Dog - Head Collar (Halter) Training

Why a head collar?

There are many situations where a head collar may be recommended for your dog as it has the unique benefit of allowing control of the head that collars around the neck or body harnesses do not give. Some common reasons for recommending head collars include:

• Dogs that have learnt to pull on the lead and need to learn to walk to heel.
• Dogs that react to other dogs, people or environmental stimuli as the head collar enables the handler to break eye contact and thus reduce arousal.
• Dogs that need to be redirected away from performing unacceptable actions such as eating faeces or picking up inappropriate items.
• Dogs that bark in specific situations as the collar can be manipulated to close the mouth.

It is always important to remember though that a head collar is a tool to assist in modifying behaviour and that the underlying motivation for the behaviour must be addressed if a long lasting solution is to be found. The entire behavioural modification programme that has been recommended for your pet should be followed and so you should not rely on the head collar to solve the problem behaviour.

How do I train my dog to enjoy the head collar?

Getting started:

1. It is important to find an effective and comfortable head collar for your dog. This may take a bit of time but it is worth shopping around.
2. Show your dog the head collar, let him sniff to investigate it and give him a treat before putting the head collar away. Repeat this procedure several times. This starts to build a positive association with the sight of the head collar.

Formal training:

1. Slip the head collar over your dog’s face so that it rests over his nose but do not fasten it at this stage. Feed your dog some tasty treats while the strap is in contact with his nose but do not persist for too long at this stage.
2. Slowly increase the time you leave the head collar balanced on the nose from a fraction of a second to a few seconds and no longer reward your pet every time. Only reward him the times when he remains particularly still. Now that your dog accepts the head collar as a good thing, especially if he is still, you can try fastening it. Again feed him treats whilst he is wearing the head collar. Remember the length of time that the head collar is left on and fastened needs to be increased gradually so that your dog at no point becomes restless or attempts to remove it.
3. At this point you can take him for a walk and use the head collar as advised during your pet’s behavioural consultation.

What do I do if he seems sad when he wears it?

Some dogs may mope when you put the head collar on. If you take it off while your dog is displaying this behaviour, it is likely that your dog will not learn to accept the head collar. Rather than taking it off, try to engage him in his favourite game or feed him his favourite treat ONLY when the head collar is on. This can be a powerful way to associate positive things with the head collar. Remember to only leave the head collar in place for very short periods and always take it off while your dog is in a positive mood.

What do I do if he struggles when he wears it?

You should never remove the head collar when your pet is trying to remove it. When he relaxes, the head collar can be removed and take note that you may have been expecting too much too soon. The important rule is to work at a rate that your pet can accept and cope with. This may mean that the whole programme may take a few weeks rather than a few days. For dogs that do try to scratch at it, it is worth getting a head collar that has an extra adjustment to allow the strap that goes over the muzzle to be fitted to the specific requirements of your dog.

In order to increase your feeling of security you may find it helpful to a use a two lead or double ended lead system with one clip attached to the head collar and the other to a fixed collar around the neck as a backup. Alternatively you can use a link attachment which connects the head collar to the fixed collar. You may need professional help to assist you with fitting the equipment successfully and you should not be afraid to ask for additional help if necessary.

How should I control my dog on a head collar?

It is important that you do not place tension on the lead when your dog is wearing the head collar. This will cause constant pressure on your dog’s head which will either be ignored or will lead to negative associations with the head collar and encourage your dog to fight against it. Instead you want to reserve tension on the lead for times in which you need absolute control. If your dog walks too far in front of you, your dog will cause the tension himself and will likely slow down on his own without you having to pull on the lead. Any movements you make with the lead should be smooth and gentle as opposed to the quick jerks that you may have been used to with other types of leads/collars.

When should I use the head collar?

The head collar should be the normal walking collar for your dog. Once your dog accepts the head collar and you are using it successfully, you should discover you have much more control over your dog. He will no longer pull you and you can use the head collar to help control your dog in potentially 'arousing' situations. You can also use the head collar to put your dog into a sitting position and to help teach him a quiet command.