Counter Surfers Unlimited
Labsr4U Pawsitive Advice
Head Collars (aka Promise Collar,
Gentle Leader or Halti)
The following article was written by Rachel Peeples, DVM
The new head collars such as Gentle Leader,
Snoot Loop, Promise and Halti are revolutionizing the way people control
their dogs. Traditionally, collars around the neck were used to control
dogs. This is a very inefficient way of keeping a dog under control
because the natural tendency of dogs is to push against a pull. Pull on
their neck they push forward. Anyone, with a dog that "walks them"
on walks knows this well. A well known maxim for large animals --
control the head you control the animal -- was brought into play to
design this better means of controlling dogs. The head collar is the dog
equivalent of the horse halter. It is NOT a muzzle nor is it intended to
be used as one. A dog with a head collar is NOT muzzled nor should it be
interpreted to be a vicious dog.
Head collars use the momentum of the dog to correct the dog. As the dog
lunges forward, the head collar transfers the pull backward on the leash
to turning the head around. The dog is now facing you and no longer
pulling forward. The dog quickly learns that lunging prevents forward
motion. This collar works wonders to bring the very active dog to a more
manageable level particularly on walks. An added benefit of the head
collars is its tendency to calm aggressive dogs and aid the owner in
gaining control of the dominant dog. In dog language, pressure on the
muzzle indicates dominance. With the head collar, the owner is
constantly applying such pressure. This makes the dominant dog recognize
the need to be obedient to its owner, and it calms the aggressive dog
down. Many people have successfully used the head collar to correct both
problems.
The head collar is by no means a cure all. But, like any other training
tool, it can complement the training process and the development of a
better and stronger human-pet bond.
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