A new
owner confronted with the vast variety of collars, halters, leads, and
harnesses will be challenged to make a safe and appropriate selection of
equipment for his dog. Knowledge of the various pieces of equipment, the pros
and cons, and the correct and incorrect usages will empower an owner to make
appropriate choices. “Seasoned” dog handlers, who usually have strong personal
equipment preferences, should still be aware of the various types of equipment
available to guide less experienced handlers.
I,
like many “seasoned” handlers, have my own preferences of equipment. I shall,
however, endeavor to be as objective as possible. Having said that, I will
emphasize that anything we attach to our dog’s body in some way has the
potential to be caught and/or twisted around a body part (including the neck)
which can lead to injury and/or death. This includes all collars, halters,
leads, and harnesses. Some pieces of equipment have a greater “risk factor”
than others when used incorrectly or become caught/twisted.
Our dog’s safety depends upon our management and usage of whatever equipment we
choose to use.
Handlers
should all be aware of a dog’s instinctive reaction when it is caught or
feeling trapped. The dog will twist, turn, and thrash its body which usually
ends up with whatever is trapping it to be tightened even more. This in turn
causes the dog’s panic to increase which again causes more thrashing etc. A vicious cycle. I have personally seen this when a dog has
become tangled in a leash, harness, and during the adjustment phase to halter
work. If a dog twists and turns as a person is hanging onto a collar, broken
fingers can easily and very quickly result. (I can personally attest to that!)
To
emphasize again, all pieces of equipment have their positives and negatives.
With knowledge, awareness, and correct usage, even the more “risky” pieces of
equipment can be useful tools.
COLLARS
Collars
essentially are in three groups: buckle (tongue-style or plastic squeeze
style), sled/semi-slip, and choke/slip collars. Buckle and sled dog collars are
usually made of leather or nylon. Slip collars are usually made of nylon or
chain. Why the collar is needed is paramount in determining which collar to
use.
Buckle collars
These
are considered the safest collar to use if they are correctly and snugly
applied. I believe that no more than two fingers should be able to be slipped
under a correctly fitted buckle collar. Looser fitting buckle collars make it
very easy for the dog to slip out of and/or be caught accidentally on an object
or by another dog’s jaw. Uses: for
dogs who must wear ID tags, puppy collars, obedience competition.
Sled/semi-slip collars
These
collars were designed by mushers who wanted an easy to slip on collar that the
dog couldn’t get out of when hitched yet did not choke them while working. The
sled dog collars I use have a 4” difference between the dog’s neck and the lead
attachment ring. A correctly fitted collar tightens only to the dog’s neck
measurement. These collars can easily be caught on objects or another dog can
either pull it off or get caught in the collar. For this reason, none of my dogs
who play roughly or are kenneled with another dog wear a collar (of any kind).
I also have scissors that can cut nylon readily available both inside and
outside. A positive aspect to a correctly fitted sled dog collar is that the
dog cannot slip out of it when tightened. When I take my country bumpkin dogs
to town, I know they can’t slip out of their collars, which gives me peace of
mind. For dogs going to shows, the looser fit (when not tightened) will float
over the dog’s coat, yet when the collar is tightened, the dog is secure. This
collar is not advised to use as an “every day” collar due to the greater risk
factor. Uses: in harness work and in
situations where safe and moderate control is needed.
Choke/slip collars
These
collars are called choke collars for a reason. Many dogs have been injured or
killed when the collar tightened and didn’t release. Tracheal and neck (muscle
and vertebral) are also common injuries. If the collar is put on incorrectly, it
will not loosen when the lead pressure is released. These collars should never
be left on an unattended dog. They were designed as a training tool, which, when
used correctly, is a very effective negative reinforcer. It is important to note
that the wider the collar (i.e. heavier nylon or larger chain links), the weaker
the effect. Thus, the super fine choke collar has a very strong effect. Uses:
obedience and conformation work.
HALTERS
Halters
are a training tool which should only be used under direct supervision.
Basically, they work by the principle of “control the head,
control the rest of the body.” For Malamutes, who are hard wired to pull when
they feel tension/pressure on their necks, halters are a marvelous aid for
teaching leash manners. One negative aspect to halters is the adjustment period
that the dog must go through when the halter is introduced. I have found that
the adjustment period almost disappears when the halter is introduced using
clicker training. I must emphasize that incorrect/rough handling of haltered
dogs can result in neck injuries. Halters must never be jerked. Fortunately for
dogs, the halters are becoming “known” to the general public as a different
type of collar and not a muzzle. I classify halters in the following three
categories.
Halti
This
popular halter was the first to be mass produced and marketed in Europe and North America. The Halti’s
action is to tighten the muzzle loop when the lead is tightened. This, in turn,
closes the dog’s mouth which makes the Halti the halter of choice with dominant
and/or aggressive dogs.
Promise and/or Gentle
Leader
The
construction of these halters is similar to the Halti but with a clip that
limits the size of the muzzle loop. This leaves a “tab” that extends from the
muzzle loop to the lead. The muzzle loop does not change in diameter with lead
tension.
Inharmony’s Magic
Halter
The “figure
8” halter, which predates the Halti and other styles, was the inspiration for
this halter design. Inharmony’s Magic Halter is a simple design with two loops
— a buckle collar and a muzzle loop that connect to a ring directly under the
dog’s chin. Attaching the leash directly under the chin gives a more finite
control of the dog’s head. For a dog who is accustomed to a halter, the Magic
Halter has the advantage of allowing the muzzle loop to slip off enabling the
dog to pant, drink, and/or eat comfortably during, for instance, a break in an
activity. It is also useful in weaning the dog from the halter to working only
with a collar. But unlike all the other halters, when the muzzle loop comes off
the nose, the dog is still securely held by a buckle collar. This can also be a
disadvantage for some clever dogs who quickly figure out how to slip the loop
off during the adjustment phases.
Uses for all halters:
obedience, pleasure walks, breeding, biking, vet examinations and other
activities that require a high level of control of the dog. The second portion
of this article covering leads and harnesses will appear in the next issue of
the Malamute Review.
Copyright © 2003 Ruth Kellogg. All rights
reserved. |