# Someone doesn't like his Halti



## micahsmom (Oct 26, 2010)

poor thing, he looks so sad! He is very handsome though!


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## iansgran (May 29, 2010)

Jaro isn't that quiet when I put on his gentle leader, he is usually on the floor trying to rub it off, but once outside the door he is one happy puppy.


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## C's Mom (Dec 7, 2009)

Mr. C hated it at first but now when he sees it he knows he is going out for a walk and will sit down waiting for me to put it on.
I see that you attach yours differently to me. I take the last piece (the dangly bit) that you have attached to your leash and instead attach it to his collar loop for extra security.


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## Adriennelane (Feb 13, 2008)

He and Dory would be good company. She throws her whole body onto the ground and starts to cry when we put hers on.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

C's Mom said:


> Mr. C hated it at first but now when he sees it he knows he is going out for a walk and will sit down waiting for me to put it on.
> I see that you attach yours differently to me. I take the last piece (the dangly bit) that you have attached to your leash and instead attach it to his collar loop for extra security.


I'll probably cut that little safety strap off - it's just in the way. I wouldn't trust it to hold Riley, if he slipped the Halti. I'm afraid he could snap that thing in a split second. 
I'm using two leashes, instead. One to the Halti, one to his regular collar. It's a little awkward, but I can live with it.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Adriennelane said:


> He and Dory would be good company. She throws her whole body onto the ground and starts to cry when we put hers on.


Aww. Poor girl.
I really thought Riley would freak out and try to get it off, but he hasn't. He clearly doesn't like it, but he accepts it.
The very first time I buckled it on him, he took one swipe with his paw, got it off and looked at me like, "Really?" LOL. I adjusted it, put it right back on him and he just sort of resigned himself to the fact that he's going to be wearing it.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

micahsmom said:


> poor thing, he looks so sad! He is very handsome though!


Thanks! 
Yeah, that's his "I'm not happy about this" face.


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## Adriennelane (Feb 13, 2008)

LifeOfRiley said:


> Aww. Poor girl.
> I really thought Riley would freak out and try to get it off, but he hasn't. He clearly doesn't like it, but he accepts it.
> The very first time I buckled it on him, he took one swipe with his paw, got it off and looked at me like, "Really?" LOL. I adjusted it, put it right back on him and he just sort of resigned himself to the fact that he's going to be wearing it.


The first time I used it on the girls, Lucy hated it and managed to get it off before I had it fitted properly and Dory accepted it. After that, their roles reversed to the point we stopped using it, because Dory thought it was torture, and it did rub into her eyes.


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## C's Mom (Dec 7, 2009)

I get stopped every now and again by people asking me if I really need to muzzle my dog. I then explain that it isn't a muzzle and put my hand through to show them that it isn't tight around his muzzle and am using it to get him to stop pulling. I also think that people assume he is a mean dog when he is wearing it - ha, if they only knew.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Adriennelane said:


> The first time I used it on the girls, Lucy hated it and managed to get it off before I had it fitted properly and Dory accepted it. After that, their roles reversed to the point we stopped using it, because Dory thought it was torture, and it did rub into her eyes.


Oh, if it rubbed up by her eyes I wouldn't use it either. That couldn't be pleasant.
Have you tried the EasyWalk harness? I used one of those with Gunner from time to time and it worked pretty well. He absolutely would not tolerate any kind of strap on his nose, so the Halti or Gentle Leaders were out. The only complaint I had with the harness is that you have to keep an eye on it -- it'll loosen up a bit on long walks. I ended up attaching his leash to both the harness and a loose-fitting Martingale, just for an extra safety measure.



C's Mom said:


> I get stopped every now and again by people asking me if I really need to muzzle my dog. I then explain that it isn't a muzzle and put my hand through to show them that it isn't tight around his muzzle and am using it to get him to stop pulling. I also think that people assume he is a mean dog when he is wearing it - ha, if they only knew.


I'm waiting for that. People around here who are familiar with Riley will probably think it's a muzzle. But I think they're dog-savvy enough to realize what it is, when they get a good enough look at it.
And I think they'll appreciate that he's wearing a halti now, too. There are a couple women here who are pretty leery of him. One owns one of the dogs that Riley does not like, so she's seen him get real reactive. And the other one is a friend of hers - an older lady who always gives us PLENTY of space. I know they're looking at me and wondering if I can hold him, so they'll probably feel safer, too.


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## Adriennelane (Feb 13, 2008)

LifeOfRiley said:


> Oh, if it rubbed up by her eyes I wouldn't use it either. That couldn't be pleasant.
> Have you tried the EasyWalk harness? I used one of those with Gunner from time to time and it worked pretty well. He absolutely would not tolerate any kind of strap on his nose, so the Halti or Gentle Leaders were out. The only complaint I had with the harness is that you have to keep an eye on it -- it'll loosen up a bit on long walks. I ended up attaching his leash to both the harness and a loose-fitting Martingale, just for an extra safety measure.



She might be better now that she's older, but Dory chewed through TWO Easywalks. We've just been using a regular old harness on her since.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Poor Riley, the party's over!

Penny hates hers. The first time I put it on she was leaping up (rearing), clawing at her face and spinning in circles. Once she calmed down, we went for our walk. I walked. She, on the other hand, kept the side of muzzle and shoulder to the ground with her butt in the air and pushed her face through the ditches all the way around the block.

It does work great though...she never gave a thought to pulling! :doh:


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Penny's Mom said:


> Poor Riley, the party's over!
> 
> Penny hates hers. The first time I put it on she was leaping up (rearing), clawing at her face and spinning in circles. Once she calmed down, we went for our walk. I walked. She, on the other hand, kept the side of muzzle and shoulder to the ground with her butt in the air and pushed her face through the ditches all the way around the block.
> 
> It does work great though...she never gave a thought to pulling! :doh:


LOL. Awww... poor Penny. I imagine it does have to feel very strange to them, at first. 

I'm still amazed that Riley has accepted it. Riley doesn't accept things. If he doesn't like something, or doesn't want you doing something to him, it's pretty much not gonna happen. He's nothing if not stubborn! 
But this, he's willing to go along with. He's very hesitant with the halti on, though. We haven't gone for a long walk with it, yet - just potty trips. I figured I'd start out with short periods of time and work up, so that he doesn't get frustrated with it. At first, he didn't want to walk and just stood there, like he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. I had to coax him a little. Now this morning, he's figured out that he can walk along, sniff the ground and do what he wants to do.


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## Neeko13 (Jul 10, 2010)

Awwwww......he looks sooooo sad.....but Im quite certain he will get happy again......love the face, just precious.....::


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Nash666 said:


> Awwwww......he looks sooooo sad.....but Im quite certain he will get happy again......love the face, just precious.....::


He does look sad, doesn't he? And he'll play that look for all it's worth, believe me! It usually works, I cave and let him have his way... but not this time.


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## jweisman54 (May 22, 2010)

I started Izzy out with the Easy Walk Harness, it still did not really stop her from pulling so I went to the Gentle Leader and it worked wonders. Izzy didn't seem to mind it on her face but she does still try to rub it off once we get back in the house.


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## Karen2 (Jan 5, 2009)

Ian'sgran said:


> Jaro isn't that quiet when I put on his gentle leader, he is usually on the floor trying to rub it off, but once outside the door he is one happy puppy.


Ditto with Sierra, if we are moving she's ok, but if we stop she's rubbing it off.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

jweisman54 said:


> I started Izzy out with the Easy Walk Harness, it still did not really stop her from pulling so I went to the Gentle Leader and it worked wonders. Izzy didn't seem to mind it on her face but she does still try to rub it off once we get back in the house.


It didn't really stop Gunner from pulling, either. It _usually_ would, but if he really wanted to pull, like when he'd see a squirrell or something, it wouldn't stop him. He figured out how to work around it. He'd sort of turn his right shoulder into me, in the direction the harness was leading him, and would lead with his left shoulder so he could still pull. It wasn't as bad, though, and I could plant my feet and regain control a LOT faster than I could with a regular collar or even a Martingale.
That's why I think a harness would be basically useless with Riley. If he wants to lunge towards another dog, he's going to do it. If Gunner figured it out, Riley would have it licked in about two seconds flat!

I'm still amazed that Riley doesn't try to rub the Halti off. When we get back in the house he just stands there, patiently waiting for me to take it off. 
Who is this dog and what has he done with my 'problem child?!' LOL.


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## C's Mom (Dec 7, 2009)

How is Riley doing with the halti? Getting used to it yet?


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## Muddypaws (Apr 20, 2009)

I tried the Gentle Leader on Darby, he hated it and never did get used to it. He would be walking fine then throw himself on the ground, in class he would be so focused on the halter he wouldn't listen to me. Have the time he was cross eyed staring at it. Finally gave up and got the Easy Walker and he was just fine. Now I use either his martingale or a pinch (in certain circumstances) and he walks beautifully.

Poor Riley looks like he is asking "is this really necessary?"


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## KatieandAngie (Dec 24, 2008)

Poor Riley, we refer to it as the collar of shame as well and Angie hates it too...


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Muddypaws said:


> Poor Riley looks like he is asking "is this really necessary?"


I swear that's _exactly_ what he's thinking! He accepts it and doesn't fight it at all, but I can tell by the expression on his face that he isn't happy about it.




C's Mom said:


> How is Riley doing with the halti? Getting used to it yet?


He's doing great with it! I don't even have to hold a treat in my hand anymore to get him to slip his nose through it. He just stands there, patiently, and lets me put it on him. He doesn't try to get it off either, which still amazes me! That's SO not like my Riley. lol.

And I LOVE this thing! We had another encounter Saturday evening that would have been real bad had he not been wearing the Halti. We passed this woman walking a very large Collie that seems to like other dogs even less than Riley does. He started growling and pulling towards us, and the woman let him get to within about seven or eight feet of us. (Way too close for Riley.) Riley's never seen this dog before, so I couldn't fault him for reacting, but it was so easy to redirect him and calm him down again, with the Halti on. I don't think I could have held him on a regular collar.
Getting one of these is proving to be the best decision I've ever made!

I think other people here feel a lot better about it too, so that's good. (I really don't like to make other people nervous.) The older lady who used to walk her dog by us as quickly as she could, giving us as wide a berth as she possibly could, now pauses to say hi and even says "hi sweetheart" to Riley. I feel a lot better about that. The last thing I wanted to do was make an older lady, walking a big dog on ice and snow, feel skittish. That's just not cool.


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