I am trying to gather information to make a video on why face collars are a form of punishment that causes un-needed stress. Even if used correctly they seem cruel, and yet I often-times see them being mis-used to the point that I have to cause a scene. Does anyone, especially Emily, have any sources or good info for me to use? (Any help would be appreciated - even the Karen Prior site has a picture of a doctor-looking person next to a dog with a face collar on. -sigh-)
I love your approach to walking equipment. I am learning from an instructor with the same viewpoint and completely agree. We're really fond of the harness by halti because it doesn't have the martingale loop in front and avoids a lot of unnecessary pressure. I also agree with the head halter concept. I had used one on my border collie and he would repeatedly try to rub it off despite training, and I realized it put too much pressure on his tear ducts and causes one of his eyes to be drippy.
@507Cynthia most harnesses come with very detailed instructions and many are color coded to help you. The easy-walk harness by Premier has a lighter color strap that goes under the dog and the part with the clip goes in front. The harness made by halti is red and black and the black strap goes in front and the one with a silver circle ring goes on top. When in doubt check the manufacturers website.
@BerlinTheShepherd thts because the dog FEARS the choke! what you are doing is cruel. what emily is doing is the humane way. the way that is good for the dog. if you train using choke chain methods then look up choke chain training methods. not emilys videos on how to train the dog kindly and build a better bond with your dog! i am not calling you a bad trainer but you are not using a method that builds the bond between you and the dog. you are destoying the bond.
You can clip the leash to the D-rings of both the halter and the collar. That keeps the leash connection from pulling around to the side. I've got Easy Walker brand halters that work good that way.
Kikopup, your video on loose leash walking is great. I had one doggie that just wasn't getting it. I was clicking and treating, but not perfectly. I started clicking the instant he reached my heel, not worrying about whether he was going to go right by, and within minutes he caught on. No probs.
I just switched from using a prong collar to an easy walk harness with my reactive, fear-agressive dog and I'm already seeing improvements. I no longer have to feel bad about correcting her because it doesn't cause pain, and she seems more relaxed. Thanks so much for the video, it's helping tremendously!
I'm a big fan of having my students use an easy walk harness. But I also am a fan of the Gentel Leader Head Harness. When used properly it can be a great training tool. And some of the dogs I've trained are fine with it the first day. When working with an aggressive dog it also can be calming where it fits on the back of the head. I think it really depends on the dog which is better to use. Also if you have a dog who is very jumpy they can slide the paws out of the front clipping harness.
Great videos except this video. The neck is the dogs strongest place and therefor the best place to put a collar. All other halters/spots put pressure on places that are more likely to cause physical harm. The alternatives for neck collars is probably overreacting on wanting to change history dog handling methods. Ofcourse 90% of current methods are way better then the punish methods that were used in the old days. Please watch a good method/video by this maker on how to prevent pulling.
thanks for the loose leash tips! but i have a question, if i have a chihuahua, does it harm her to put on collar since shes so little? shes a teacup . Thanks!! ^^)
Hi, I've watched lots of your video's and youre so great with your dogs and they're so lucky! Also, my dog always goes insane when he sees other dogs, in a friendly not aggressive way. When he gets into that state of mind he doesn't pay any attention to me at all. My ultimate goal would be to have him walk past another dog easily without a big fuss and also to be able to let him off a leash and to be confident that he'll come back to me. Do you have any tips? Thanks!
Hey, Blue! By the time your dog is reacting like that, it's too late for training. Keep your dog far enough away from other dogs that he shows interest, but isn't reacting. Reward every time he looks toward you (with something REALLY great). Over time, he'll keep his attention on you, at which point you can move him a little closer to the dogs. This means, on walks, if you see a dog coming, get your dog far enough away that he won't react.
Hi Emily, thanks for you quick response Playing fetch is no go this guy doesn't know how to play, get that a lot with pound dogs. But the long leash sounds good, I have a 25ft lunge line, My dream to have a secure fenced area to play and meet 'n great for all my foster dogs... sad they are in 10x20 kennels most of the day till i come home and walk/ play
Oh the GSD is adopted, with your URL, treats and clicker, new owners seemed very interested in clicker after I showed off the pup :)
I have a active, pulling foster dog, I try the u pull I stop change direction Q: how do I excise the dog, it takes 10-15 min to get to the mailbox and he just gets more focused on pulling each time we start again. I don't want to just let him gogogo and enforce pulling. but if I stop turn each time we are hardly moving distance, Help
1- you could play fetch first, so you break that habit of over excitement about the walk
2- practice the leash walking games in the yard first, where the dog can succeed
3- go to a safe area, and have the dog on a dragging long leash, reinforce the dog for staying with you "off leash" first, once your dog is with you, then gradually hold the leash shorter and shorter until its the desired length. This way you can start out with 'pressure off the leash" is the norm and pulling is not
Some dogs will pull if they are very anxious or unsocialized. These dogs will be harder to train because they are unable to learn as fast as a relaxed dog, because they are over their threshold. A good test is taking the dogs favorite treats on the walk, and if you stop and offer treats, and the dog doesnt eat them, he is very likely over aroused by being outside. WHat you can to combat this is working with the dog outside, practicing settles outside etc
Not using a collar is not about restraining, its about keeping pressure off of the delicate trachea. A loose fitting back clipping harness is my ideal goal when the dog is never pulling, you could switch to a collar, but its not worth it, like if a car back fires and the dog panics and hits the end of the leash all that pressure on the neck when it could have been avoided.
Teach the dog to not freak out over simple distractions that occur in its everyday life. The freaking out over what sounds like a gunshot could have been avoided by proper training, not keeping the dog in a restraint device like a harness.
i don't believe in using ANY equipment as a restraint device, only perhaps if you were building arousal or drive for dog sports. Toy dogs should never be in a collar, its just too dangerous. I'm with Turrid on this one, collars can just do too much damage to a dogs spine and neck.
If the dog is walking on a loose leash then it is not applying pressure to its neck is it? Is it just too dangerous because you can't teach a dog to walking properly in a leash and collar?
I keep tight fitting collars (don't want them to get caught on brush or barbed fencing) for ID TAGs, easy to spot and allows people to restrain a roaming/lost pet. I see so many dogs spend time in shelters just because they have no ID. Microchips are good but a layperson can't access it. I saw two dogs criss-crossing main street , stopped called number on tag and 15 min later they are back home, the lady was crazy with worry, ans happy to have them back safe. That is what collars are for !!
when i see this dog all happy and everything it brings a tear in my eye. Im a pitbull owner and i just love how a pitbull with the worst rep can be shown that it is not what the majority of the population concludes these dogs to be. It shows that its not the dog (for the most part), its the owner for how the dog turned out to be. You gotta make more vids including pitbulls in them. Thank You, hey you're doin' a good thing.
Yes, I will be using Doodle again in videos. She is amazingly smart. I actually had gone over there to get some footage of her pulling to show what to do to train a dog not to pull, but I couldn't get her to pull! So instead I made this equipment video with her walking nicely in the background.
My dogs also wear harnasses but with the clip on the back. I'm not sure if we can buy the ones with the clip in the front, but I'm going to look for them ;-)
Great vid Emily! I just brought a easywalk from the states so I could train my schipperke. I never thought he would get so agressive in a walk. Before, he was just pulling of exciment to get faster to other dogs, but in no time that exciment became an uncontrolable territorial agression. I'm counting on that harness and the power of positive reiforcement for curing my little buddie :)
You know, it could be a little leash frustration- a lot of little dogs if you were to let go of the leash, they would stop barking and go to greet the dog in a normal way. So having the impulse control to be able to walk towards other dogs on a loose leash would in fact help with the reactivity. My little chi was like that, and every blue moon will regress- she does NOT like loose Black Labs running full speed in her direction! :) I actually dont mind it then, as I dont like loose dogs either
No... I've already tried that... He did get a little better but he still attacks other dogs (especially other males). So now, I'm trying to reward him for seeing dogs, just like you explained to fruitgrrl up in this page. Every time a dogs appears I reward him before he prepares to attack (yeap, he doesn't show any signs, he attacks like a big cat, silently. Partiatly my fault...) and I keep rewarding him for ignoring the dogs while they pass by us. What do you think?
Oh darn. Yes, sounds like you've got the idea! That book Scaredy Dog by Ali Brown, is for shy dogs but also reactive dogs, but that is the basic way to counter condition. Now I can walk by this rotties house with Kiko and the dog slams against the gate barking and growling and Kiko doesnt even flinch. Her tail does go up a little, but thats no where near her exploding into demon chi mode like she used to
really good information. I had never heard of a front clipping harness before, I'm thinking that that would be a very good idea for my girls. thanks for another wonderful video Emily!
Just found you a few days ago. Today I got a 10wk GSD from the pound (I do foster for rescue)
started by loading the clicker and in 15min he gives me a sit.... MUCH better than the jump,nip, bounce he offered at the pound. I just waited till he got bored and sat, clicked and treated, repeated this a few times. I changed position and he figured it out. Thank you so much, Hoping to start this one out as a "kikopup" I am new got a clicker for mothers day, and found you, keep it coming.
Great adivce thanks! I started my pup on a halti but quickly moved her on to a collar, i think ill be going back to the halti , not that she pulls all the time !!!
5*! The video was very informative:). Spalsh! was so cute when she was looking sad with the halti. I am going to buy Kaine a front clip harness and replace that with the halti that I only use during events with lots of dogs. While he doesn't dislike the halti and he doesn't pull or lunge, I don't want to risk hurting his neck like you explained in the video. Thank you again for the great information:).
I think he should be fine on the halti, what Im talking about is when the dog hits the end of the leash and their head jerks back in a horrible angle. I have seen people walking dogs on flexi leads and head halters/ or flexis and choke chains - really really dangerous. Darn! I forgot to mention the dangers of Flexi leads in the vid!
I am not a fan of flexi leads either. There are so many dangers inlcuding the leash possibly snapping back into the person's face and then the person has very little control during the walk which is dangerous to the dog...
I actually taught Riley the 'stop' command so whenever he is going ahead of me, I stop and ask him to stop. This has worked really well and he can go on a walk with the leash dragging behind him now!
Nice job on your video. My Lab Harpo has a big leash problem. He has a head collar because he will pull me right off my feet and then keep walking. Pheobie has several different harnesses. One so she does not choke herself on her collar, actually a few for that. And a few anti pulling harnesses. She has a head collar but hates it so I never use it.
Did you try clicking and feeding her for 'alerting' - looking towards the apartment BEFORE she thinks to bark. It sounds like a hard situation to train, because it seems like you NEED to go past that apartment every day- not letting you take it one step at a time.
I am trying to gather information to make a video on why face collars are a form of punishment that causes un-needed stress. Even if used correctly they seem cruel, and yet I often-times see them being mis-used to the point that I have to cause a scene. Does anyone, especially Emily, have any sources or good info for me to use? (Any help would be appreciated - even the Karen Prior site has a picture of a doctor-looking person next to a dog with a face collar on. -sigh-)
theguythatcouldfly 6 months ago
I love your approach to walking equipment. I am learning from an instructor with the same viewpoint and completely agree. We're really fond of the harness by halti because it doesn't have the martingale loop in front and avoids a lot of unnecessary pressure. I also agree with the head halter concept. I had used one on my border collie and he would repeatedly try to rub it off despite training, and I realized it put too much pressure on his tear ducts and causes one of his eyes to be drippy.
ClickerMutt 6 months ago
My dog has long fur and looks really awkward in a harness...is there anything else I could do?
MsZoraZ 1 year ago
HOW DO YOU PUT ON A FRONT CLIP HARNESS!!!!
507Cynthia 1 year ago
@507Cynthia most harnesses come with very detailed instructions and many are color coded to help you. The easy-walk harness by Premier has a lighter color strap that goes under the dog and the part with the clip goes in front. The harness made by halti is red and black and the black strap goes in front and the one with a silver circle ring goes on top. When in doubt check the manufacturers website.
ClickerMutt 6 months ago
Well I use choke-chains and they are training my dog great..not for the choke itself but when they hear the chain links clicking they slow way down
BerlinTheShepherd 1 year ago
@BerlinTheShepherd thts because the dog FEARS the choke! what you are doing is cruel. what emily is doing is the humane way. the way that is good for the dog. if you train using choke chain methods then look up choke chain training methods. not emilys videos on how to train the dog kindly and build a better bond with your dog! i am not calling you a bad trainer but you are not using a method that builds the bond between you and the dog. you are destoying the bond.
mysweetie4eva 1 month ago
You can clip the leash to the D-rings of both the halter and the collar. That keeps the leash connection from pulling around to the side. I've got Easy Walker brand halters that work good that way.
Kikopup, your video on loose leash walking is great. I had one doggie that just wasn't getting it. I was clicking and treating, but not perfectly. I started clicking the instant he reached my heel, not worrying about whether he was going to go right by, and within minutes he caught on. No probs.
JiveDadson 1 year ago
I just switched from using a prong collar to an easy walk harness with my reactive, fear-agressive dog and I'm already seeing improvements. I no longer have to feel bad about correcting her because it doesn't cause pain, and she seems more relaxed. Thanks so much for the video, it's helping tremendously!
Namebadge11 2 years ago 10
I'm a big fan of having my students use an easy walk harness. But I also am a fan of the Gentel Leader Head Harness. When used properly it can be a great training tool. And some of the dogs I've trained are fine with it the first day. When working with an aggressive dog it also can be calming where it fits on the back of the head. I think it really depends on the dog which is better to use. Also if you have a dog who is very jumpy they can slide the paws out of the front clipping harness.
AlmondBear 2 years ago
Haha, I see where you were laughing at Doodle Bug for not pulling! :) That is what you were originally trying to record wasn't it?
NatashaHope17 2 years ago 2
Great videos except this video. The neck is the dogs strongest place and therefor the best place to put a collar. All other halters/spots put pressure on places that are more likely to cause physical harm. The alternatives for neck collars is probably overreacting on wanting to change history dog handling methods. Ofcourse 90% of current methods are way better then the punish methods that were used in the old days. Please watch a good method/video by this maker on how to prevent pulling.
computerjantje 2 years ago
clipping the leash to the front of the harness saved my life! Now, my dog walks calmly aln I enjoy our walks so musch more! THANKS!
kosjenka66 2 years ago
thanks for the loose leash tips! but i have a question, if i have a chihuahua, does it harm her to put on collar since shes so little? shes a teacup . Thanks!! ^^)
ellyniz 2 years ago
Hi, I've watched lots of your video's and youre so great with your dogs and they're so lucky! Also, my dog always goes insane when he sees other dogs, in a friendly not aggressive way. When he gets into that state of mind he doesn't pay any attention to me at all. My ultimate goal would be to have him walk past another dog easily without a big fuss and also to be able to let him off a leash and to be confident that he'll come back to me. Do you have any tips? Thanks!
BlueChocolate09 2 years ago
Hey, Blue! By the time your dog is reacting like that, it's too late for training. Keep your dog far enough away from other dogs that he shows interest, but isn't reacting. Reward every time he looks toward you (with something REALLY great). Over time, he'll keep his attention on you, at which point you can move him a little closer to the dogs. This means, on walks, if you see a dog coming, get your dog far enough away that he won't react.
ketharin 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
GiRl U should cucK my CoCk First then kill ur dog and let me CuM on It
Nelifaction 2 years ago
Hi Emily, thanks for you quick response Playing fetch is no go this guy doesn't know how to play, get that a lot with pound dogs. But the long leash sounds good, I have a 25ft lunge line, My dream to have a secure fenced area to play and meet 'n great for all my foster dogs... sad they are in 10x20 kennels most of the day till i come home and walk/ play
Oh the GSD is adopted, with your URL, treats and clicker, new owners seemed very interested in clicker after I showed off the pup :)
pippimom 2 years ago
I have a active, pulling foster dog, I try the u pull I stop change direction Q: how do I excise the dog, it takes 10-15 min to get to the mailbox and he just gets more focused on pulling each time we start again. I don't want to just let him gogogo and enforce pulling. but if I stop turn each time we are hardly moving distance, Help
pippimom 2 years ago
1- you could play fetch first, so you break that habit of over excitement about the walk
2- practice the leash walking games in the yard first, where the dog can succeed
3- go to a safe area, and have the dog on a dragging long leash, reinforce the dog for staying with you "off leash" first, once your dog is with you, then gradually hold the leash shorter and shorter until its the desired length. This way you can start out with 'pressure off the leash" is the norm and pulling is not
kikopup 2 years ago
Some dogs will pull if they are very anxious or unsocialized. These dogs will be harder to train because they are unable to learn as fast as a relaxed dog, because they are over their threshold. A good test is taking the dogs favorite treats on the walk, and if you stop and offer treats, and the dog doesnt eat them, he is very likely over aroused by being outside. WHat you can to combat this is working with the dog outside, practicing settles outside etc
kikopup 2 years ago 3
Teach your dog to not pull on a leash and collar and you won't need such restraint devices.
Slydogges 2 years ago
Not using a collar is not about restraining, its about keeping pressure off of the delicate trachea. A loose fitting back clipping harness is my ideal goal when the dog is never pulling, you could switch to a collar, but its not worth it, like if a car back fires and the dog panics and hits the end of the leash all that pressure on the neck when it could have been avoided.
kikopup 2 years ago
Teach the dog to not freak out over simple distractions that occur in its everyday life. The freaking out over what sounds like a gunshot could have been avoided by proper training, not keeping the dog in a restraint device like a harness.
Slydogges 2 years ago
i don't believe in using ANY equipment as a restraint device, only perhaps if you were building arousal or drive for dog sports. Toy dogs should never be in a collar, its just too dangerous. I'm with Turrid on this one, collars can just do too much damage to a dogs spine and neck.
kikopup 2 years ago 4
If the dog is walking on a loose leash then it is not applying pressure to its neck is it? Is it just too dangerous because you can't teach a dog to walking properly in a leash and collar?
Slydogges 2 years ago
I keep tight fitting collars (don't want them to get caught on brush or barbed fencing) for ID TAGs, easy to spot and allows people to restrain a roaming/lost pet. I see so many dogs spend time in shelters just because they have no ID. Microchips are good but a layperson can't access it. I saw two dogs criss-crossing main street , stopped called number on tag and 15 min later they are back home, the lady was crazy with worry, ans happy to have them back safe. That is what collars are for !!
pippimom 2 years ago
collars are fine as long as you walk them on a harness, you can have a harness and a collar on at the same time you know.
Jindovi 2 years ago
I think it's great that you are putting such great USEFUL info out there for the public. Keep up the great work!
holtherborders 2 years ago
when i see this dog all happy and everything it brings a tear in my eye. Im a pitbull owner and i just love how a pitbull with the worst rep can be shown that it is not what the majority of the population concludes these dogs to be. It shows that its not the dog (for the most part), its the owner for how the dog turned out to be. You gotta make more vids including pitbulls in them. Thank You, hey you're doin' a good thing.
PapaSon85 2 years ago
Yes, I will be using Doodle again in videos. She is amazingly smart. I actually had gone over there to get some footage of her pulling to show what to do to train a dog not to pull, but I couldn't get her to pull! So instead I made this equipment video with her walking nicely in the background.
kikopup 2 years ago
My dogs also wear harnasses but with the clip on the back. I'm not sure if we can buy the ones with the clip in the front, but I'm going to look for them ;-)
JesstheBorder 2 years ago
That Doodle Bug is the cutest little dog I have ever seen!
NancyandKathy 2 years ago
I know! I will be using Doodle in more videos! She's a hit!
kikopup 2 years ago
Great vid Emily! I just brought a easywalk from the states so I could train my schipperke. I never thought he would get so agressive in a walk. Before, he was just pulling of exciment to get faster to other dogs, but in no time that exciment became an uncontrolable territorial agression. I'm counting on that harness and the power of positive reiforcement for curing my little buddie :)
ABengelke 2 years ago
You know, it could be a little leash frustration- a lot of little dogs if you were to let go of the leash, they would stop barking and go to greet the dog in a normal way. So having the impulse control to be able to walk towards other dogs on a loose leash would in fact help with the reactivity. My little chi was like that, and every blue moon will regress- she does NOT like loose Black Labs running full speed in her direction! :) I actually dont mind it then, as I dont like loose dogs either
kikopup 2 years ago
No... I've already tried that... He did get a little better but he still attacks other dogs (especially other males). So now, I'm trying to reward him for seeing dogs, just like you explained to fruitgrrl up in this page. Every time a dogs appears I reward him before he prepares to attack (yeap, he doesn't show any signs, he attacks like a big cat, silently. Partiatly my fault...) and I keep rewarding him for ignoring the dogs while they pass by us. What do you think?
ABengelke 2 years ago
Oh darn. Yes, sounds like you've got the idea! That book Scaredy Dog by Ali Brown, is for shy dogs but also reactive dogs, but that is the basic way to counter condition. Now I can walk by this rotties house with Kiko and the dog slams against the gate barking and growling and Kiko doesnt even flinch. Her tail does go up a little, but thats no where near her exploding into demon chi mode like she used to
kikopup 2 years ago
really good information. I had never heard of a front clipping harness before, I'm thinking that that would be a very good idea for my girls. thanks for another wonderful video Emily!
zsianz1 2 years ago
Hi Kiko,
Just found you a few days ago. Today I got a 10wk GSD from the pound (I do foster for rescue)
started by loading the clicker and in 15min he gives me a sit.... MUCH better than the jump,nip, bounce he offered at the pound. I just waited till he got bored and sat, clicked and treated, repeated this a few times. I changed position and he figured it out. Thank you so much, Hoping to start this one out as a "kikopup" I am new got a clicker for mothers day, and found you, keep it coming.
pippimom 2 years ago
Aw. Thanks!
kikopup 2 years ago
Great adivce thanks! I started my pup on a halti but quickly moved her on to a collar, i think ill be going back to the halti , not that she pulls all the time !!!
Chez and Daisy
Chezza512 2 years ago
I'm slowly starting to train my Siberian Husky puppy (by starting I mean trying to house break her =)). What is your take on Crate Training?
FishApprentice 2 years ago
Great lesson ¡¡¡¡
;)
DardoNewGeneration 2 years ago
5*! The video was very informative:). Spalsh! was so cute when she was looking sad with the halti. I am going to buy Kaine a front clip harness and replace that with the halti that I only use during events with lots of dogs. While he doesn't dislike the halti and he doesn't pull or lunge, I don't want to risk hurting his neck like you explained in the video. Thank you again for the great information:).
Happy Clicking!
Ashley & Kaine
hunkymonkeykaine 2 years ago
I think he should be fine on the halti, what Im talking about is when the dog hits the end of the leash and their head jerks back in a horrible angle. I have seen people walking dogs on flexi leads and head halters/ or flexis and choke chains - really really dangerous. Darn! I forgot to mention the dangers of Flexi leads in the vid!
kikopup 2 years ago
I am not a fan of flexi leads either. There are so many dangers inlcuding the leash possibly snapping back into the person's face and then the person has very little control during the walk which is dangerous to the dog...
hunkymonkeykaine 2 years ago
Love the name Doodle Bug! All your model pups were cute. Thanks for the informative video! :)
spotonk9s 2 years ago
I actually taught Riley the 'stop' command so whenever he is going ahead of me, I stop and ask him to stop. This has worked really well and he can go on a walk with the leash dragging behind him now!
SwarmLacrosse 2 years ago
That is soo cool!
kikopup 2 years ago
Aww, that was great! Doodle Bug is soooo cute!
Barksong 2 years ago
Nice job on your video. My Lab Harpo has a big leash problem. He has a head collar because he will pull me right off my feet and then keep walking. Pheobie has several different harnesses. One so she does not choke herself on her collar, actually a few for that. And a few anti pulling harnesses. She has a head collar but hates it so I never use it.
Great video nice job
PheobieandHarpo 2 years ago
bella is very good onleash, EXCEPT going towards
her favorite neighbors apartment. totally out of control.
causing herself to choke even with no collar. just the harness.
we've worked so many techniques on it with no improvement.
i cant wait to try the front ring. thank you soooo much.
fruitgrrl 2 years ago
Did you try clicking and feeding her for 'alerting' - looking towards the apartment BEFORE she thinks to bark. It sounds like a hard situation to train, because it seems like you NEED to go past that apartment every day- not letting you take it one step at a time.
kikopup 2 years ago
Interesting!
I actually saw something like this today, where the dog was being walked on the O-Ring, although- I don't recall where.
Great Vid Em!
ChiDaisy 2 years ago
thanks! I bet your puppies growing fast!
kikopup 2 years ago
nice job
gameiohfreak 2 years ago