Halti head collar….what am I doing wrong !?

[NewMeNewUs]

I’ve been using the halti head collar for our strong 1 year old Labrador for about 3 months now.
Yes it helps with the pulling, I can’t walk her without it.
BUT
she still hates it, constantly trying to get it off.
also is it not meant to tighten and loosen itself ?
ie tightens if she tries to pull and is loose when she’s not pulling ?
I spend most of the walk either putting it back on her, or loosening it as it’s gotten so tight around her mouth, at least 10 times. It’s so frustrating. I end up holding the lead so tight (not loose lead) so she can’t hook her foot on it to get it off. I know she hates it and is uncomfortable. Am I doing something wrong!? Do we need a different size !? Thank you

Swap to a dogmatic. Mine hated haltis but don’t bat an eyelid at these.

Halti head collars are aversive and designed to be uncomfortable so it's no wonder she doesn't like it.

As PP said, the dogmatic is better for pulling.

A properly fitting halti shouldn't come off, at all. If she's able to simply pull her head out of it it's too big.

I've also never experienced a halti becoming tight...temporarily if they pull, yes but you shouldn't have to adjust it whilst on at all.

Have you checked it thoroughly (to ensure no broken clips or twisted lead) and are you sure you're putting it on correctly? Are you certain you're clipping the lead to the correct part? There are two metal bits under the chin that 'could' have a lead clipped on but only one is correct.

This is an interesting and well thought out piece on head collars if anyone is interested in reading further.

www.simpawtico-training.com/dont-use-a-head-halter/

We also got a dogmatic, it's a game changer.

our golden hated the halti headcollar but gets on really well with the halti body harness

I think a harness is better and less intrusive for the dog. Clip the lead on the front at the chest, not on the back, its a game changer.

Harnesses help dogs to pull - why do you think huskies have them on sleds.

I personally think this kind of collar is cruel. That area of their nose is so sensitive and your dog is telling you they don't like it. What you need is a rope lead under their neck and a professional trainer. Dogs hurt themselves to pull until taught not to.

My boxer hated hers and could pull it off with her paw.
putting the lead on the front of a harness works much better.

Harnesses help dogs to pull - why do you think huskies have them on sleds.

It's not so much that harnesses help dogs to pull, it's that they allow them to pull safely and without causing any damage to their joints or neck.

I tried one of these for my lab, she hated it and would have managed to get it off before we’d even got to the end of the drive, she would then sit and refuse to move with it on.
I swapped to the halti front control harness and have been using it for about 3 years and it helps so much

I have tired both a slip rope and spent hundreds on a trainer. Neither have worked

I’ve had a look at dogmatic, they look exactly the same as the Halti?

Thanks for your reply. Looks exactly the same as a halti?

My lab has a halti- a rope around the neck didn’t work nor a harness attached at the front. She wasn’t keen the first couple of weeks but is fine now, sits patiently for me to put it on her. She is about 25kg and has a size 3 halti. We seem to go through them though, they only seem to last her about 6 months. I take it off her when she’s off the lead because she prefers it to be off while she’s running around

It just fits better and the dog looks more comfortable in it.

Spending hundreds on a trainer is not really what's needed here, unfortunately - there is no magic fix to it. Also not sure what you mean by spending hundreds on a trainer - do you mean someone else has trained the dog, or you've spent hundreds on one-on-one sessions with them training you? Most dog trainers will be able to get a dog to behave, through fair means or foul - but that doesn't mean they'll behave for the owner.

The only thing that will work in these circumstances is pure, achingly slow stubbornness on your part. High value treats. When the lead is tight, you don't move until it goes slack and dog is with you, even if that is for one pace.

There is no short cut to this really. Always more difficult with an adult dog, but absolutely not impossible.

I agree with this tbh.

Haltis/other similar types of lead aren't actually a cure 90% of the time. All they do is stop a dog pulling in that moment - they don't change the behaviour long term. That's why most decent trainers don't advocate using them.

You need to go back to basics of loose lead walking. Favourite treat in your hand. Do 3-4 steps with your dog walking to heel. Feed treat. Replace treat. 3-4 steps in another direction. Feed treat. Replace treat. Repeat. It's boring, but it's the most effective way to ensure your dog is properly trained by you and not by a piece of fabric.

What's your dog like off lead, OP?

Thanks all for your replies.
I’ve spent £500 on on to one training sessions.
what he taught us works but not on the first 10/15 mins of our walk. Once we’ve got to our field to walk off lead, done an hour, then walk home again- the walk home I do not have to put the halti lead on and she loose lead walks nicely home.
it’s that initial bit of the walk when she’s got so much energy and excitement nothing works not even steak in my hand 😂
someone asked what she’s like off lead, she’s great. Good recall, doesn’t go far etc.

ive checked our halti today and from what I can see it’s correct!
there doesn’t seem to be that much space inbetween the 2 hoops though if you can see in the pictures ?

To be honest, you'd probably have served yourself better by joining a good local training club for joint classes than by paying for one-to-one lessons - your dog needed to learn to behave around other dogs and distractions, and probably the thing she most needs is to learn to focus on you.

Your dog is a young dog of powerful breed(s). If she can walk well back from the field, she can walk well to it. Sadly, you just need to work at it, slowly and doggedly, and it will come. There is no magic fix, I'm afraid.

Where are you located? If you are within an hour of Winchester, I can help you, no charge.

I am a dog trainer.

The reason she tries to take it off is because it is painful and the pain is what makes them walk better - they don’t pull because it hurts. Nothing apart from training will make any difference sorry. You need to look at putting in more practice and using seriously high value treats.

My German Shepherd was the same, he could literally pull me off my feet. He did not get on with the halti at all, it caused more problems than it fixed. Eventually tried a harness that does up at the front. Game changer, made all the difference. And now he doesn't need it, walks nicely at my side. This is the one I have.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/PetSafe-Harness-Small-Medium-Large/dp/B005HNPCY4/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2P7JGWZXU23TH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.pX-h8S_Pv7PisyxO9vNpP8kU7mdAteQlsUP3k3lD6JfrLq3fG3QgCr3_cFzUmcQrdF-u4HeJwEkJzRq6iY91oBQoJAhBSUfsAQuTkNY1GL4Cp_P5vj7ohtRuFyNbumrsTxmtZFovmDZlv_x6gGcgkSoOYXmyvh8mXf5AiN9fWJT4hXD4U2Tk5QPctcVHC7Q3eNowoeCiyoQCjLYmFsf91_SCBai_3JiMOD5fvKh_9XUM0e9XgOe4dukxmdFl9RZ8brjSh3Xz9XAiFDl70FeouAxOD_PLw2Re5i5Px4QJxFo.Gog9wI0Gs10e4piNpo7njAhRmqRN3b0NFthF3fW-13U&dib_tag=se&keywords=easy+harness+dog&qid=1714396138&sprefix=easy+harness%2Caps%2C330&sr=8-5

OT but a very unusual colour for a lab !

I think the halti is a size too small @NewMeNewUs .

We use a halti on our Springer and there's a fairly large gap between the two hoops, they're nowhere near touching. The halti adverts also show a decent gap.