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Halti Or Check Chain For Basic Training


Raven
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Hi,

We have just welcomed a Newfy Puppy into our home.

I'm undecided on which to get a Halti or Check Chain. I know when we had our Irish Setter years ago

the Halti was great for training but i'm very new at owning a giant breed and would love some hints

on basic training.

Thanks

Sharon

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I'd opt for a flat or limited slip (martingale) collar.

Check chains and haltis have their uses but if you can teach a giant breed not to pull on the lead as a baby, you may never need them.

:rofl: Completely agree. I'd much prefer to train without either if I could.

I do use Black Dog's Infin8 halti when I'm walking my 2 together (lazy and haven't proofed their loose lead walking together), but on their own they are fine on a flat collar.

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If you train with a flat collar and put in enough foundation work there is little need to move onto other equipment - ultimately haltis, head collars, check chains, prongs etc are training tools not permanent fixtures unless you have a very specific dog.

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If you train with a flat collar and put in enough foundation work there is little need to move onto other equipment - ultimately haltis, head collars, check chains, prongs etc are training tools not permanent fixtures unless you have a very specific dog.

Just interested Nekhbet,

what do you mean by this?

Edited by ✽deelee
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two of my dogs can walk on a flat collar no worries. My belgian is pretty much stuck on a correction aid because she needs her drive kept in check and her training has taught her to pull against large flat collars.

Average pet dogs without specific long term behavioral quirks should be aiming for a flat.

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There are many many different types of leads, collars, face harnesses, body harnesses, etc etc.

Personally I think whatever works for your individual dog is the way to go, there is no one size fits all in these things.

My puppy pre-school gave me terrible advice on this area so don't take everything they say as gospel! Especially with check chains you'll find some trainers who only use them and nothing else, and others who are very against them.

As someone who owns a sledding dog a great deal stronger than I am, I have no issue walking my dog on a harness as a long term thing rather than on a temporary training basis. It's padded, doesn't hurt her, makes walking easier and happier for both of us - yes being able to know she'll walk nicely on a flat lead and never ever jump or dart suddenly or pull me over when we're walking down hill and it's wet and slippery would be nice, but I don't think she'll become quite that perfect any time soon heh :( x

PS Have you posted Newfie baby pics anywhere on here!? Love Newfies!!!!!! Wanna see puppy pics!!! Hehe :) x

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Can I ask here, instead of starting a new thread, are the 'gentle leader' leads painful for the dog? The ones that fit over the face (I read somewhere they work because they hurt the dog). Only asking, not judging!

thanks :love:

Gerda - The "Gentle Leader" is only a brand of Head Collar. All head-collars pretty much work on the same principals as the other. When applied they cause discomfort - if they didn't, the dog would not respond to them for the purpose employed. What discomfort the dog feels depends on how the head-collar is applied in its use and to what intensity. Some dogs 'fight' the head collar, even if introduced to it according to recommendations. When they fight the head collar, and/or if the head collar is used incorrectly, physical damage can (and has) occurred. Obvious physical damage would be abrasion to the dog's skin - usually over the dog's muzzle where the hair is finer and the skin is thin.

Skeletal damage is also possible and this would be the most likely to occur if the dog has the opportunity to reach the end of the lead with momentum causing its head to 'snap' around suddenly. It is also possible if the handler uses the head collar with 'jerky' movements.

Head collars shouldn't cause harm to the dog and there are many people who use them on their dogs who to their knowledge, have had no worries. Unfortunately, they are a tool where evidence of harm exists though.

If you (or anyone else reading) were thinking of using a head-collar on your dog, I'd strongly recommend you engage the services of a trainer familiar with these tools and able to give you proper tuition in their use. It is in your hands as to whether they are used and fitted properly or not.

ETA: Some dogs 'shut down' when a head-collar is fitted, or become subdued (either immediately or after fighting the head collar, losing and finally learning to tolerate it). I guess there could be psychological 'harm' to the dog from that aspect, although it hasn't been (and would be difficult to) measured on a scientific level.

Edited by Erny
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I think most of the psychological harm comes from owners perpetuating the dogs behavior through their own - then we see it as the dog has been permanently 'traumatised' by something.

I'm not discounting the fact a dog can become traumatised but many instances can be reversed or avoided.

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Had 3 male rottweilers and all were trained using correction collars then went onto flat collars and where I lived were also allowed to be off leash but under control. never had an issue with any of them.

I now have a rottweiler bitch who I cannot use the correction collar on, she pulls like nobody's business, she is such a strong little girl. I have to use the halti as the foundation of her training. Training her with the halti is going really well, but I do look forward to the day when she can have a flat collar. Although at Rotty Club training nights she must be fitted with her correction collar, so we've not been able to go for a while, instead we have personal lessons every fortnight with me working on her daily.

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Had 3 male rottweilers and all were trained using correction collars then went onto flat collars and where I lived were also allowed to be off leash but under control. never had an issue with any of them.

I now have a rottweiler bitch who I cannot use the correction collar on, she pulls like nobody's business, she is such a strong little girl. I have to use the halti as the foundation of her training. Training her with the halti is going really well, but I do look forward to the day when she can have a flat collar. Although at Rotty Club training nights she must be fitted with her correction collar, so we've not been able to go for a while, instead we have personal lessons every fortnight with me working on her daily.

Can I ask you,why you don't use the CC for her pulling? Just curious.... :thumbsup:

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