Halti (a head collar)

[wellygoggles]

I walk 4 yo Fergus around the streets using a Halti as I feel I have better control with him using this. However, when the Shire horses come into town (2 of them pull a wagon which takes tourists around our seaside town) Fergus goes ballistic - I think it's the noise as skateboards & motorbikes cause the same reaction, and I have to hang on to his lead for grim death.

Last week the worst thing happened - he twisted and pulled out of his Halti as the horses came along the road and shot across the main road and start running around their hooves barking his head off. Initially, the driver (?) wouldn't stop and just kept flicking Fergus with his whip and yelling at him (understandable as he wouldn't want his horses to bolt), but Fergus kept charging back at them. By this time traffic had built up behind the horses and traffic coming the other way came to a stop as they saw me running down the middle of the road calling Fergus' name and holding a treat out. Eventually the driver stopped and yelled at me to grab Fergus, but the little just kept dancing out of my reach and I wasn't too happy about going too close to those huge horses. Luckily for me hubby had all the windows & doors open as it's so hot here and heard the commotion and came out to see what Fergus was up to. Next minute I saw hubby striding down the middle of the road and luckily he caught Fergus by surprise who got a shock when he turned round and saw him there, so hubby was able to shoot his arm out and grab him by the scruff of the neck!

I'm sure I've aged 10 years and got grey hair from that experience! I contacted my vet/animal behavourist who has suggested Fergus needs to be desensitised to the horses, but I told her she must be joking as I'm sure the driver wouldn't let me within 10ft of his horses! I've managed to source 2 shortish lead extensions, 1 of which I clip to his collar and the other I clip to his Halti and both attach to his lead. What next - a straight jacket?

[Jessica H]

The Dog Whisperer has done many episodes of things "setting" dogs off on walks. He usually just keeps walking straight and gives quick jerks with the leash or a tap on the butt with his heel. The halti is not something for behavior issues, it is for pulling. Cesar Milan always uses a "training" collar on every dog and I have too. It is similar to a choke chain but it is cotton and it is tighter so it stays up higher on the neck. It sounds horrible but that is what I used with mine while training and it works great.

The major thing sounds like you need to distract him before he "reacts". A little pop of a training collar diverts the attention. If it is used correctly it is a great tool.

[wellygoggles]

"He usually just keeps walking straight and gives quick jerks with the leash or a tap on the butt with his heel

Fergus is 12kgs (approx 26.5 lbs) of solid muscle and there is no way I can do as Mr Milan does. If I hear the horses coming, I shoot off down a side street, but this time I didn't hear them until they were upon us. I use the Halti because of Fergus' pulling and jumping up at joggers who come up behind us quietly, a couple of whom he has nipped. I keep him on a short lead to avoid this happening again, but when horses, skateboards & motorbikes appear, he is like a Whirling Dervesh - spinning, pulling and barking. I'm not a small woman, but it takes all my might to hold on and drag him along.

I have tried a choke chain with Fergus, to no avail. I shall look to see if they sell training collars here in NZ.

[pkcrossley]

if fergus is yappy or snippy, the halti is probably of use, but if you need to control him in situations like this i would certainly suggest a harness (a good one he can't chew through).

it really sounds like fergus may have been set off more by the wagon the horses were pulling than by the horses. if you don't see horses much, trying to desensitize him would be a major project. maybe just make sure you have the tools to keep him under control, no matter what. no sense desensitizing him to horses and then have him break out next time because of a marching band.

[Jessica H]

Cesar uses the technique of the tap with a heel to the bum with large dogs mostly. I use it with my 60 lb German Shepherd puppy (who is pure muscle and much stronger than me already) all the time and it works great. He was starting to bark aggressiveley towards bigger dogs when on the leash and this is the technique I used and now he is fine A harness is good because they cannot get out of them but it encourages pulling. Almost like a sled dog, they feel it pull so they pull harder against it. I have used everything with my Cairns, I am trying the gentle leader now for pulling and it works but nothing compares to the nylon/rope training collars. I got mine in the obedience classes I signed up for.

I guess it depends on the outcome you are looking for. If you want to just be able to control him when he goes into his tantrum then use a harness or the halti but I think if you want to stop it all together so you can walk by the horses no problem then I would try the other approach.

If he is so strong that you cannot hold on to him then I would strongly suggest a training collar. I use a pinch collar for my Shepherd and it is the best thing I have ever done. I never agreed with them until I put it on myself and tried it. It only pinches, doesn't hurt. My Shepherd puppy always walks by my side with slack, never pulls. Walks by everything without a problem and when he starts to pay attention to something else I give a quick jerk and he snaps out of it immediately. I would never use one on my Cairns but they are about 14-17lbs. Maybe it would be good for Fergus. You cannot enjoy a walk with your dog if it always turns out like that.

Maybe use treats and when you see the horses use the treat to distract him before he reacts. Put the treat in front of his nose but do not give it to him if he reacts.

[Nena]

What an experience you went through. I have had my share of chasing mine, (she won't come to me and runs like a crazy dog when she gets away from me) I bet you did age 10 years with that awkful experience. So glad that your husband was able to grab Fergus in time and that he was not hurt. I also use a harness with Nena so she is more sercure. On occasion she managed to get out on us when I was not careful and it is a real challenge to get her back. I am afraid of cars or getting lost. Thankfully she knows her yard and usually just runs it but you never know.

Glad it turned out good, but I bet you were embarassed after that was over.

[Nikki]

I hate halti collars ...scotty broke it right off when he saw something he wanted to chase...you are very lucky that Fergus didn't get hurt

you might want to try those no pull harness no pull harness

if it makes you really nervous...try using two leashes...put on on a flat collar and on a harness that way if Fergus does manage to get out you have a back up

[Jetti]

I am very interested in all the collars you are talking about and tried a halti but Pao hated it and hurt himself trying to get it off. Poor guy got the sides of his mouth all sore and all the hair came off. I have a gentle leader headcollar but have not used it yet. At the moment I am using a choke-collar but he keeps pulling anyway - it only gets better when we come back from our walk.

I have given up on having a dog that walks nicely on leash. At least he is good off leash but of course he has to be on leash for most of the time.

Fergus going for the horses was very funny indeed. How do you desensitise a dog?? Never heard of it. Mine needs to be desensitised of airplanes.

[josie&holly]

I use a harness for Holly as she will not walk at all if lead attached to collar! Have used ordinary harness but presently using a Puppia one and she pulls far less on this than on the other - it seems to hold her better. She also looks quite cute in it and have received comment from other dog-owners in this respect!

However getting it on and off is a pain - she does not like things being pulled over her head..............

[Cairnmania]

If Fergus is noise-sensitive than IMO the best way to train him out of it is through distraction. If he is food crazy use food. If he is ball or toy crazy, use his favorite object. Immediately before you know he is going to react, distract him with the food or toy and keep him distracted. Reward him for being quiet. He may only be able to be quiet for seconds to begin with but with patience you can build it up to minutes until he is quiet out of his own choice.

If you can "manufacture" a noise at home that he reacts to, even better because you will have more practice time.

Abby and Rudi used to go nuts with horses. Abby just got used to seeing horses and I can leave her off lead around them. Rudi I allowed to sniff a horse whilst it and its rider were standing and chatting with someone else. He was very curious, but the horse flicked its tail and Rudi jumped back about 6 feet. Now, he just looks at horses but shows no desire to get any closer. LOL

[Nena]

I have a question about the Pappia harness, I looked up the picture of it and am wondering how secure it is. Does it velco because that would just pull open on mine when she runs. I use a regular harness now and she does not mind it. The picture of the Pappia harness looks like has no opening at the front breast so that would be good but I am not sure about it.

Is it that hard to put on?

[josie&holly]

The Poppia harnes just fastens at one side with a push clip type thing [like on the ordinary harness]. I have found it secure so far - a lady lives near me recommended it as she has 2 young Cairns, but before that she had one that she was given one for, so she got them for the pups. One of the young ones is very bouncy and it does not shift or anything.

The ordinary harness kept twisting round on Holly and she did not look comfy in it. We also played the hokey cokey getting that on her - one leg in and one leg out shake yourself about and start again!!

Holly is not keen on having the Poppia pulled over her head[but then she does not like anything round her like a coat either! but once that is achieved then you just have to pick up one leg and lift it through strap - then you take strap under belly and fasten. And she cannot pull a leg out so easily as with the other harness................... well, so far she hasn't!

She walks nicely with it on and seems to find it less irritating than the straps of other - she will stop frequently when wearing that one as it seems to rub her - the Poppia is softer.

It does protect her chest and means that she is not so mucky there - the harness is easy to wash too. I am going to get another one I think next time I see them on sale here [quite pricy - the ordinary one is

[Nena]

Thanks for the quick reply I sure am going to look into getting one. I like a harness better than a regular collar for our walks.

Thanks, I always learn something new.

[Jessica H]

Scooter and Sadie pull like sled dogs. I think it is because I have always used harnesses. Harnesses actually can encourage pulling and they fight against it. Like a sled dog, harnesses are made for pulling. I have tried it all and I have been using a prong collar on my shepherd which works miracles. I decided to use it on Scooter and it worked GREAT!!!! No pulling and no pulling on the neck. I was always against prong collars until I got my Shepherd and it is the best thing ever! They look much worse than they are, I even put it on myself, it doesn't hurt, just a pinch (like another dog biting the neck). It isn't bad for the neck because it does not choke or pull on them. It is a quick correction with an instant response.

I am sure people are going to Strongly disagree with this as I did to but they really are not as bad as they look at all. The collar is always loose until they pull, then it is a quick pinch and that's it. They get the hint quick, Scooter stopped pulling in the first 5 feet. I wish I tried it long ago.