# Why don't some trainers like head collars?



## Shelly Chip (Feb 17, 2013)

I have used head collars on my last three dogs and they've worked great. I've been taking my youngest dog to training classes and one trainer literally said to me, "I just hate that thing on her head" and another trainer said, "we don't use those here." The trainer who told me she hated haltee/holt/gentle leaders promotes pinch collars instead. I will be starting a new class with a trainer who does like head collars. Why do some trainers not like head collars?


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## Mooch (May 23, 2012)

Head collars can do a lot of damage to a dogs neck if people use them like a viral collar - if you give a sharp tug on a halti it while whip your dogs neck around. 
Also I think you can't give as refined a "correction" as you can with a collar.

But I believe hey are like any other training tool - safe and work well if used correctly but if misused they can do damage. 
I used to use a Infin8 halti, the lead attaches at the back where a lead would normally go, it's like a martingale collar/halti hybrid - it worked really well but both my dogs hate wearing them.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

There are always going to be "some" trainers that don't like this or that. Where I used to train, the head halters were almost mandatory. They sold them and recommended them to everyone.


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Liesje said:


> There are always going to be "some" trainers that don't like this or that. Where I used to train, the head halters were almost mandatory. They sold them and recommended them to everyone.


Agreed

Work with what works for you and your dog, everyone is always going to have their own opinion


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

They are a bandaid...not a training tool.....I don't like them, I don't like a dog's head forced into a position - have some one put some thing on your head and face and crank it around and keep it there adn see how you like that force...they are a compulsive tool just as much, if not more than, a pinch

Lee


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Gentle leader was recommended to me when Onyx was going through a very reactive phase. Her nose had welts on it from her constant fighting it(we did desensitize her some before I took her out and about with it on) and I only used it a couple times, never again. Supposedly the pressure on the back of the ears where the collar lies is a calming point, surely didn't calm Onyx!


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I know someone that recommends them up and down, but the difference I see is that all of her dogs are under 25lbs. To me it seems dangerous to fight a GSD with something like that on the head/face. She says it's good because if the dog lunges, their head is automatically turned toward you and away from whatever the dog is reacting to but to me that just sounds dangerous. 

With puppies I often use the Easy Walk harness from 4-8 months while I'm working on leash manners.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

They're tough to correct with as they just force the dog into a certain position. You're not allowing your dog to make a mistake at all and then giving a quick correction in order to get them into the position you want. Although the corrections are almost "automatic" with the head collar, they aren't a snap and release type and completely get the dog out of position really affecting how quickly you can teach them the right place to be.

With a regular collar, or prong/choke, I can correct my boy and within a second he could be in the correct position so then I can praise him and let him understand why he got corrected and what is expected. Not possible with a head collar.

The other reason is that the AKC and most other sports don't allow any type of harness or head collar, so its a much easier transition to go from prong to regular collar in the trial/show ring.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

To be fair AKC does not allow prong collars on show grounds (even on dogs that aren't competing) either.


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## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

wolfstraum said:


> They are a bandaid...not a training tool.....I don't like them, I don't like a dog's head forced into a position - have some one put some thing on your head and face and crank it around and keep it there adn see how you like that force...they are a compulsive tool just as much, if not more than, a pinch
> 
> Lee


This was exactly my experience with them.

When I got Zira, she was terrible on the leash and rambunctious around anything that could possibly move. At one point, she started sounding aggressive even though the dog didn't have a mean bone in her body. But this scared people and I didn't like her outbursts of crazy (We have two home owners associations and the last thing I needed was for neighbors to think she was aggressive). The training class we were in said that was my only option. It was either that, a flat collar, or a "anti-pulling" Harness.... I'd been using the flat collar and it didn't help, she could care less... and I dislike using a harness for walking... So head halter it was.

Needless to say.... Yes it helped... while it was on. Once it came off, she was back to her mischief.. and even worse then before! She hated wearing it. She would buck like a bronco for 20min straight and her nose would be raw every time it was taken off. (And I did have it fitted correctly). Every time that thing went on, Zira was miserable. Her happy bouncing puppy self was gone and she hated life. I threw that darn thing out. I did some training on my own, and when she was old enough, I traded it out for a prong. I hated the prong before, but when I learned how to use it and felt it for myself (none of the ones I use for my dogs hurt me at all. They give an annoying pressure... but only during a correction, which is quick and not held in position) I decided it was worth a try. I used that on her for a month with lots of praise... and she was a perfect lady on her leash. She didn't mind it, but she responded to it by putting her attention on me not the other dog or person. After a few small corrections (mostly her giving herself corrections)... she understood what I wanted. She still had the freedom of her head and her happy puppy self was back. I weaned her off and eventually back to her normal collar. Even now, at 2 years old... I can walk her on a flat collar with no issues.

I'm one to see benefits in MANY different training tools (when used correctly).... but, IMO, the head halter is mostly used as a cover up. SOME do understand how to turn it into a training tool and I've seen that work fairly well... but, I would say the majority of people who buy them and the general public, do not know how to do this and it is just as Lee stated above... a bandaid. 

This is why many trainers will not like them, and some will not even work with you and your dog if you use them. If they are decent trainers, they are going to want to train your dog for present AND future. Most of them will not approve of covering up an issue. The head halter just makes that way too easy to do. Many owners will just be lazy and fall back on it.... losing the want to actually train the dog. Not saying there's NO benefit to them for everyone.... but, for me personally (and in my opinion)... I didn't see anything beneficial about them.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

A head collar is not meant to be something you give corrections or tugs on as you would with a prong of choke/slip collar though.
That is not a reason to not like it IMO. It is a different type of tool, it has its own uses. Personally I found it very useful for my reactive dog, and did not find any of the negatives mentioned here. It did not jerk my dog's head or force it in an unusual position. I was able to use it to help work with and improve her reactivity. Before using it I could not have her on any type of neck attaching collar, they made her threshold a LOT lower, but by using the head collar in training I was able to improve her reactivity a lot to the point where she could be walked on a collar without it causing her reactivity to go into a frenzy, and her general reactivity issues greatly improved in all areas.


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## CeCe (Jun 1, 2011)

I've had a trainer tell me that it puts the dog in a very submissive frame of mind and it can diminish their confidence. It controls the dog from their snout which is where a dog will be corrected by another dog so they feel like you are constantly correcting them while they have on. I tried it for a year with one of my girls and she just never liked it. She is much happier on a prong. But I have seen dogs that don't seem to mind them.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

My dog's confidence actually improved while wearing the Halti. 

Also wanted to add, a lot of trainers don't like many of the different tools. You can find many trainers who don't like prong collars, or who don't like ecollars, or slip collars, clickers, or other training tools.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

It's not a training tool. As soon as it comes off, the previous unwanted behavior continues. If you want to use them, you have to continue using it unless you actually TRAIN.


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

Chicagocanine said:


> A head collar is not meant to be something you give corrections or tugs on as you would with a prong of choke/slip collar though.
> That is not a reason to not like it IMO. It is a different type of tool, it has its own uses.


^ This.

I typically am not a fan of them and I think they don't work for more dogs than they do but they do have their purpose. I've seen them work on dogs of all sizes from a 100lb Lab who was crazy with a prong but calm as can be with a Gentle Leader to my 35lb Finnish Lapphund foster who is dog reactive, dog aggressive and redirects on people. My preferred is the Infinity Lead (but the Halti is a good backup) for the foster and it calms him for some reason, a world of difference walking him on one of those vs any other tool. I've also had it be useless on many other dogs.

It is a tool just like any other and no more a band aid than a prong collar or flat collar.



Konotashi said:


> It's not a training tool. As soon as it comes off, the previous unwanted behavior continues. If you want to use them, you have to continue using it unless you actually TRAIN.


Not true. It calms the behavior so it's not practiced and you can TRAIN alternate ones. If the behavior continues when the tool is removed, you aren't using it correctly. That goes for any type of collar or harness.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Shelly Chip said:


> I have used head collars on my last three dogs and they've worked great. I've been taking my youngest dog to training classes and one trainer literally said to me, "I just hate that thing on her head" and another trainer said, "we don't use those here." The trainer who told me she hated haltee/holt/gentle leaders promotes pinch collars instead. I will be starting a new class with a trainer who does like head collars. *Why do some trainers not like head collars?*


Probably because some owners cannot stop themselves from giving a good yank when the dog does something they don't want it to. 

I personally prefer a prong to a head collar, and I don't like prongs and won't use them.


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## Bequavious (Mar 9, 2013)

I think most dogs either have wonderful or terrible experiences with the head collars, so owners/trainers tend to be more opinionated about them. Like others have said, there's always going to be _someone_ who doesn't like your training tool, but I feel like head collars are a particularly hot topic. My dog _hated_ his (and eventually got his revenge by eating it when it fell off the counter too close to his crate), but other people have had great experiences. I use a prong collar now, and I love it because my dog comes up to me wagging when I get it out to train.


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## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

I've never had good luck with the head collars. If you want to use it,then find another trainer who will use your tool of choice.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Ask ten different trainers and you'll get ten different answers. Everyone has their favorite tool, and the tool that they think is the devil incarnate. Personally, my pet peeve is Flexi-leads and I wish I could ban them. 

Each dog is different, and key is finding what works for each particular dog. Some dogs do great with headcollars. I had a friend with a GSD who was extremely DA--the only thing that worked with him was the headcollar. I have a client with a very pushy, domineering, headstrong Golden--the only thing that works for her is a headcollar. I have seen other dogs that HATE the headcollar and spend so much time fighting it that it makes things worse.

It's not the tool that is bad or wrong, it's the way it's used. That goes for Flexi-leads, too. They're not meant for taking a dog to the vet or groomer, they're meant for potty walks, or long walks in remote places where you aren't likely to encounter a lot of foot traffic, or for training the recall. Headcollars aren't meant to be a "correction" tool, they're meant to be a guidance tool. Much the same as a halter goes on a horse. It's not there to hurt them or "correct" them, it simply applies gentle pressure to communicate with the animal, and prevent certain behaviors. You don't yank a horse around with a halter, you lead him. Same with dogs. Of course, if the dog fights or shuts down with the headcollar, you find a different tool for him. It doesn't make the headcollar evil or wrong, it's just not the right tool for the job.

The people who are anti-headcollar are probably pro-pinch collar, and vice versa.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Shelly Chip said:


> I have used head collars on my last three dogs and they've worked great. I've been taking my youngest dog to training classes and one trainer literally said to me, "I just hate that thing on her head" and another trainer said, "we don't use those here." The trainer who told me she hated haltee/holt/gentle leaders promotes pinch collars instead. I will be starting a new class with a trainer who does like head collars. Why do some trainers not like head collars?


I agree with "one trainer". I will never use them. Rather a pinch collar which, so far, I have only allowed in class once for an old lady who was arthritic and obese and she had a young Bouvier. 
So far all of my clients have been happy with the martingale and the correct training along with it for walking on leash. Head halters don't teach; they manage. Most dogs hate them because it is uncomfortable. People need instant results and often forget the training part.


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## Dante's mom (Nov 25, 2012)

I have never used a halter nor do I want to, but I do have a question. If I am reading things correctly the halter can be good as an intermediate for working with a reactive dog on walks? If so why not be open to using a martingale in class for training and doing your foundation work?


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Tranquility (Mar 13, 2013)

My 1 year old is 80 pounds and growing! He is a puller and very leash reactive. I was hesitant to use a head collar but after speaking with our trainer, I thought I'd give it a try. She explained that when dogs pull and feel the pressure, they pull more. She explained the frustration level on how some GSDs are bred. If used correctly, the head collar takes that pressure off. Cooper has taken to it nicely. I can now walk in peace. When he sees another dog, it is easy to guide him away. I'm doing clicker/treat training as well when we see dogs. Cooper is great off leash but has high frustration as he wants to greet but is on a leash. We are using his Gentle Leader as a training tool as I am wanting him to be in his flat buckle during leash walks.

Anyway... like others have said, use what works best for your pooch. And, what makes you feel most comfortable. For me, I know I do not want to use any form of choke collar. Just my personal preference.


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## AgileGSD (Jan 17, 2006)

I have gone back and forth on GL (or other headcollar). I worked some place that was extremely pro-head collar but they didn't really use them properly, so I developed a fairly poor opinion of using them for pulling. However, they can make a huge difference for leash reactive dog and have long been my tool of choice for that. I no longer totally dislike them for general walking, it just depends on the dog and the proper use of them.

Proper use is not just throwing a GL on the dog and going on your way. That is the way it was done where I worked and some dogs react extremely badly to that, fighting rolling, clawing at their face and just never really getting over it. And those dogs often would become really depressed when wearing a GL. 

When properly introduced and conditioned first though, they can be an excellent tool to help owners be successful with dogs who pull, are leash reactive, are easily overstimulated, etc. Proper use is that you don't use them for walking until you have taught your dog that great things happen with they are wearing their GL. The difference this makes is huge! My wild young PyrShep is not a dog who would have accepted a GL just being thrown on him but he wears one without issue because I shaped him over time to wear it. I use it on him in certain situations because he can become very overstimulated. Like on the bike path, where bikes and people running were making him lose his little mind with "OMGOMGOMG I WANT TO CHASE!".

And I absolutely use it as a training tool. It's a bit silly to say GLs are just management tools but prong collars are training tools. Most any specialized training collars are a management tool which can be used short term for training purposes with a plan to transition to a buckle collar or long term for management. I don't think either is right or wrong. I have no issue with people using GLs or prong or no-pull harnesses forever to walk their dog if that's what suits them. 

For anyone interested, here is how dogs should be started on a GL:


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Dante's mom said:


> I have never used a halter nor do I want to, but I do have a question. If I am reading things correctly the halter can be good as an intermediate for working with a reactive dog on walks? If so why not be open to using a martingale in class for training and doing your foundation work?
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


In my dog's case any pressure on her neck from a collar would make her reactivity a LOT worse. If it was a collar that tightened on the neck it would do so even more, so a martingale would have been a very poor choice, but even a flat buckle collar would lower her threshold when I first got her. I'm not alone either, I've heard the same thing from several other people with their reactive dogs. 
After doing a lot of training with her and using the Halti so there was no neck pressure, I was able to get to a point where she could wear a flat collar and it no longer would send her into a frenzy of leash reactivity but it took a lot of work to get there. I did try a harness first but found it did not provide any control and made it difficult to handle her if she did react to another dog, so it was not ideal.
One thing that I found helped a great deal was in a reactive dog class we took, the trainer told us to observe our dogs closely and pay attention to and then write down every single little sign our dogs gave when they were about to react, before they went into a full "reaction". This helped to notice all the minute early warnings before they got to a full blown lunging/barking/growling stage, and if you know the really really early signals it helps a lot with training. At least with my dog there was usually a point especially when we were early in her training still, when she would be so focused on the other dog that any realy training or redirection would be difficult or impossible, but if you knew the small early signs you could redirect before that point and stop the reaction before it occurred, and this helped allow us to work on retraining her on how to respond to other dogs and change how she associated other dogs with being corrected as her previous owners used corrections when she would react which I believe made her reactivity worse.


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## Tranquility (Mar 13, 2013)

*Sorry this is so long!*

Thank you for posting this question, OP. I have recently started using a Gentle Leader and have found this topic quite enlightening. I will start with what my rescue Cooper is like on leash.

We have only had Cooper for 1 month. He is 13 months old. He was in the pound for 3 months and prior to that was an outside dog with 2 people aggressive dogs. I am happy to say that Cooper loves people! He did not have any form of leash training. He is 80 pounds and loves to sniff. And wow... can he pull! His pulling also included barking and going in the direction of other dogs on a leash. Imagine the fear of seeing a barking 80 pound German Shepherd pulling a 5'3" human... especially those walking a little dog!!! Off leash he is fine. Walking him was getting frustrating for both of us.  I was actually concerned for the safety for him, others, and myself because of his strength and determination to get where he wanted to go.

We are in Obedience class with 7 other dogs. Once he greets he is fine. Learning the basics is wonderful, but am meeting with the trainer one on one to work on his pulling/leash activity as they do go hand in hand. My trainer uses positive reinforcement which is what I was looking for. She explained that certain lines of German Shepherds are bred to be greeters (so, wanting to get to people) but they are also bred to be frustrated (i.e. on leash, can't get to that "thing", frustrated, pull). This made sense when you think about police dogs. She also explained that when a dog pulls, we pull to stop which makes them pull harder. In the case of Cooper, frustration! This made perfect sense to me as this is exactly what he does. The trainer recommended a clicker, treats, and Gentle Leader. I will add that she has experience with German Shepherds and also had a white beauty. 

Training:

Reactivity: I use a clicker only when on walks. When we see a dog and Cooper's looks alert at it, I click and treat with very stinky sausage. I am starting by always being across the street of other dogs, so I do cross roads and duck behind cars if I need to. This training is going excellent. The clicker even worked with ducks... now if I could get it to work with deer!

Pulling: On walks we use the GL. I make sure he has enough sniffing room, but also that I can click and treat quickly. I never yank on the lead. In fact, the minute he pulls, he stops as he has no choice. We saw a deer today and it was the only time that I had to keep on walking. I didn't have to yank or pull though. Instead, I kept walking and he followed. The clicker didn't work, but me walking and remaining calm did. My trainer told me never forget to breath as the dog can sense it! 

As for putting on a GL, he was really good. I put treats in my hand with the nose part over it. I did this several times to get him used to having it on his nose. Then I put it on. He did the bucking bronco for a few minutes and that was it. The only time he has tried to take it off was when he saw the deer. I believe that was out of frustration. But, I had treats so had him sit and look to get treats. After a few, he calms down. I also find that walking at a faster pace helps, too.

I think if used correctly, it makes a great training tool. Ideally, I would like to have him on his flat buckle for walks. If we get the reactivity worked out, then I think it is possible.  And, it depends on what the human wants. For us, Cooper loves to be off leash and go to the beach. We only do walks for our every day 3-5 mile exercise walk for fresh air. Some owners might be okay with a GL for leisure walks. I think whatever makes your walks more enjoyable for both is most important. 

Sorry this is so long. I have just read so many posts on the use of training tools. I agree with those that have said it all depends on how they are used. Unfortunately, I don't think tools are always used as intended. I see GL on dogs being yanked just as I have seen chokers or prongs where the dog looks like he is going to fall over. Responsible use is the key. As for trainers... They will all have their preferences. That is why I specifically looked for a trainer that uses positive reinforcement. I met with one trainer that down right scared me with her methods!!! I am not going to knee my dog in the side... when I touch him there he flinches as it is. Anyway.... would love to hear more about head collars!


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

wolfstraum said:


> , I don't like a dog's head forced into a position - have some one put some thing on your head and face and crank it around and keep it there adn see how you like that force...they are a compulsive tool just as much, if not more than, a pinch
> 
> Lee


my vet HATES them. Says that they are the most dangerous thing he has seen invented to use on a dog. "Dogs aren't horses. There body is not made to withstand someone controlling them by forcing their head around. At best, you are going to cause muscle strain and fatigue. If you aren't extremely careful, you can break their neck - especially on a small dog or puppy."
That is the speech my vet gives every time someone enters the clinic with a head collar on their dog. He said that even the gentlest correcting with a head collar is going to cause muscle problems, simply because a dog's neck is not designed to have their body controlled by moving their head. A horse, on the other hand, has a very thick muscular neck (not to mention outweighing the human by a few hundred pounds)


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## AgileGSD (Jan 17, 2006)

Dainerra said:


> my vet HATES them. Says that they are the most dangerous thing he has seen invented to use on a dog. "Dogs aren't horses. There body is not made to withstand someone controlling them by forcing their head around. At best, you are going to cause muscle strain and fatigue. If you aren't extremely careful, you can break their neck - especially on a small dog or puppy."
> That is the speech my vet gives every time someone enters the clinic with a head collar on their dog. He said that even the gentlest correcting with a head collar is going to cause muscle problems, simply because a dog's neck is not designed to have their body controlled by moving their head. A horse, on the other hand, has a very thick muscular neck (not to mention outweighing the human by a few hundred pounds)


 That seems like a bit of an extreme view. Properly used a GL isn't any more likely to cause issues than any other collar. I have seen a good number of dogs with trachea damage from pulling so hard against their collars. I have never personally known a dog who had such kind of "injury" from a GL. No animal is naturally meant to be led around by a halter, collar or harness though so that argument is a bit strange to me. 

There seems to be a bit of a misconception over how most trainers use GLs. They are not meant to be used for giving leash corrections the way people use chokes or prongs. 

The reason GLs tend to work better than collars or harnesses for reactive dogs is because it takes the opposition reflex out of the equation. If you are leading your dog from a collar or harness and something catches their attention, pull pull into the collar/harness and the opposition reflex makes them want to pull against it harder. That builds the dog's "drive" for whatever it is he is after, which actually encourages him to be more reactive. It's the same reason that restrained recalls build the dog's drive to get to you. And why dogs starting in bitework are held back from the helper.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Dainerra said:


> That is the speech my vet gives every time someone enters the clinic with a head collar on their dog. He said that even the gentlest correcting with a head collar is going to cause muscle problems, simply because a dog's neck is not designed to have their body controlled by moving their head.


A headcollar is not a correction collar, it's not meant to be used to give corrections/jerk on the collar or forcing the dog's head around. If someone is using it incorrectly to give corrections I could see the potential for causing problems with the dog. Like almost any training device it could be detrimental (or not work) if used improperly but that is a failure of the trainer, not the tool.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Chicagocanine said:


> A headcollar is not a correction collar, it's not meant to be used to give corrections/jerk on the collar or forcing the dog's head around. If someone is using it incorrectly to give corrections I could see the potential for causing problems with the dog. Like almost any training device it could be detrimental (or not work) if used improperly but that is a failure of the trainer, not the tool.



A tool that's main function is an umbilical cord between the handler and the dog, in a society where most of population was raised with leash corrections, and considering the physics involved, and the variable distractions, and the unpredictability of the 2 and 4 footed participants, I think the tool is really an accident waiting to happen.


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## readmeli (Feb 28, 2013)

Really interesting thread. Sorry to bring it up again! My trainer just recommended a GL for my 6.5 month old pup (Duck Toller). She wants me to use it to help Emme bring her attention back to me in highly distracting situations like class. Right now she pays almost zero attention to me at class and is pulling pulling pulling! I will let you know how it goes.


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