Not after a recommendation here - there's been a post about them recently I'm sure, I can search for that.  What I'm after are tips on hwo to get a dog used to one!

I know I've said in the past that I'm not keen on headcollars - and TBH I'm still not - but I've decided to have one last attempt to train my brother's dog to behave better out of the house.  She pulls like a steam train and has serious reactivity issues with other dogs - goes absolutely berserk when she sees one, and it starts anything up to 40 feet away.

So, having used a halti body harness to some effect (basically meaning I can walk without being pulled over, altho I still have to stop when she goes nuts otherwise we go flying towards the other dog), I thought I'd try a headcollar again.

What I'm hoping is that it'll give me enough control to be able to keep walking when we see another dog - so that I can turn and walk the other way before berserkedness sets in, to give us both a chance to do some training, a bit of desensitisation or, at the very least, calm her down so her stress levels don't go through the roof.  I'm not expecting miracles by any length - but if I can establish a way of getting her under control, then she should have ample exercise from brother's fiance when he moves in with her in 4 months or so.

Hi,

There's actually been a couple lately about getting a dog used to a headcollar as well as on types of headcollar.  Try putting it on and giving a treat several times before attempting to leave it on for any length of time.  Then put it on for the dog to eat her meals and take it off as soon as she's finished.  Put it on for a play in the garden with her favourite toy and again take it off strraight away - I think it's best to do this for about a week before even attempting to take the dog out in it - it could take more or less time depending on the dog - just don't rush it and make it as fun as possible.  Do as many things as you can that will make her associate the headcollar with good things.

Karen

I used treats to get my girl used to the halti.  I put the nose piece on and gave a treat, removed it and gave a treat.  Repeated this till she was happy with that.  Then put nose piece on and done it up and gave a treat, immeadiatly removed it and gave a treat.  Done this a couple of times and she was fine to go on walks.  I took treats the first couple of times so as she felt pressure I rewarded her.  She has never been a problem doing it this way and it gives me full control when we see cars whizzing past on swishy wet roads.

Bev

Must've missed those, I only saw the ones about which headcollars were the best.

Thanks for the tips guys - I'm anticipating a couple of weeks at least before walks I think, she takes a while to get used to new things.

Just a word of advice.  If you are going to let ehr wear the head collar without a lead attached I would go for the gentle leade, as that one adjusts under the chin so that it doesn't leave it all loose aroudn the muzzle like a Halti, which is so easy for the dog to chew up if not attached to a lead.

I have found with the GL that this is less likely as the nose bit should be doen up under the chin behind the dogs lips.

At our trainignclass out of the two we find the webbing on the Gentle Leader softer and less pringe to mark the face, and seems to ride up less that the Halti on most dogs.

When using one please use a Halti link or use a check or half check collar to attach the lead to also just in case the headcollar comes off. 

The chain will give the slack needed not to interfere with the headcollars use.

Alternatively a double ended lead can be used atttaching one end to head collar and other to her collar, or two leads (though this can be unwieldy, I prefer one lead attached to half check collar and Headcollar for safety, especialy with a dog that may get out of control.

I have a friend with an extremely fear aggressive bitch in the presence of other dogs and people when out of the house (sweet as you like at home with both humans and canines).  they take her out muzzled and on a headcollar in the evenings just so she can get some excersise, I would almost say she is Agraphobic, she si such a Jekyl and Hyde.  If I didn't know I woudl have said she had not beeen brought up and socialised properly, whcih is farthest from the truth, she just got worse and worse as she got older, starting after her first season.  Thinking it may have been hormonal she was spayed after a couple of seasons yet it made no differenece.  She actually shakes.

Ayway hubby took her out one evening and somehow when she jerked her headcollar came undone and she was running around in the road in panic, so she is always attached to her collar as well.

My halti came with a detatchable strap with a clip on the end to attatch to the collar.

Bev

Yes that is the Halti link I mentioned in my post.

The Halti link is quite long though so I tuck it under the collar and then up to the collar ring to clip it on.  This seems to make it about the right length.

Bev