Confused about head collar types

[Zippy]

I am struggling to work out if there are any significant differences in head collars, are there different types or do they all work in the same way?

Do they all tighten around the nose and head when the dog pulls?

Some appear to have the lead attached underneath the nose loop, on others the lead is attached at neck, does this make a difference?

 

[JoanneF]

Some seem to pull the face (cheek?) up towards the eyes if that makes sense. So the face gets sort of squashed up. That looks uncomfortable so can't be good. Is this because your dog pulls? If so, have you thought of clicker training? In any nanosecond that the lead is slack, click then reward. The dog learns slack lead equals reward so tries to achieve that. Timing is crucial.

 

[excuseme]

The original "Halti" is a fantastic and very effective object. It fits comfortably and loosely like a head collar. Large animals like Horses , cows and sheep can be led in head collars very effectively.

The Halti leads from under the muzzle, it should be worn loosely and NOT tight ! If used properly It turns the head and stops the power and strength of pulling. It is not the fact that they tighten but the ability to very effectively turn the head.

I once had a spaniel who always put his head down to the ground when on the lead and he always leant on the normal collar. By using the "Halti" his head came up and he walked on a loose lead and I could hold him between just finger and thumb, he became light on the lead and by far nicer when walking on the lead.

The Halti should not be done up so tight that it is tight at all times, it should not cut in under the eyes! If fitted and used correctly it should be loose and "comfortable".

The strap that fits behind the head often drops low and down the neck, this is not a problem as the control is taken from the turning of the head when the lead attached to the halti is gently pulled inwards towards yourself and the power is removed from any pulling.

I have noticed quiet often where a dog has learnt to get the correct angle between the connection beneath the muzzle and the leaders hand which gives a straight pull and with no effective turning of the head. This is the users fault and they should correct the way and angle in which they are holding the lead.

Many dogs just stop pulling when an object is put over the muzzle/nose, but figure of 8 and others that lead from close to the neck are by far less effective.

For extra safety while both the dog and walker are learning to use the Halti it is best to use the little connecting strap from the dogs collar to the ring beneath the Halt.

If worn and used correctly the Halti is a fantastic product.

 

[gypsysmum2]

There are several brands, alongside the Halti, that are also good. The Gentle Leader is one and the Dogalter is another. Some breeds seem to get on better with certain types of headcollar. Larger breeds seem to do well in the Dogalter.

Never use a halter with a flexi lead as dogs can pick up quite a bit of speed on flexis and the head would be wrenched round.

I would always use a link from head collar to neck collar so that you have control if the headcollar comes off.

Some dogs find having their head cradled in a headcollar to be very calming. This is thought to come from an instinctive reaction to relaxing when their mother lifted them as newborns by cradling the head in her mouth. Does not work with all dogs though.

Introduced slowly and gently they can be very useful tools.