Try a headcollar for more control of dog

On my wall is an old photograph of a team of horses being used to harvest grain on the rolling hills of farmland where I live.

On each horse is a harness that includes a collar, a padded leather ring that encircles its neck. The collar is used to transfer the power of their muscles into forward momentum against the object at the other end of the harness, like the thresher or a plow. It is a natural reflex for the horses to lean into a collar around the shoulders at the base of the neck.

Dogs, too, have been used as beasts of burden for thousands of years. A harness around the chest and neck is used to tap into this natural reflex and maximize the pulling strength of the dog. Is it any small wonder, then, that when you put a collar on a dog and apply a little pressure, it wants to drag you down the road like a draft horse pulling a plow or an Iditarod racer?

Humans keep trying to modify the collar so it doesn’t elicit this pulling reflex, called the “opposition reflex.” We invented collars that cause discomfort or pain, and collars that choke or poke with metal points.

It was time for something different; something more humane; something a whole lot smarter.

When my 65-pound, 11-year-old daughter Robin leads Saga, her 900-pound horse, she uses a lead rope attached to a horse halter that runs behind his ears and over his nose. Although the size difference is considerable, she is able to safely keep him in control, even when he gets frisky.

When she walks Rosie, our 55-pound, Aussie-cross mutt, who pulls like an ox on a regular collar, she uses a halter designed for dogs, called a headcollar, with similar results. She has no troubles keeping Rosie in control.

There are five kinds of headcollars available today: The Gentle Leader, the Halti, the Snoot Loop, the Comfort Halter and the K9 Kumalong. They vary somewhat in design but work on similar principles.

“Trainers in the U.S. have been recommending headcollars for dogs as a good management tool because they are forgiving and don’t hurt the dog while helping people gain control of their dogs,” said R.K. Anderson, a veterinarian and co-developer of the Gentle Leader.

It is also a useful training and management tool for dog owners, said Terry Ryan, president of Legacy Canine Behavior and Training Inc. and author of “Coaching People to Train their Dogs.”

“Headcollars are especially helpful in walking dogs that pull on the leash,” he said.

“The reduction in force required for a dog on a headcollar means the owner has more energy to direct at the important business of monitoring body signals, verbal and physical interactions with the dog,” said Dr. Roger Mugford, who developed the Halti. “No need for huffing, puffing and yanking the dog if you are controlling the head.”

Headcollars for dogs do more than just allow them to be walked more easily. When the dog pulls on the collar, the noseband tightens and closes the dog’s mouth. So a dog that barks or lunges at passers-by gets a gentle but highly effective correction; their mouth is closed and nose pointed back at you instead of aggressively staring down their perceived opponent. With their attention back on you, you can direct them to more acceptable behavior.

Some dogs will take a period of adjustment getting accustomed to a headcollar.

But other owners report that their dog relaxed significantly and became less anxious with the use of the headcollar.

Whenever I hear someone say that they got a headcollar and it either didn’t work or the dog chewed it up, invariably I find that the collar was adjusted incorrectly. So read the directions on how to adjust and introduce the collars.

“Fitting a headcollar properly is paramount to the training success and safety of the dog and owner,” said Ryan. “In addition, each dog and human team will benefit from personalized coaching of the skill and timing needed when a headcollar is being used.”

Although they are on the face of the dog, these collars are not a muzzle. The dog can still pant, eat and drink with the collar on.

This is the true beauty of these collars. You can enjoy walking with your dog, and your dog can still be a dog. These headcollars will keep both you and your dog happy.