Head Halti gentle Leader?

[khpence84]

After hearing about the horrible problems i have had with the prong collar my trainer immediately suggested i discontinue use and get a head halti or gentle leader. Now i know neither of these are "training collars" and to be used for walks and more control only. Which is better? And to those who use either how have your dogs been doing with it. Anyone have their dog actually pull against it and had no effect with it? My trainer will be working with me but i just wanted to get a base line idea of what to expect.

[brandy]

Hi there,

Well, I have a halti for my dog and love it!
He is a 108lbs. and very strong. I suffered for years with a sore back and sore wrists when I walked him. He was so hard to walk. On winter night he saw another bug dog and I knew I was going to fall. Oh yes, did I ever. Hit my head of a tree, it broke my glasses and I cracked my wedding band. That night, I thought ok,I am going to try a halti. I am so happy with the halti and so is Brandy. We go power walking now and he is by my side at all times. I think he is so much happier now because I am not tugging on him. The great thing about the halti is the dog can still pant, drink water, eat grass etc. When you have a choke chain on the dog is pulling from his chest area which is so powerful. With the halti the lead goes under his chin so he does not have the strength to pull you.
When I put the halti on my dog I also connect the lead to his halti and choke chain. Just for double protection in case he gets out of the halti.
You will enjoy the halti and your dog will get used to it. You will have long wonderful walks. I do with Brandy, my dog.

Good luck!

[khpence84]

I heard that some dogs are highly irritated by that strap on the side of the head and that is why the gentle leader is reccommend more, is this true with your dog? I have used prong collars in the past with some great success but this girl just isn't responding well at all to the prong collar and my trainer told me that she thinks it is time to try something a little gentler. I think i am going to invest in a GL. Do i need to get the whole video and all or just the GL?

[AdeL1610]

I would like to get two GLs, but i can't get them where i am, i can't find haltis anywhere! I'm in Singapore. Does anyone have suggestions? the online pet stores i go to that do international delivery need credit cards, of which i don't have. I could write a cheque, but converting SGD to US? Anyone have any suggestions?

[Brown]

khpence84, i think buying the gentle leader is enough and you can search for more information over the internet on how to use it to the fullest effect. But of course you can grab the video and all, if you don't mind spending a little more. http://petshub.com/ubb/smile.gif

AdeL1610, i think you can drop an email to the online store to check if they accept cheque that is converted to USD.

I think the halti gentle leader is a great buy, especially for larger dogs. Well, brandy knocked her head at a tree and ever since she got the GL, she no longer knocks against anything anymore. After reading that, i think GL is really effective. Isn't it, Brandy? http://petshub.com/ubb/tongue.gif

[This message has been edited by Brown (edited 10-30-2000).]

[khpence84]

I have heard that some dogs can actually slip out of the halti quite easily and that this can not happen with the GL is this true?

[Bunni]

I have had lots of experience with halti's with different types of dogs, make sure you get the right size for your dog and yes the person that suggested also attaching it onto the choke chain I have also done that in the past at least untill your dog is used to it, and doesn't try and move backwards out of it.
Also let the dog wear it around the house for a day or two with no leash attached will help him get used to the feeling of it, Of course he will try and paw it off at first but will soon realize it is not going to hurt him..... It is amazing that such a tiny piece of equipment can make such a wonderful huge humane difference in your dogs pulling and general behaviour during your daily walks.. I would recommend it to anyone it is worth the day or two time you have to put into it untill your dog is used to it,,,,, ENJOY!!!

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Bunni Rabbitry
/("o")\ Holland Lop's Canada http://home.talkcity.com/ParadiseDr/bunnirabbitry

[Zvezda]

wat is a Head Halti gentle Leader?

[mwise]

The halti or gentle leader is a kind of like a horse bridle, they are similar but slightly different styles. It lets you control the dog by its head, not the neck, and allows even a child to have control over the dog. It has worked WONDERS with my dog that used to choke herself on walks she pulled so hard. I don't know what we ever did without it!

[kathybessf]

My Golden pulls when walking but only in the morning (must be she can smell all the little critters that were out during the night). I got a gentle leader for my morning walks and she stays right by my side. I don't connect to the regular collar because there is no way for her to slip out of it if it is adjusted correctly. There is also a similar item in a harness that I bought at a Petsmart to try and it works well also. It was also considerably cheaper than either the GL or Halti.

Kathy

[brandy]

Yes, halti's are wonderful. And yes, have never hit my head on a tree since using the halti. lol. Sometimes dogs do get upset when you first put it on them. What I do with my dog as he is so strong and powerful is I have him wear a choke chain too. I attach the lead to his halti and choke chain. This allows me double protection if he gets out of the halti he is still hooked up to the choke chain or vs versa.

[Brown]

See khpence84... Brandy never hit onto a tree anymore once she got her dog a gentle leader. lol. http://petshub.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

It will be excellent if you are getting one for your dog too, and you can handle your dog with ease.

Hear from you.

[Heinz57]

I always thought the Halti and Gentle Leader were essentially the same thing. I use a Halti on my lab/mix. To answer the question about a dog slipping out of a halti, I can only say that the fit wasn't right. One of the things the manufacturer says is that the fit has to be right on. The strap behind the head must be connected first and tightened to where you can just barely get your finger between the strap and the head. Then the nose strap is tightened for comfort and jaw mobility.

The idea behind the mechanics of the halti is that pressure is put on the back of the head in much the same way a dogs mother would carry a pup by his neck. The way they are held causes them to relax and remain calm. Of course, a dog will ALWAYS follow his nose so if it's pointing toward the ground or (at least) below the horizon, the dog won't pull or run.

I have to admit that fitting the darn thing for the first few times was a pain in the neck (no pun intended). Even now, I end up refitting the back strap behind the head more than once on occasion. It does work, though. The idea behind it is sound. Whoever invented it is gonna make a fortune! LOL