Author Topic: Halti (Read 3238 times)

plumseverywhere · « **on:** May 10, 2014, 09:40:27 am »

I've finally purchased one of these for Murphy and cannot believe how fantastic it is. I can walk around town etc with him and not end up with back or shoulder ache (I have, before anyone tells me off, been to training lessons etc to try and work on the pulling but to no avail!)
It feels too good to be true - can anyone prewarn me of any pitfalls so I know what to look out for? I had a friend tell me that the one she used on Murphy's brother worked so well that she no longer uses it and he walks to heel beautifully - is this quite a common result?
The lady that measured him up and fitted it in the petshop did mention that if I'm sat having coffee somewhere and he goes quiet to check he's not chewing through it but any other things to watch for? I'm not going to cause him any neck damage for example if used correctly?

shygirl · « **Reply #1 on:** May 10, 2014, 09:49:30 am »

we have lost alot of them to chewing. expensive things to replace. some brands fit better than others. our gsd had a made to measure leather one til my son cut it up with scissors!! argh
remember to use the link chain to the collar so if it falls off you still have the dog.

Steph Hen · « **Reply #2 on:** May 10, 2014, 10:00:18 am »

If your dog has stopped pulling I don't see how it could cause neck damage?
My spaniel thought a lead meant he should be on his back legs, throwing all his weight against a collar.
I tried dog whisperer style thin collar and lead, some improvement, and choke chain, but both are only useful when used as training aids, to teach them to heel. They need constant adjustment, reinforcement of commands and repositioning of dog. I was walking for hours a day at the time and it was far too much effort. As in cuts and blisters on my hands.

With a halti, I no longer had to keep telling him to heel or fight or spend hours changing direction or pulling in any way, or with treats in my pockets, which only taught him to jump up. Just put dog on lead and start walking (he was a bit fussy at first about having it on his face).
It definitely taught him what I wanted, that walking nicely was the aim of the game. Once this was instilled as the default "what you're meant to do", the Command for heel came in and then went back to choke chain for a while to abruptly correct any times he forgot what he was doing, and now I can't remember the last time I had him on a lead.

It was really tough training that dog, now people say I'm so lucky for having such a well trained lovely dog. Make me cross.

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #3 on:** May 10, 2014, 10:04:54 am »

Thank you for the replies

Its funny you saying that Steph Hen... within minutes of putting this on Murphy, a man came over to say hello to him and commented to me that I had "a very well behaved dog" - I felt like saying to him that he should have seen him 10 minutes ago

The results are instant and even the children can walk the dog (with me there too!) and its a pleasure not a battle.
Now we just need to work on that 100% recall....

Mammyshaz · « **Reply #4 on:** May 10, 2014, 10:33:57 am »

They are brilliant walking aids for those dogs that just get tooo excited on a collar and lead. I wouldn't be without mine for the GSD. He does still try to pull on it now and then but with much less fight than a collar and lead.
He did go through a naughty patch in his teens of running fast 'through' the halt

so it was over his head almost so I changed to a gentle leader for a while. Same principle but slight different head control. It sorted the antics of him running through the halti but there isn't as much control so he is back to the halti now.

Agree in always making sure the clip is on the collar. I've heard too many stories of the dogs pulling out of the halti and running off, with the older version that didn't have this extra safety piece.

doganjo · « **Reply #5 on:** May 10, 2014, 11:00:31 am »

Halti's are very good and some dogs learn to walk to heel without them on, unfortunately mine aren't included in that!

They can ride up and hurt the corner of teh eye though so just check every so often. I actually prefer gentle leaders now. Gencon in particular.

So pleased it's working for you and Murphy

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #6 on:** May 10, 2014, 11:05:41 am »

I must be a very cynical person - I've been thinking 'this is too good to be true, therefore it must have faults'!!!

shygirl · « **Reply #7 on:** May 10, 2014, 11:44:25 am »

i tried a lupi harness once but never had success with that.

xnbacon · « **Reply #8 on:** May 11, 2014, 12:33:23 pm »

Mine has chewed through the safety strap (the bit that connects halti to the collar) when l've taken my eye off her before. After she did the second one we found a bit of chain to link the two.

jaykay · « **Reply #9 on:** May 11, 2014, 01:02:52 pm »

I started with a Halti when I rescued Daisy, but she soon learned to get out of it and bite it somehow.

Now we use an Easy Walk Harness - works because the lead connects at the front, so if they pull, they spin round. It is the best thing ever and makes walking a pleasure.