When it comes to head collars, some dog owners use Gentle Leaders and some use Haltis. These are the most popular brands, at least around here. I am sold on the Halti (top photo). I always recommended the Gentle Leader, but that’s because I hadn’t tried the Halti until now.
There are two things about the Halti that make it slightly more effective than the Gentle Leader (bottom photo):
The Halti has an extra strap leading from the nose to the neck. This keeps the other strap from pulling to the side or up into the dog’s eyes, which happens all the time with Ace and his Gentle Leader.
The Halti also has another strap that clips onto the dog’s collar. This is a good safety for really strong dogs or dogs that manage to wiggle their nose out. The Gentle Leader only attaches to the leash, but certain models of the Halti attach to the leash and the collar. Ace has never gotten his Gentle Leader off, but I’ve known other dogs that have. It would be nice to have that added attachment to the collar.
Abby over at Danes Down Under recommended the Halti a long time ago, and I didn’t get around to trying one until last weekend. To the right is her great dane, Chelsea, modeling it for us. Ace is reluctantly modeling the Gentle Leader below.
Besides the slight differences I mentioned, the Gentle Leader and the Halti are basically the same. I refer to both as head collars, and they serve the same purpose. They are tools to teach a dog not to pull, and they make it a lot easier to walk and control a dog if he does pull. Head collars fit over a dog’s muzzle like a halter on a horse and snap behind the ears.
Most dog owners could benefit from using a head collar with their dogs. People find them more humane than choke or pinch collars because they don’t tighten around a dog’s neck. I use all types of collars with Ace, but the head collars work well when I bike with my dog because he can’t pull me. Even with a pinch collar, he can easily pull if he tries. I also have him on a head collar when I take him to certain places where I have a harder time controlling him such as stores that allow dogs or public dog events.
The only problem with head collars is that untrained dogs will go right back to pulling when they’re on a normal collar. Of course, this is also true with choke collars. Many people have asked me if my dog can still open his mouth with a head collar on. Yes, he can. These are not muzzles. He can bite, pant, drink, eat, drool, you name it.
What kind of training collar do you use?
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October 3rd, 2008 at 6:43 am
I don’t use a training collar with Keeda as she seems to heel fine for me, but my mom uses a head collar as Keeda continuously pulls when she takes her out. I’m not sure what brand she uses, it looks more like the one in your top photo I think.
Great post, I didn’t know much about head collars before!
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October 3rd, 2008 at 8:45 am
Call me a softie, but I don’t like these types of collars at all. In fact, my new addition came with a choke collar and I replaced it with a harness. Guess what, he responds so much better. He’s great at not pulling at all, but that may be part of his breed.
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October 3rd, 2008 at 9:01 am
Chelsea originally had a gentle leader but I wouldnt go back to it at all. She has 3 now (size 3, 4, 5). The 3 fits her perfectly at 10months (but its under the car-seat somewhere..lol) but she also wears her 4 though not as comfortably.
If it is in anyway loose she will try and rub it off, it irrates her big time. It needs to fit snuggly… though its worn more loosely on her throat & nose than the gentle leader.
Either Halti or Gentle leader, tend to make me lazy training wise… Why bother with all that heeling with a flat collar when I can just throw the halti on…
If I need to guarantee her behaviour, I always reach for the Halti, work, crowds…
So I know the pup will be getting used to a Halti when her time comes
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October 3rd, 2008 at 10:51 am
We use the gentle leader (we call it the guidance counselor…for some reason)on days when Jake is pretty worked up and wreckless. Most days my husband walks him with out and he is pretty manageable. I prefer to use it because it gives little ol me more control.
We haven’t had much problems with the gentle leader- he’s excited to put it on because he know something cool is going to happen. He just rubs his nose/face on the ground after we take it off.
October 3rd, 2008 at 11:25 am
OK, I’m all bragging, but Poodles seem to be born to the leash. Walking them is like holding an empty leash.
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October 3rd, 2008 at 11:28 am
I have gentle leaders for Brutus and Rufus and they are amazing. Both dogs are calm and completely under control with them on. I have never tried the halti but wouldnt mind giving it a shot. As far as a harness… oh no not for me! Lets not forget what harnesses are designed for… pulling things and I certainly don’t want a pair of thundering saint bernards pulling me through the neighborhood
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October 3rd, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Haha, I’m with St. Lover on the harnesses.
October 3rd, 2008 at 12:49 pm
I don’t like the haltis or gentle leaders. I see them as ‘band aids’ that cover up bad behavior but don’t teach proper behavior.
Used properly it is my opinion that the pinch collar is much more humane than the halti.
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Ty, I totally agree with you about Haltis and Gentle Leaders being Band Aids. In a way, it is lazy for owners to use them. Dogs are not learning anything from them. On the other hand, because of these collars, dogs get walked more, they get to go to new places, etc.
I don’t think any of these collars are inhumane as long as they are used properly.
What dogs do learn is not to pull while wearing their Gentle Leaders/Haltis. Most of them still pull on a normal collar. That’s why I use a variety of collars for my dog, including the pinch collar and a regular, flat collar.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:05 am
I am considering a head color because although I am training my Dane daily, she still continues to lurch foward at times. Five months ago when she was 14 months old, after leaving the vet, we were walking along and when she got close to the car lurched forward without warning and down I went face first onto the concrete. Needless to say I broke my upper jaw and teeth, injured my knees and sprained my wrist. I have trained 4 danes before her with great success but she is young an full of energy and very difficult still to walk. She needs to go on walks so if you had to choose either the Halti or the Gentle leader in order to accomplish a walk safely which one would you choose?
November 7th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Mary, both collars work very well for controlling a big dog. I think the Halti is slightly better, which you can read about in this post.
November 11th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Thanks Lindsy. Does anyone know how to measure for the Halti?
November 11th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
It’s best to just try them on your dog and see what size fits. But if you have to buy it online, I found this site with a general size chart: http://www.companyofanimals.co.uk/sizeguide.php
March 3rd, 2009 at 12:55 am
Interesting but slightly offensive comments on lazy owners using head leads.
Here’s my take. My number one priority with my golden retriever and shepherd mix is are they eating healthily and are they getting enough exercise?
I use a head collar on my golden retriever because despite hours and days of training… if he sees a squirrel he is off and I am trying to stay on my feet if I’m lucky. My shepherd likes squirrels but is able to give up her addiction for my sanity.
This was getting monumentally frustrating for me day after day on our hour long plus walks and hikes. The head collar means that we both have a good time… not to mention it’s so much safer for me. So I say, exercise first. training a squirrel lover to ignore squirrels is just not realistic for me. even if that makes me lazy, at least my dogs are happy and well behaved at home.
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:35 am
Hi Ashley, thanks for your comment.
I use a head collar for the same reason you do. My dog walks nicely on the Gentle Leader and I use it when I know we are going somewhere where he will be more excited than usual. He gets to go along more often because of it.
On the other hand, he is not really learning anything from the collar other than not to pull with it on. That’s why I also use a prong collar during training.
March 16th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
I use a gentle leader with my St. Bernard if I feel I’m going to encounter people. We got her at a year old, wasn’t socialized to people and she is skittish to say the least. She will lunge and cause quite a commotion without it and frankly, I don’t have the strength to hold her back or make the innocent bystander feel secure. She has to get a lot of exercise and I just can’t take the chance that she will break loose and hurt someone. I don’t think she will but I can’t be sure.
And before anyone suggests I’m lazy, I spend a huge amount of time, energy and money on her quirks, training and grooming. Probably at least 10-15 hours a week. It’s paying off but the collar is a huge help. Also, she does walk better now with just a regular collar. She doesn’t pull. Only if someone approaches her.
July 14th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
I use a gentle leader currently, but I might switch to a halti.
I can’t for the life of me understand how people can say that choke and pinch collars are more humane. They are absolutely not! They work by hurting the animal or restricting airflow.
And no, head halters are not band-aids. In fact they give you the control you need to show your dog that pulling won’t get him anywhere. No need to hurt him/pinch him/ choke him, just stop walking when he pulls. A dog who learns to walk on them can eventually be switched to a normal collar.
I have used the harness to train my dog to walk perfectly almost all the time now, but he will still sometimes lunge at bunnies or pigeons. Since he is 90 lbs of muscle, I will have him on the halter until he is perfect on the leash.
July 14th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
It’s a matter of preference and what works best for you and your dog. When any collar is used properly, it’s going to work. That’s why I recommend a pinch collar but also a Halti. A pinch collar does not hurt a dog when it is used properly – if it is restricting airflow then it is not being used properly! Even a head collar can hurt a dog if it is not used the right way.
August 7th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
i agree with those that say head collars can be fantastic for large dogs. as a disabled person with a saint bernard, i must have something that will allow me to walk with her and does not allow her to pull me. i would never use a choke or prong collar on a dog…talk about cruel. i’m not a lazy owner. i work with her on a daily basis, and she will be stating her companion dog training soon. but she is a very large dog, and just a year old, so her self control is not completely developed. i’ve been using the gentle leader, but since she’s outgrown her last one, i think i may try the halti since it looks like it will fit her head shape better.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Choke and prong collars are not cruel if used properly. Even a Halti or Gentle Leader can be cruel if not used in the right way. Each tool works well for certain dogs.
That’s great that the Gentle Leader works for you and your dog. I hope you’ll give the Halti a try. I think you’ll like it.
January 15th, 2010 at 2:23 am
I have had big dogs my whole life and have never needed any kind of head collar. Even when i was 10 walking my Great Dane came easy, i do believe that head harnesses are a lazy way of train and are just a band aid. But my mom had gotten a high energy Boxer mix about 3 years ago and has yet to settle down. i had bought a Gentle Leader. Our boxer fights it every time it is harder to walk her with it than with out it. you may not be able to train a dog to ignore a squirrel but you can train it not to chase it. When it comes to bigger breeds you have to get control of them early because as they get bigger they don’t want to realize hoe big they really are and are not aware of their own strength. I currently find it easier to train a bigger dog than a smaller to medium dog. Bigger dogs tend to want to listen and spend time with you. choke a prong i would have to agree are not cruel if used properly. I use a choke on my mom’s dog she has adjusted just fine and listen well. all the posts were helpful as well as the blog post.
Thank you
January 15th, 2010 at 7:30 am
I’ve had an easier time training bigger dogs too. In general they are more “eager to please,” and it even helps that they are closer to eye level. That makes them easier to control, and it’s harder for them to get distracted.
January 22nd, 2010 at 9:48 am
I have two dogs both Great Dane mixes. Scooby was not good walking on leash when I got him (he was maybe 6 years old). I took him to a 6 week training class which helped but it was our daily walks and repetitive commands and corrections and the fact that he is also part German Shepherd so he likes to work (I used a nylon choke collar)! Scooby picked up heeling two weeks of daily walks after the 6 wks of basic dog obedience. I got my second dog Layla in May (a year after I got Scooby). She’s 2.5 years old, was a rescue dog that had been kept outside, and also did not walk well on leash. I’ve tried to train her with the nylon choke collar and the all metal choke but those constantly slip down (although if they stay up they seem to work) and even with daily walks over three/four months and commands and treats- she’s just not getting it or just too stubborn. I don’t even want to try the pinch collar. I’m considering the Halti b/c I’m not sure what else to try. I can say though that it’s not laziness on my part b/c I love walking and training my dogs as much as they love “working” but my opinion is that certain things work with certain dogs and might not work with others so I’ll keep trying till I find what works. When I first got Layla, she practically attacked me trying to get her dog food bowl. She picked up “feed-time sit and wait” in two days (four feedings) so she can learn!
January 22nd, 2010 at 10:07 am
The Halti could probably work good for your dog. Give it a try and let me know how it goes. I also like the prong collar because unlike the choke collar, it won’t slip down too far on the dog’s neck. My dog actually prefers the prong collar to his Gentle Leader!
March 11th, 2010 at 10:09 pm
I have a very high energy boxer who just turned a year last December. I also have an almost two year old daughter. After training classes and hours of training each week, he’s still difficult to control on walks. His behavior at home is perfect, and he’ll listen to most commands out of doors, but if there’s a dog off leash, forget it! I just purchased a head collar today (mine’s a Gentle Leader), and was very impressed. Even walking at my daughter’s pace (she held the end of the leash while I held the middle), he never pulled. That was remarkable for us. I think we’ll use the flat leash on occasion, too, with the hope that we’ll be able to drop the Gentle Leader in the future.
March 12th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
It’s always good to find the right tool to control the dog because if he’s under control you’ll be more likely to keep working with him and walking him. No one wants to walk a dog that’s pulling the whole time.
March 19th, 2010 at 9:46 am
This is a great post!! I recently rescued a med/large dog that had been stray for quite some time. I am working on training, but I do walk her A LOT (she’s not reliable in the yard, even with a 6ft fence), and am just getting her use to the halti. So far so good, she doesn’t love it but is accepting it well now. I walk her with 2 leashes, one on a flat collar and one on the halti, with slightly less tension on the halti line. Eventually I want to get down to 1 leash, but for now the 2 leash system is working well. I’m glad I found your blog, I’ll bookmark it and visit again!
June 6th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Thanks for all the information & comments! Very interesting discussion.
I do have to add though, that I have the gentle leader for my pit bull/greyhound mix, but only if we go out where there will be lots of other dogs. She HAS to go see & say hi to other dogs, and makes an @$$ out of both of us! *rolling eyes* She walks very well on a regular leash & collar, but seems to act a fool when we’re out where there’s lots of other dogs & people.
The thing is, with the gentle leader.. I do think it rubs & irritates a little much on her. Gets a little too close to the eyes too. I’m going to ditch the gentle leader, and go buy a Halti. I’m hoping that will fit much better on her, and not rub up by the eyes. I do think the Halti will fit better & not irritate like the gentle leader, but haven’t bought the Halti yet. It just makes sense since the design seems better thought out, than the simple ‘figure 8′ of the gentle leader.
June 6th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
Yep, you will like the Halti for all of those reasons!
July 3rd, 2010 at 1:48 pm
[...] can easily slip through nylon collars, choke collars, Gentle Leaders and harnesses. I recommend a Halti with a safety strap or a prong collar, and make sure your dog is wearing ID [...]