http://funnycyde.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-does-dog-think.html?spref=fb

Liked this article on the use of prong collars.

Thanks Cheryl,
That's my blog Glad you liked it!

I really do like it. Have you posted the article on leerburg before?

I haven't, but I'm glad you did

Neat article Kristel! I had the same experience with Logan and the haltie...I was just trying to use it for look (watch me) in heeling...like in the Tom Rose DVD. Well I felt like I was trying to break a wild mustang. Even accepting it with markers was miserable for him.

Thanks! And yup, exactly. I can totally picture what you mean. Murphy did a wild bronco thing even after taking months to get him used to it. It made me seriously question how humane the thing is from the dog's point of view. And I don't get the whole thing around "if they resist it, it means they really need it". Murphy is not a pushy or dominant dog, he just really hated the headcollar. How is continuing to force it on him supposed to be helpful?

I try to keep an open mind about ALL available equipment (within reason), but I have to say that in 15 years, I've only ever had one dog that worked well with a headcollar. The others have all hated it. It makes me wonder why this is considered a humane tool, and how that conclusion was reached?

Even when Logan tolerated it for markers, the look on his face said it all! I have never sen such a look in my life! And I though, how is this going to help his heeling with attention? Not.

On the flip side I think the chick with Jethro uses one on him with good results with a harness.

I liked the article and gotta say Kristal you are persistent using the halti for 2 months, that determination.

My GF brought one home she had be brain washed by some trainer but it only lasted 2 minutes with me, made her return it.

IMO it doesn't teach your dog not to pull.

 Quote: Joe Waddington

IMO it doesn't teach your dog not to pull.

Agreed. It really doesn't teach them anything. Even so, I believe that a dog will learn to pull against anything you put on them if you don't bother to do the training. At the time I was working on reactivity issues with a dog who was otherwise well-trained and well-mannered on a leash. I thought the headcollar would give me more control over his his head, and be less likely to trigger a redirection-response. It was a huge fail.

I gave it the two months because I wanted to make sure I took the time to desensitize properly. That way I could at least say I didn't rush it and I gave it a fair shake.

It works for some (like I said, I had one dog that did well with it) but in my experience those dogs are few and far between. For most that I've worked with or known personally it seemed like a special new torment.

I have had the opposite experience. I had to take the prong off because it was exacerbating Jethro's reactivity. I couldn't use a flat collar because he would just pull me off my feet. I'm using a combination of a halti head collar and a body harness. His reactivity has gone way down because I am using a new technique that reinforces calm responses and we work hard to not cross the threshold that triggers reactivity. When things do get out of hand, I can control his head quite easily, without actually inflicting pain. The second leash on the harness is to stop a full lunge without putting undue pressure on his neck. He still tries to scrape things off when he gets a little restless, but he was doing that with the prong, too, so I don't see much difference there. He isn't miserable and he easily lets me put the gear on to go for a walk.

My problem with the prong collar was that I was using it to 'power steer' Jethro instead of working on our communication through verbal and body language. Also, I was over walking him, and he was getting stressed. It turns out he does better with shorter walks, an hour seems to be about right, sometimes less. With a lot of variety of sniffing, brisk pacing, and practicing our OB under various levels of distraction.