The Halti

22 Feb

I think with these there is the possibility that people might confuse them with a muzzle. A halti is not a muzzle, it is not used to keep the dogs mouth closed, or prevent the dog from coming into contact with anything. The purpose of the halti is to be used as a training aid to teach your dog to heel and to stop it from pulling on the lead.

The idea is that they work in the same way that a horses reins work. By having control of the head, you have control of the body and where the animal moves.

When used as a training aid, you would probably want to use it coupled with rewards. You guide your dog into the position you want, and then reward. This way the dog is not going to need to be guided for ever, but will learn where it needs to be in order to please its owner and get a reward.

A halti does need to be fitted and positioned correctly if it is to work and not be uncomfortable for the dog. Most dogs should get used to the feeling after a while and not notice that they are wearing it, however others might not take so well and in these cases you might want to consider something else.

We tried one of these with Maya but gave up after a few weeks. Whilst we did notice that she seemed to pull less due to being guided into the position we wanted her, she seemed to be irritated by it being around her face and would stop and paw at her face trying to get it off.




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