Thursday, February 16, 2012

Tips On Ways To Train A Dog On A Headcollar

By Henry Thomas


The advent of the canny collar is something that any pet owner can be happy about if their animal constantly disobeys them while out on walks. These types of collars are known as gentle leaders, are a becoming a popular way to train pets that pull, jump, or lunge when they are on the leash. This device makes walking that much easier, and with less complications when an animal is unruly.

The general principle of the collar, another type of which is halti leads, is the same as that which is applied to the horse. The horse tends to move in the opposite direction of where their head is being turned. As such, to make the animal go left, the rider will direct the horse and pull the reins to the right. Removing pressure when the horse goes the right way is what trains it to make this behavior.

Many pet trainers offer the gentle leader as the solution to a number of problems that dogs have while they are on a leash and out walking with their owners. Some attempt to pull at other animals or people, and can cause distress to the person handling them. Pets often try to scramble out of a lead and run away from their owners at every given opportunity.

Introducing the leader to pets that constantly pull is a very effective way of stopping this behavior. The lead is two nylon straps that go over their face and rests slightly towards the end of the mouth.

By having this type of lead stop right at the back of the muzzle, the dog can continue to bark, eat, drink, and even play with it on. If it is being walked, any distractions that cause it to pull will cause the animal to have its head diverted to the side. This prevents the animal from becoming as distracted as they once were.

It is normal for the dog to resist having the collar put on or while they are wearing it outside the home. It is important to let the animal get used to having the device over and on their face, as they will use it for a short period of time in training. After this trial period ends, most animals end up becoming calmer when they see the collar being placed over them.

This type of collar is advised over prongs and choke varieties, as it does not bring in the animal's opposition reflex, which is to push back when it is pulled back by a leash. This happens when the trainer drags the dog as soon as it starts to pull or move away from them when they are distracted. Again, removing pressure is the main reason animals can be trained so quickly with the leader.

When sizing this type of Halti headcollars, it is important to understand differences in breed type and muzzle shape. Larger dogs with slender muzzles will require a smaller size regardless of how big their head is. Likewise, larger dogs can require loosening of the largest size lead available. When fitted correctly, it forms a "V" shape, and when loose it forms an "L".




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