Loose Leash Walking: Collars, Harnesses, and Head Halters

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There are two things to consider when working with a dog that pulls on leash: your equipment and your training methods. This page describes different collars, harness, and head halter options that can be used to help train your dog, or at least make it easier to take a managable walk.

There is no one "right collar" for all dogs. There is not one "right collar" for your breed of dog, and there is not even one "right collar" for each individual dog. It is important to know the advantages and disadvantages of many collars and pieces of equipment, because different circumstances call for different methods of approach. Each collar or other piece of equipment is only as good as the way that you use it. Use the equipment that is right for you and your dog.

I have included links to samples of many types of collar and equipment; I am not associated with any of the vendors listed and do not receive compensation for these links. Links are included as example only and I do not directly endorse linked products unless otherwise specified.

Equipment

Buckle Collar/Flat Collar -- Basic flat collar typically made of nylon or leather, attached by a buckle or by a quick-release clip (this kind is still often referred to as a buckle collar). Adjustable with a single ring to attach tags and leash. This is the easiest collar on most dogs, and use of a flat collar often demonstrates that a dog is well-mannered or well-trained (of course, use of this collar can also just mean that the dog pulls but is not strong enough for the owner to care).

Martingale Collar -- Like a flat/buckle collar but with an extra loop that tightens when the dog pulls, preventing the collar from slipping off the dog's head. This is a collar of choice for many dog breeds where the dogs head and neck are of similar width, such as greyhounds. The collar should not have any choking action; when the loop is fully tightened such that the two ends of the collar meet, the collar should be snug against the dog's neck but with room to fit a finger under the collar. A martingale can be used in place of a buckle collar for dogs that are likely to slip their collar.

EZ Walk Harness -- (AUTHOR'S PICK FOR STRONG PULLERS!) Front-attachment body harness that reduces pulling. The leash attaches at the dog's chest, so when the dog tries to pull, the energy is redirected sideways. This is different from a harness that hooks at the dog's back, which allows the dog to lean into the harness and pull.

This harness can be be used long-term for average pet owners to walk their dogs or can be used to control a strong dog while it learns how to walk nicely. Our household uses these for large shepherds, one of whom has graduated to needing only the buckle collar for most occasions. Most dogs do not need special preparation or training to learn to walk on the harness. A nice perk is that the harnesses are "friendly" looking, unlike prong collars, choke chains, or even Gentle Leaders, which people often mistake for muzzles. Because harness doesn't rest on dog's throat, it will not cause coughing or choking. Because there is no control of the dog's head, it may not be the best choice working working with an excitable dog in close quarters or for use with a reactive dog. A flat or martingale collar can be worn with the harness to provide additional control.

There are several brands of front-hook harness. Premier, who makes EZ Walk, has the best product with 3-way adjustability, a martingale loop for the chest hook, and widest availability.

There is also a "no-pull" harness that pulls on a dog under their armpits, but I have not used this type of harness and is not the same as the front-hook harness described here.

Standard Harness -- Traditional harness with a leash hook on the dog's back. Can be a good choice for toy dogs or other dogs without a lot of pulling power, in place of a flat collar. Protects dog's neck from damage due to pulling or lunging, but doesn't do anything to reduce pulling. May allow dogs to get more strength behind their pull, so unlikely to be a good option for large or strong dogs.

Gentle Leader / Halti -- Head halter, frequently recommended as part of a positive training program. These provide a great deal of control over a dogs head, so can be very useful to keep a dog in control gently. Head halters can also be used to relax an agitated dog because the pressure of the nose strap can have a calming effect.

I greatly prefer the front-hook harness described above over the head halter for the following reasons:

  1. Many dogs never adjust to using a head halter, where few dogs have issue with body harness
  2. The general public often confuses the head halter with a muzzle (this is not sufficient reason not to use one, but some people have a hard time with this)
  3. Because of the amount of leverage a head halter gives, they have been alleged to cause damage to dogs neck or spine if the dog hits the end of the leash full force. Dogs should never ever be yanked around by a head halter, nor should they be allowed to hit the end of the leash hard while wearing one.

The extra control of a head halter gives it an advantage over a body harness for maneuvering in tight quarters or for working with reactive dogs. For safety, it is not recommended that a head halter be used with a retractable leash.

Prong Collar -- Often referred to as "power steering". Looks like a medieval torture device, but is safer than choke collar because pressure is distributed around a dog's entire neck, and the prongs prevent the dog from experiencing a strangulation effect. A prong collar can be made more gentle by adding rubber tips to the prongs.

Prong collar should be carefully adjusted so that it does not hang loose on the dogs neck but has enough slack to loosen when there is no pressure on the leash. The prong collar should be only tightened for a moment at any given time and should be allowed to loosen the rest of the time. If you find that you need to keep pressure on all the time or nag by tightening it constantly, understand that the dog will become desensitized to the prongs and will either begin to ignore them or will need increasingly strong pressure on the leash. Professional assistence is recommended for fitting and demonstrating proper use of this collar.

While a prong collar is not my personal first choice, it's better for a dog owner to use a prong collar and be in control than for a large dog on a buckle collar to drag its owner up and down the block or up to strange dogs. Prong collar should NOT be used with a reactive dog; the action of the prongs on the dog's neck is likely to increase a dog's aggresive reaction. Likewise, prong collar should not be used with shy or fearful dogs or with very young dogs.

Choke Collar -- I don't have much to say about choke collars. There is no question that these collars can be effective in the hands of professionals, but it is critical to have excellent timing and physical coordination if you hope to use one to communicate with your dog. I've seen them used effectively, and (more often) I've seen them used abusively. This collar should be introduced under the guidance of a professional trainer. A skilled trainer will have good results with this collar without either "nagging" or strangling the dog. Choke collars are generally not recommended for puppies under six months of age.

Retractable Leash: If you're retraining a puller, resist the urge! The retractable leash is a tool that lets your dog go out to a distance of 15, 20, or 25 feet, and the lead coils back up at the click of a button to prevent the lead from tangling or going slack. This device actively teaches your dog to pull because he must pull in order to get the leash to extend itself. By its very design, the leash remains taut at all times. You make your life unnecessarily complicated by encouraging your dog to pull, "but only a little bit".

If you have a very large dog or strong puller, a retractable lead is asking for trouble because you have very little leverage over your dog, and that gets worse the farther away your dog is. The shape of the tool and the aforementioned lack of leverage make it very easy for a retractable lead to be pulled from your hands. It is far less common for a dog to pull free on a standard 5' or 6' leash.

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Author: Erica Pytlovany
Created On: May 7, 2006
Last Modified: May 31, 2006
Feedback/comments welcome at: training AT blackacorndogs DOT com (remove spaces and substitute AT and DOT with '@' and '.')

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