Halti Lead!

[crow_noir]

Basically I have the same advice Critter Crazy had. Listen to the instructions that come with them.

What i did though is pull out the Halti and show it to the dog and treat when it walks up to it. Move the Halti away a bit and treat the dog when it goes up to it again. Now hold up the Halti so that the dog has to slip its nose through to get the treat. Depending on how shy to new things are you can stop here for now for about an hour. Put the Halti away and ignore your dog. Ignore it. Hey, no peeking. Yes, I know it's difficult. Oh, and while you still have the Halti out and are giving treats give verbal or physical praise too... whatever your dog likes. Now it's been an hour. Repeat the process. This time with the collar portion adjusted to be a bit loose clasp it and treat and praise your dog. Give more treats and praise. If this is going well and your dog isn't freaking you may adjust the collar portion. Otherwise you way want to take if off before your dog freaks. That way they don't associate the freaking with getting the Halti off.

Now this is where a professional trainer came in handy. Workers at two different pet stores were less than competent. I was afraid of the Halti being adjusted too tight. I definitely had it too loose. If fitted properly the dog won't be able to pull out of it, but you'll still be able to fit two to three fingers flatly under it.

To know you have the right size your dog should be able to fully pant, but when you pull on the leash the Halti should fully close their mouth. Also, the collar portion will sit high on the neck.

Again... FULLY READ THROUGH THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT COME WITH IT!!!

The trainer prefers the Gentle Leader, but for this dog I much prefer the Halti. What a lot of people won't tell you is that the Halti also has a LOT softer of a mesh.

Also, If you have a dog with out aggression issues that just likes to pull I HIGHLY suggest trying a chain leash first. (I prefer the ones with the leather handles but those are no longer in production ) With a little bit of training and a chain leash a lot of people that have tried it have noticed a huge difference in walking their dog. They didn't believe me until they tried it.

However do NOT use a chain leash or any other heavy leash with a Halti or Gentle Leader. It will put constant pressure on the dog. In the very least it makes it uncomfortable for the dog. I suggest any lightweight nylon leash or rope. If you normally use a 1 1/2 inch leash, switch to a 3/4 inch leash for the head collars. You'll notice a difference in how your dog reacts to walking with the Halti.

Good Luck EVERYONE!

I have the same problem and it really bothers me! What did you do to get them used to the halti?

[Suki Wingy]

Thank you. I'm going to search for the halti, if I can't find it I'm just buying another. My dog actually snapped that style of leash (chain) apart and got loose when he (generally free of agression) lunged barking at the lady who lives across the who is already terrified of him. This is the type of leash that he snapped

When he pulls I don't think he even feels it, or the discomfort or pain registers. We usually walk him in a properly fitted prong (pinch) collar. When he gets on the lead, he is almost oblivious to me except for if I say "squirrel," when he looks around exitedly for a squirrel, and if I cluck with my mouth he knows we're going to turn. Otherwise, it's like he has blinders on. If I drop the lead or he is off, he usually runs as far and fast as he can. Back when he was about 3 (4 years ago) he could be off leash around my stepdad or if we don't make a big deal, but my mother ruined that by yelling at him frantically every time he got 50 yards away. We used this harness, but he did not understand that was stopping because he was pulling, and we made no progress, just stopping and going, stopping and going.

Really sorry fpr hijacking the thread!

[wolf_Q]

Nebo has a halti. He HATES it, he makes the walk miserable for us both if I use that. They can be great for dogs that don't hate them though. I use the gentle leader easy walk harness instead--it works great, I have one for both Nebo and Keva, and neither of them mind wearing it.

[critter crazy]

The halti lead, should work great for you Suki wingy. There will be no pulling, cause when the dog pulls, it causes their head to turn. Therefore they cannot pull forward.

here is what the Halti Lead looks like:

[crow_noir]

I know there are some really poor quality chain leashes out there. Namely from the dollar stores.

The one i have I got about eight years ago. It has been used with a German Shepherd Dog, two Labs, and two Huskies. And a few other smaller dogs. (Like i said, I let a couple friends borrow it, and have had strays and fosters.)

I bought mine from Kmart. I got the same kind as i had bought for my Rat Terrier, but with larger links. A good quality one will have welded together links and the clasp will be sturdy. (By the way... I wouldn't buy the ones Kmart now carry.)

As with any chain material it is good to inspect them now and then.

Sorry to hear that yours failed you when you needed it most

Thank you. I'm going to search for the halti, if I can't find it I'm just buying another. My dog actually snapped that style of leash (chain) apart and got loose when he (generally free of agression) lunged barking at the lady who lives across the who is already terrified of him. This is the type of leash that he snapped

When he pulls I don't think he even feels it, or the discomfort or pain registers. We usually walk him in a properly fitted prong (pinch) collar. When he gets on the lead, he is almost oblivious to me except for if I say "squirrel," when he looks around exitedly for a squirrel, and if I cluck with my mouth he knows we're going to turn. Otherwise, it's like he has blinders on. If I drop the lead or he is off, he usually runs as far and fast as he can. Back when he was about 3 (4 years ago) he could be off leash around my stepdad or if we don't make a big deal, but my mother ruined that by yelling at him frantically every time he got 50 yards away. We used this harness, but he did not understand that was stopping because he was pulling, and we made no progress, just stopping and going, stopping and going.

Really sorry fpr hijacking the thread!