Dog training collars, tips and tricks | Gentle Leader, Halti and Other Head Harnesses
Dog Training Collars
Gentle Leader, Halti and Other Head Harnesses
Thanks to a comment by a reader who clearly may have missed my repeated disclaimer that I don’t recommend collars, just review them and try to inform, I’m going to repeat that you must decide for yourself if any collar covered by the Dog Training Collars Guide is right for you. In ALL cases, you must use these tools correctly. Collars don’t train your dog but to open up opportunities for YOU to train them. Most (all) carry the potential to do physical or mental harm if not used properly and attentively. For the post addressing the commenter who wants nothing to do with Gentle Leaders, please visit our response titled A Criticism for Every Collar.
In a big departure from our previous posts on Shock Collars, Prong Collars and Choke Collars, we’re now going to discuss the “gentle” alternatives; head harnesses. Where the earlier offerings work by negative reinforcement best described as painful or uncomfortable, head harnesses such as Premier’s Gentle Leader function mostly by annoyance and by taking advantage of canine psychology.
A dog wants to look where it’s going and go where it’s looking. Head harnesses take advantage of that by steering a dog from its intended target. For example, if a dog tries to move ahead of its owner, the Gentle Leader will turn the dog’s head to the left or right (depending on which side the leash hangs).
The effect is almost comical (my own dog’s expression of annoyance was priceless) but extremely effective. Simply put, a dog would rather walk gently than have her head turned every time she tries to pull.
Though different models of head harnesses vary slightly in their function (some pull a dog’s head down, others to the side) the premise is the same which is to “turn” the dog’s head in some way. Again, effective, but is there a down side? Well, there are a few things worth mentioning.
The first thing you’ll likely experience with a dog training collar like the Gentle Leader is that your dog won’t like it. Mine each bucked like colts and pawed at their faces to remove the things but I didn’t cave and gave them repeated, sharp NO’s until they behaved. It was hard to keep a straight face, though, because they looked terribly cute trying to get the things off.
The second thing to note is that fit is extremely important for training harnesses like the Gentle Leader. My purchase came with a DVD which I watched from beginning to end and I suggest you do the same. Pay particular attention to the segments on fit and on use. This is critical.
Third, despite offering a gentler approach, head harnesses do carry risk of neck injury should a dog charge full speed to the end of the leash and get his head yanked around. With that in mind, it is important that you use these training harnesses only for training and don’t become dependent on them as everyday collars. Certainly never leave one on your dog unattended. Also remain extremely attentive at all times.
Fourth, make sure you constantly check to ensure the collar isn’t touching your dog’s eyes. Some breeds have heads that don’t accommodate a Gentle Leader well and, particularly if poorly fit, can result in part of the halter rubbing the dog’s eyes. If you notice that happening, IMMEDIATELY discontinue use.
So with the negatives out of the way, here are the positives. These things work and they work in a way that’s more readily embraced by pet lovers. As with any collar, though, the training collar you opt for is a tool, not a crutch and should be used in concert with positive reinforcement efforts and an eye on their eventual removal from everyday walks.
For my part, the Gentle Leader was a fantastic dog training addition and I’m definitely a fan. Simply put, of all the collars I’ve tried, the Gentle Leader provided the quickest results in the most pet-friendly manner at a reasonable price. Friends of mine make equally favorable statements about the Halti. There’s an inclination for either collar to fall into disuse, however, as it’s something that has to be put on and taken off before and after each walk. A buckle collar, on the other hand, can remain on. Still, for particularly stubborn dogs who are constantly trying to reassert their walking dominance, the Gentle Leader and other models of head harness are certainly handy when used in conjunction with other techniques.
Comments
Yep, use a Gentle Leader, if you:
Enjoy using leverage to control your dog
Want to be physically strong enough to manipulate your dog, but not really teach him anything
Put something on your dog’s face that makes him feel as though he cannot see, bite, sniff, or bark
Live with the potential for incredible harm to your dog’s neck, head, and shoulders.
Gentle Leaders work through two principles: leverage and repression. They don’t TEACH anything - learning theory is based off of consequences, both good and bad. Gentle Leaders do not provide consequences; they provide enough torque in the handler’s arm to PHYSICALLY FORCE the dog into a specific position.
They are a tool for those who have been suckered in by marketing and the appearance of the thing. They are by no means “dog friendly.”
Recommending them is irresponsible and quite dog un-friendly
Signed,
A former Gentle Leader user who will NEVER go back.
Argh…
“Mine each bucked like colts and pawed at their faces to remove the things but I didn’t cave and gave them repeated, sharp NO’s until they behaved. It was hard to keep a straight face, though, because they looked terribly cute trying to get the things off. ”
COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE.
You SHOULD have been counter-conditioning them through positive reinforcement to accept the Gentle Leader… Just one more reason why this is a BS tool.
You know how much counter-conditioning is required for a prong collar?
None.
Thanks for the comment, Eggs. I completely disagree with you (particularly in light of your support of prong collars as a friendlier solution in your other comment. But answering you to explain why I think you’re a little off target with your opinion took longer than I thought. Hence, I’ve devoted a whole post to your concerns alone.
You can read it here - http://www.dogtrainingcollarsguide.com/a-criticism-for-every-collar/
[...] named Eggs posted a very passionate comment expressing his/her disagreement over my post on the Gentle Leader as a Training Collar. You can read the post and his/her comment by clicking the link. In short, though, he/she feels [...]
I own a head halter but I haven’t used it in years. The male dog I put it on was extremely upset about it to the point of becoming frantic, I could not distract him with food, so I took it off. I guess some would say I gave in, and I would do it again. The next day he was very painful and had trouble eating. Not too much later I witnessed an obedience class being offered by a large chain pet supply store. A young German Shepherd bitch wearing a head halti was frantically throwing herself around on the floor fighting the halti and screaming. The instructer ignored her behavior, I told them to stop, that she would get hurt. I was asked to leave. I know that there are many dogs that quietly accept these halters. But they need to used with caution and there should be warnings of the possibilty of injury both mental and physical. I own prong collars and every once in a great while I might use one, but not without trying it on my own neck first, bearing in mind that a dogs skin is thicker and he has a “coat” I was surprised to find that exerting pressure does not hurt. I feel that most of the equipment for dogs should only be used by experts and I admit that a truely humane and honest to gosh experienced trainers can be hard to find.I am leaning more and more to training with buckle collars, I don’t want my students to have anything stronger. Gone are the days of fitting dogs with chain collars. I always suggest to people that want to use a halti, that they use it with a buckle collar with a seperate leash on both a bit more to manage but safer for the dog.
Excellent comment, Mary. After reading your description of how the Shep reacted, I’m a bit shocked the trainer completely ignored her. My own pup bucked like a bronco for a minute but not to the extent of screaming or throwing herself on the ground. I could never ignore something that extreme. It just breaks my heart.
For those of you reading, the concern with that kind of response the potential for psychological damage (and loss of confidence or trust). That’s absolutely not what you want in your pet.
In my opinion, the trainer Mary described was completely irresponsible. Not all dogs react or respond equally. Some adjust well to haltis and gentle leaders. But if the response is that extreme, IMMEDIATELY remove the collar and resign yourself to spending time acclimating your pet to the thing in a safe, trusting and responsible way.
Training a dog is more about love, patience and respect than it is about what kind of collar you use. NO collar should ever be torture.