Hello,

So I have been showing my dog for a couple of years but I'm getting fed up of my arm being dragged off every time he wants to speak to another dog at the show! He's a big lad, 50 kilos, and I think it's time I invested in some sort of head collar....

* So I have tried a halti - don't like it, it pulls up under the eyes.
* Also tried a figure of 8/gencon design - very much like it, doesn't pull up under the eye but not so keen on the fact it 'squeezes' when the dog pulls.
* Just ordered a canny collar to give that a try.

I have herd people speak very highly of the dogmatics, but I saw a few dogs wearing them at the show yesterday and they seem to be pulling up under the eye aswell?

So what do you all recommend? So far I'm liking the figure of eight I think....

Thanks!

Having tried all those and more I like or should I say my dogs prefer the fleece lined martingale head collar .dogmatic isn't bad if your dog is happy with the bits under the chin .canny are good when on but fiddly. There is another post to one recommended by Nikita which looks worth a try and not expensive.

Hi,

I LOVE the Gentle Leader. It's adjustable at the nose and head so that it fits exactly and so won't rub the eyes. I have Golden Retrievers and have just ordered one from Amazon in "fawn" to match their coat and it looks brilliant!

These are the ones I use:

http://www.houndstuff.co.uk/headcollars.html

They can be fiddly to get on but for my dogs at least, they've been the best I've tried.  They don't suit everyone - a friend has a dog walking business and walks a beagle on one, I walked the little git last week and ended up putting her on a gentle leader as the above didn't give me enough steering and she is a very determined sniffer!  But one of her other customer's dogs is usually on a halti, put him on a houndstuff and he was MUCH better.  Horses for courses as always :-)

You name it: I have bought it and whichever one I tried, it made no difference, my Golden would just throw herself down on her left side on my left side and there was no moving her so I gave up ( and I am a dog trainer!) VARIOUS HEADCOLLARS FOR SALE!

Re the Houndstuff ones - they look very interesting but I wish they'd picture one ON the dog!!!    I use(d) a Canny Collar for my Whippet who is inclined to 'spook'.  This was recommended by somebody on another forum and as I felt I needed more control over her head, so she didn't need to be tugging on her fragile neck, I bought into this.  Although it does tend to get close to her eyes, which I don't like, the change in her was a m a z i n g!    So much so that after a few sessions out on it, she now wears a wide (Whippet collar width) martingaleand trots along perfectly.    If I know she's going somewhere she might be concerned about, we take the CC with us.

Overall though, I think they are a very useful tool - I was told they are 'only a band-aid solution' and that training is the only answer ...... well all I say to that is IT WORKED WITH MY WHIPPET, band-aid or not!!  Logic suggests to me that having control of the head should be far better than tugging, either via a normal collar, or a harness.

ps   I have always used the 'mis-named' choke chain when walking our Bassets.   It was the only way to get them all from lane to field in the event they got onto something on the way ...... walking up to half a dozen took lots of strength otherwise!   And used correctly, there was no 'choking', just a click-control.  We still use one with our current last Basset.   But it always comes off when free-running.   As does his normal collar when indoors.   Also I showed all our hounds on a thin chain - sometimes a slip chain and some on a martingale.

>Re the Houndstuff ones - they look very interesting but I wish they'd picture one ON the dog!!!

Bear with me...

Ok, here's Willow (looking decidedly unimpressed as she doesn't wears hers very often :-P)...

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-jxcUNMaSkOk/VHB0XpZr5cI/AAAAAAAACR8/L5BxOoSq_lA/w427-h240-no/willowheadcollar.jpg

Not a great pic but it gives you an idea!

Thanks so much - it looks 'neater' than the Canny Collar and certainly wider which might be better for my Whippet?

What is the bit hanging down?

ps   Loving the expression, on both!!

I use a dog matic been through all the others and wouldn't change from this make think there brilliant. I can walk two aussies into a show with no problem. They do not ride up on the eyes.

Lol, if you have any dogmatic's for sale I'd be interested if you are being serious :-)

> What is the bit hanging down?

That's the backup strap in case of the dog slipping the headcollar, it has a small trigger clip on the end to link the headcollar to the dog's normal collar.  It's sewn onto the ring underneath where the nose loop crosses itself.

Thanks Nikita - I emailed the seller and she sent me a photo of her Whippet wearing one of these collars - with the clip attached to the normal collar!   Makes perfect sense now!   I'm going to buy one.

Dogmatic is the one for me too. Bought a leather one and treated it with coach line to soften before use. I tried all the others and this was the only one that does not ride up into the eyes, so long as you get the right size.

Have been looking at Head Collars for my bouncy, very strong youngster. Just wondered if anybody had bought the New Trix Halter from Canada ??
It is similar to a Dogmatic but the lead attaches at the back of the head rather than under the chin. With the shipping costs it works out quite expensive, so didn't want to end up with yet more equipment I don't use.
Also for those who use the Houndstuff one or the Canny Collar, does the noseband tighten if the dog pulls ? And how easy is it for them to get the nose loop off ?
I have  tried the figure of 8 type some years back on my youngsters grandmother and she could just get her front paw up and flip the loop off her nose in seconds.
Don't think you can beat proper lead training, but at times I need to walk all 4 dogs together, individually they will all walk beautifully but get them together and they do take the Michael !
Also being HPR's they have a strong prey drive, so very interested in birds and small furries, if they know they are going for a run, the training goes out of the window. So just need something that will give me control till we get across the car park and sometimes down a lane till we get to a safe field where they can be let off.
Have used Dogmatics in the past, but I have one girl who if you put it on her she just parks her bum and refuses to budge, and have also read that the ring under the chin can cause a whiplash effect with dogs that are strong or likely to throw their heads about.
All suggestions opinions gratefully appreciated.

Anybody ?

I've just googled it and it looks ok. From what I can see it doesn't tighten around the nose but pulls the nose down toward the dogs chest. I suppose a determined puller will simply keep pulling though.

I asked on a Facebook group and a lady has replied that she is going to be a UK Distributor. Think I will order one and road test it.
They are not cheap, so hope it doesn't turn out to be something else that languishes in the dog draw or I end up giving away. !!

It's similar to the ones I use, although with a slightly different front piece (one continuous piece of material similar to a figure 8 headcollar, but with the martingale attachment at the back).  I find that dogs accept them much better than the more common designs, I think perhaps because they don't pull the head sideways.

> xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Think I will order one and road test it.

Let me know if it's any good and I will try it on one of my boys who hates head collars that tighten on his nose. I have a collection of head collars and he hates every single one of them!

This is a link to the Face book page of the  Lady who is going to get them in. She has a website and will post on there when she has them. She said she will do them a bit cheaper than the supplier as an introductory offer. https://www.facebook.com/uk.little.hobos?fref=ts

Have you tried the Kumfi CALMER available in B & M Retail at just over a fiver. Lead and head-collar combined. It does not ride up over the eyes. Very versatile but simplicity itself. Also good quality Snap on 'Kombi' Half Check Collars with a snap fastener @ £3.99. Other Kumfi equipment all relatively inexpensive.

Thanks K9TRG   have had a look at the Kumfi  and it looks very similar to a Dogmatic. Looks good value for money.
I have ordered the New Trix halter and just waiting on it being shipped from Canada. The difference in the New Trix and some of the others is that the lead is attached at the back of the head rather than under the chin, so for dogs that are prone to sudden lunges when they see birds etc. There is less of a whiplash effect on the neck. That is the theory anyway.
Will see how I get on with it when it comes and report back. I am hoping that I won't need to use it too long and she learns to walk nicely, but with a few big dogs I just wanted to be safe & something to give me the edge on slippery muddy paths over winter.

This is a link to the New Trix Canadian site.  But the lady I posted a link to earlier is now going to distribute them in the UK. She is offering them cheaper at the moment on an introductory offer.

http://www.newtrix.ca/index.cfm?page=ourProducts

There is another Halter called a Trixie Halter on Amazon. I know gets confusing, that is supplied in the UK but that is a different design.