forwarded in plain text for Vilma:
I would not ever walk a dog on a Halti or Gentle Leader head halter at the same time w/ other dogs.... you are not paying enough attention and he could suddenly run and jerk his neck/head around and seriously hurt his neck. Until he learns to walk nicely on leash and plain buckle collar (which ideally should be taught first to all young dogs), a well fitted pinch collar would be a better choice if the dog pulls badly on the lead, as he cannot easily injure himself seriously on it. I usually advise against choke collars for the same reason, dog could injure himself ...damage to trachea and other structures in the throat is a real concern if not used properly. A limited choke or Martingale collar might work for some dogs, but a pinch collar/prong collar is the fastest and easiest ....it is "power steering" and lets me use a light touch, you need very little force -- communicates clearly w/ the dog that he simply cannot be a sled dog right now and dislocate my shoulder! I like it because it lets me be a very GENTLE trainer, even w/ a 100 lb dog. If you are using a head halter, you should have the dog on no more than a 6 foot leash (no flexi leads) and be paying 100% attention to him all the time. It is a great temporary training tool when used properly, but is not w/out risks if used improperly/carelessly. Vilma Briggs (Kistner) Mt. Gilead, OH U-UD Mocha Java Slurp, UDX, HIC, TT Ch. Brighteye Expresso Bean, UD, NDD, TT U-CDX Our Little Buddy, UD, NA, TT Thirdtym's A Charm, CD Hob Nob Clouds In My Coffee (puppy "Perc") and foster Bernerboys: Brew (soon going home to Pat Long) and Buzz ________________________________________________________________________________ Check any e-mail over the Web for free at MailBreeze (http://www.mailbreeze.com)
