Equipped For The Real Contest*

One evening, as I was unloading equipment from the car to be used in a training class, a four legged student and her owner walked up to me. She was not wearing the head collar she had sported the previous week in class. Her behavior during that class had been exemplary compared to previous lessons. I knew the owner did not care for the idea of using a head collar but wearing one sure had curbed her party hearty enthusiasm. Unaccessorized, she presents as a true socialpath, who happily hurls herself like a “friendly,” furry, solid tsunami upon every dog or human she encounters.  As the young Lab approached, she suddenly yipped sharply and leapt back from me. Puzzled, I looked to see if she had stepped on something or for some other cause for her reaction. Then I noticed the electronic collar around her neck and the remote in her owner’s hand. Before heading into class the Lab’s owner was asked to remove the electronic collar as it did not meet the proper dress code for the dogs.

Chain collars and prong collars are also discouraged. Occasionally a dog arrives in class outfitted in a prong collar. I bite my tongue, bide my time and remain silent. At these times, I recall a table full of preachy positive trainers at a seminar I once attended. They traded horror stories of clients whose dogs showed up wearing equipment not on their approval list. They related how they immediately pounced on the dog to remove the offending accessory and proceeded to scold the unwittingly abusive dog owner for not being all “positive.” This did not appear positive at all for the owners and my immediate reaction to this approach was relief not to be either a dog or a child of those zealots. Rather than putting the owner on the spot in front of the group, it has proven best, in my experience, to keep quiet, listen and observe. Often, these owners have “tried everything” and found that the prong collar has worked best.  Far be it for me to say not to use a tool that has been successful. If the dog is happy, calm, behaving well and the owner is not using the collar for corrections there is no harm done. A front attached body harness will offered to test drive. A number of owners have decided to trade in the prong collaer for the body harness.This type of harness, the Martingale collar and a head collar are three pieces of equipment I might recommend (in addition to a leash). 

The Martingale collar, which consists of two loops, is an effective tool to ensure safety. The larger loop is nylon while the smaller is nylon or chain. If set properly, the rings on the larger of two loops are set to not meet when a leash tightens the collar. An excitable dog can be lunging forward, fearfully scrambling backwards or launching into the perfect triple axel but cannot slip out of this collar. The Martingale should not be left on an unattended dog if there is a possibility of it snagging on something. Body harnesses that attach to a leash in front of a dog can be a good choice of equipment to reduce or eliminate pulling. On occasion, short legged dogs can houdini their way out of some harnesses. If a dog is small and/or reactive, the leash can be attached to both a Martingale and the body harness to ensure safety. While a good choice for dogs that pull on leash, the body harness is often not helpful if the dog is reactive to dogs or other distractions. A head collar can provide the leverage to convince many reactive dogs that a life of peaceful coexistence is preferable and rewarding. The Gentle Leader is the brand of head collar I recommend as they are readily available and always stocked at the local pet/feed store. Other brands such as the Halti can serve just as well. With the most reactive dogs, outfitting the unruly one with both a head collar and a body harness can prove effective. A 6’ leash with an attachment on both ends can form a loop from the body harness to the head collar. For a regular 6’ leash, attach the snap to the head collar. The handle end is then connected with a carabiner to the body harness to form the loop. Now all heavy lifting is done with the body harness to prevent undue pressure on the head collar. 

There are certainly pros and cons to the use of a head collar. For starters, many people mistake them for muzzles. I cannot say how many times I have been asked, “Why is your dog in a muzzle?” The configuration of head collars is such that the nose strap does not restrict a dog from eating, drinking, barking or even biting. It is not a muzzle. A second negative aspect is that many, if not most dogs, initially resist the idea of wearing one. There is a very helpful youtube video by Jean Donaldson that outlines how to acclimate a dog to a head collar. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeTKybGuyjw). She teaches her dog a conditioned emotional response which simply means you change the dog’s opinion. But the fact remains it can be a hard sell to convince some dogs and some people that a head collar is useful and fashionable. A third credible critique is that a head collar manages a dog’s manners but does not teach the dog appropriate behavior.  This criticism is valid, up to a point. Wearing a head collar can become context specific for a dog. When it is on a dog he does well but remove it and he immediately resorts back to unruly behavior. A dog should wear the head collar until appropriate behaviors are on automatic before weaning off it. Back in the evil days when I used a shock collar, I was taught to have the dog continue to wear the collar for a month after not having to use it before weaning off it. The same principle applies here. On the plus side, head collars have been described as power steering. A Star Trek analogy is also made that with a head collar you can go places where you have never gone before.

Most dogs are going to resist wearing a head collar. There is a strong psychological effect that varies from dog to dog. Some dogs are immediately brought down a notch or two, some to the point of shutting down completely. Other dogs might flail about like hooked tarpons- “powerful, explosive and acrobatic fighters.” This is not a positive experience as many dogs and owners would not describe the use of a head collar as a more “humane” alternative. A minority of dogs will accept their new head gear without dissent and heel happily off into the sunset- but this is rare. It is important to realize this tool will not work for every dog. You must take time to patiently acclimate a dog, for several days or even weeks. As mentioned above, you want to change the dog’s opinion from opposition to “hey, good things happen, like treats and adventure, when the head collar appears.” The investment in prep work can pay big behavioral dividends resulting in a game changing relationship.

Here is a list of benefits to using a head collar:

Reduces pulling on leash.
Can aid in taming reactive dogs.
Calms some anxious dogs.
Manages unruly behavior. Many people are pleased to simply control their dog.
Reduces use of physical punishment and improves adversarial relationships.
Aids in managing greetings with dogs and people in public.
Can be used in the house to manage everyday manners greeting visitors.
Helps keep a dog’s nose off the ground.
Levels the playing field for elders and children.
Compensates for lack of training knowledge or skill of an owner.
Provides control for people with disabilities or injuries.
Saves $ for people who can’t or would rather not afford professional training.
Saves time spent training. This is not always a benefit.
Can prevent puppies from developing problems.
Once proper behavior is established, a dogs can be weaned off a head collar.

The reaction of individual dogs to the introduction and use of a head collar will vary. Here are a few recent examples of dogs expressing their opinion of being introduced to a head collar:

Bernese:    Very reactive to other dogs and well over 100 pounds, this guy immediately belly flopped and refused to budge when introduced to a head collar. There was no convincing him to animate the mountain of his furry bulk. The head collar  was removed and he was coaxed to stand. Aroused at the sight of a distant, stuffed toy poodle, he tolerated the head collar, took treats and began to walk calmly. He will need more time conditioning to his head gear.

German Shepherd:   This year old lad ruled the roost for his first six months. When in the collar, he is manageable but yet very curious about other dogs and his surroundings. Quite the independent fellow, he does OK at home without this gentle  leader but in public requires his head collar to offset the physical limitations of his owner. Without his head collar, he readily resorts to his old distractible ways. This clever fellow is making good progress but insists on doing it his way on occasion.                       

Saint Bernard:    The owner of this very sweet four month old pup has yet to purchase a head collar. At our first training session, the handle from a leash was used to entice the pup to place her nose through for treats. She was pleased with the idea and thought it all a fun game. The plan is to get her used to a head collar at a tender age. She may never need to use it but it is easiest to introduce right out of the blocks. She will also be taught to walk nicely in a body harness and off leash.

Swiss Shepherd:    This handsome dude accepted wearing a head collar within a few days. His reactivity to other dogs notched down 90%. He was comfortable wearing the collar and did not try to paw it off his nose as many dogs will. Most dogs will require constant attention and supervision when in a collar, especially in the first days and weeks. This pup has a nervous temperament and the head collar does not prevent him from alarm barking at noise outside his apartment.   

Yellow Lab:    This normally gentle five year old reacts at a great distance to all dogs. Due to time constraints, she was first introduced to a head collar without prior conditioning. Not a great idea. For a few moments she was calm and controlled as she saw the stuffed toy poodle in the distance. Fortunately, she was in a body harness as suddenly she realized she was constrained by a head collar. She reared up and thrashed about like the buckingingest of broncos. The owners decided to put effort into acclimating her to the head collar. At our next appointment, we worked her with only her body harness to improve polite walking and positioning. Then we began using the head collar. She is progressing well. We will soon be ready to negotiate the business of approaching dogs.

Black Lab:  For a short time, this five month old puppy was like the adorably cute aliens the crew of the movie Galaxy Quest encountered. Seen from a distance, the “awe, so innocent and cuddly” factor would draw people toward her. Then suddenly her mouth sprung open, revealing rows of pointy puppy dentition as she leaped forward to draw blood. During her first outing, she mauled a couple people and played the part of a miscreant. Her next outing, in a head collar, she sat and calmly waited for permission to interact with several people and a dog. This, indeed, is a case of the head collar managing situations. Her true self is masked. But over time she will begin to generalize proper behavior. Training dogs has a learning curve both for pup and person. The head collar also masks an owner’s lack of experience. This puppy is now defaulting to good behavior as both owner and pup hone their skills.. 

Black Lab:  The owner of the Lab who came to class with the e collar returned to the use of a head collar in class and at home, especially when visitors arrived. Over time, she has learned a good bit of impulse control, especially if human visitors behave themselves and ignore her. She is a very lucky Lab who spends many a weekend hunting. It is a rare thing for a dog to actually do what she was bred to do. She hails from field or hunting lines, compared to show lines which means she is turbocharged. Her head collar works like a parachute on a race car-  it slows down her impulses and instincts to allow her to think rather than react. The owner still uses the e collar when hunting but only sparingly. This pup is progressing but she will take some time to pass  muster with Emily Post. Come to think of it, Emily Post,was also a late bloomer. She did not write Etiquette until the age of 50.

When I was working for an assistance dog training facility we outfitted all the puppies with a head collar to reap the benefits listed above. The idea was to make them comfortable with the tool as puppies and avoid any fuss if one was needed later. Watching the documentary Pick Of The Litter was totally surprising and reinforcing as the Guide Dog puppies in Marin were wearing head collars. Guide Dogs Foundation for the Blind in New York also requires their puppies to wear head collars.  One is provided for every pup and it is mandated to be worn at least 50% of time spent in public. Loose leash walking is taught with and without the head collar. The energetic Lab from class did benefit from wearing her head collar into and out of class. Like  the guide dog puppies she is not allowed to practice her usual lunging and pulling about. After settling in, she began to work nicely without her head collar in class.

Pet owners would do well to realize there is no magic involved in training a service dog or guide dog. The basic techniques and tools are available and apply to every non professional trainer and her or his pet. The Guide Dog Foundation For the Blind is a great source of information with its puppy raising manual and videos. Head collars are not for every dog. It does take time to condition a dog’s original reaction to a positive response  Seeing better behavior from a dog, often proves reinforcing to the owner. “Hey, I got into and out of that situation without being angry, embarrassed or frustrated.” So, OK, a head collar may “manage but not teach.” At least in the beginning. But I suspect if a dog is well managed and cannot rehearse his mischief some learning may permeate his little doggie brain. Sound management and the use of tools that manage, provide a solid foundation to build teaching upon. Manage whenever you must between training sessions. Train often but only when you can focus 100% on your dog.         

* Variation of quote from Mr Toad in Wind In The Willows