needed to ensure that she stuck by my side. The lady at my local pet store suggested a Halti. I bought it immediately.

Was the Halti the answer to my prayers and could it be the answer to yours?

 

Emmy modelling her Halti - read on for tips on how to get your dog into a Halti!

Emmy modelling her Halti – read on for tips on how to get your dog into a Halti!

Get the Right Size

Like most dog collars, one size doesn’t fit all. Getting the right fit is important for the Halti since if it is too tight it will cause discomfort and if too loose, the dog will get out of it. The manufacturer has a size guide on the packaging, based on popular dog breeds.

There is a safety link that attaches to the neck collar so that if the Halti comes off, your dog is still attached to the lead.

How the Halti Works

The Halti head collar resembles a horse’s bridle and, in some respects, that’s how it works. The collar fits across the dog’s nose and under its jaw and so it is being “steered” at a point around it’s face rather than its neck. If the dog pulls on the lead, it pulls its own body around to follow its head, so it goes backwards rather than forwards. Hence, there is no point in pulling.

 

Did the Halti Stop My Dog Pulling?

The Halti definitely stopped Emmy pulling and we used it for several months, on and off. However, the experience wasn’t a resounding success.

She didn’t like the feel of the strap across her nose and pawed at it to try to get it off at regular intervals during the walk.

She found that she could get out of it if she faced me and shook her head whilst pulling backwards (I adjusted it to try to avoid this happening again).

Eventually, she deployed her favourite method of dealing with something she doesn’t like; she simply lay on her side and played dead until it was removed.

I used the Halti with Emmy when she was still quite young. Since then she has not only calmed down but is more willing to “heel” when we are out, so the Halti has more or less gone into retirement.

Encouraging Your Dog to Wear the Halti

Most dogs won’t like wearing a Halti, or any head collar, immediately. Even getting it one can be a challenge!

I found the easiest way to put it on was by holding it open, having a treat in my fingers and letting Emmy follow the treat into the Halti. The photos on the right show how you can put a Halti on. I was taking my own photos with one hand and putting it on her with the other, so as you can see, it’s not too difficult once you get the hang of it (although the photos are a bit blurry!) As with any new activity, rewards and praise work better than forcing and shouting.

Halti Head Collar

The Halti Head Collar – surprisingly complicated!

When walking with the Halti I ignored Emmy’s attempts to paw it off, but praised her when she walked well. Basically, I used it to reinforce our “heel” work, using the same command and occasionally rewarding her when she stayed close. It paid off, because she now knows our “heel” command well and will fall into line with me when told.

Halti Head Collar

Luring Emmy into the Halti with a treat!

Halti

Emmy in the Halti

Is it a Muzzle?

The Halti is designed as a head collar, but it does have a muzzling action too. If the dog pulls, the strap tightens under the jaw, creating a muzzle effect. Great if you have a dog that jumps and mouths, but not needed by all users.

Many people unfamiliar with head collars on dogs also assume that the Halti is a kind of muzzle and you can find that they give you a wide berth, thinking that you have a dangerous dog.

Precautions with the Halti

In general, the Halti is a gentle way to encourage your dog to walk at “heel”. However, you should only use it with a fairly short fixed lead. Don’t try using it with a retractable lead. If your dog went running ahead and either reached the end of the length of the lead, or you applied the brake, its neck could be wrenched back, causing pain and possibly injury.

Clever dogs, like Emmy, can find a way out of the Halti, particularly if it’s the wrong size or you haven’t fitted it properly. I always took Emmy out with her neck collar on, and attached the Halti’s safety link to it so that if she did get out of the Halti, she was still attached to the lead.

Pros and Cons of the Halti

This is Great! This is not so Good!
Stops pulling on walks Can be tricky to put on initially
Can be used to help training Not suitable for dogs with short noses eg pugs
Has a muzzle action, if you need it Very energetic dogs can find it irritating and become frantic
Danger of wrenching the neck

A Short Term Training Aid

These days I don’t find much call to use the Halti. Emmy can walk to “heel” if I insist and isn’t quite so prone to expressing her enthusiasm for admirers by jumping on them. However, after she was spayed recently I did put the Halti on her, just to be doubly sure she remained close and with all paws on the ground. She accepted it, albeit with a fairly bad grace.

The Halti was a good short-term training aid for us, but I doubt we could have continued using it in the long-term – Emmy’s stubborn nature simply wasn’t going to put up with it! If you are looking for a training aid to help while you teach your dog some better manners, I think the Halti ideal.



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