When the Chihuahua craze hit North America, so did halters (harnesses) at pet stores for dogs. In the beginning they were mainly for small to tiny dogs, safer for their delicate necks, especially should you need to pull them swiftly out of the way of danger. So, halters have their uses, and collars are the good old standby, used for decades to help with training as well as identification should our dogs get lost.
Now it seems there is a division between the two, those who favor halters over collars, and vice versa. There are also those of us in the gray area, in favor of using both for the correct situations.
What’s the deal with halters?
They come in different designs. Originally for horses, a contraption that made pulling carts, heavy wagons, and ploughs safer, more efficient, and easier for the horses, halters are for work. In some cultures, large breeds of dogs were also harnessed and used to pull small wagons or carts.
Now, as you’ve probably made the connection, a halter is for pulling an object along. Yes! You are correct! If your dog is untrained, YOU will be the ‘object’ your dog will delight in pulling along!
Halters can be both a boon for your three pound dog, depending on how their leash training is going, and a royal pain in your butt if you have a dog the size of a small car, especially if he or she his working genes. Here’s the thing: a halter actually instils a pulling instinct in most dogs, in fact, in most working animals. There are pulling competitions for many breeds, in which they use sturdy leather halters. I have seen this dilemma with friends and dog adopters alike.
For one friend in particular, I suggested a martingale collar. I’ve walked her dog in a halter, and he was on his two hind feet most of the time, yanking like someone was dangling a weenie on a stick the whole way. Thankfully, he’s small or I may have ended up with road rash. As soon as my friend walked her dog with a martingale, everything changed. As a counterpoint to show the usefulness of a halter in some cases, her other dog is stellar on leash with a halter.
Should you use a halter?
A halter may in fact be quite fine and even preferable for Chihuahuas and other mini delicate breeds, like Japanese Chins, Miniature Pinschers, or Yorkies, as most toy breeds are not working animals in a certain sense. Some Chihuahuas are built thicker, and can be eight to twelve pounds at optimum weight, and a collar is fine if you aren’t yanking them around.
However, the simple fact is, for a high percentage of dogs, a halter can make walking them more difficult. If your dog is an eighty to hundred pound working breed, you could be the kite bouncing and flailing in their wake. If a dog has the instinct to pull, the halter will aid that instinct as well as making pulling far more comfortable and effortless for them, which could lead to disaster – say your twelve year old decides ‘help mommy’ and walk Big Ben the Great Dane or Bully the Boxer around the block when you’re in bed with a cold?
These are the pluses and minuses to this dog accessory. Make the best choice with your own dog in mind.
So how about collars? Are they better than halters?
The most popular are adjustable strap clasp collars, either plastic or buckle, made of a plethora of materials, colors, and patterns. Regular collars are for dogs that get how to walk on a leash well, or are trained well to. Some dogs naturally pick it up, while others need to be trained. Some dogs are hyper active, making leash manners something you daydream about. In that case I prescribe a good five mile full on run before trying that leisurely walk in the park with your best pal!
To sum up the collar equation: Proper collar + basic training for the both of you + firm leadership = Enjoyable walkies!
What kinds of training collars are out there?
You will see people out there using prong collars, sometimes also called pinch collars. Ouch! Prong collars have no place in dog training, no place on a dog period. Training attached to inflicted discomfort is destructive to your relationship with your dog – besides the fact that pain should never enter into it.
You will also see people out there using regular collars, but constantly yanking and tugging on them as though trying to land a fish. Again, this is also ineffective and destructive to the relationship between them and their pup.
Metal noose training collars, also called ‘choke chains’, can be very effective, used properly. Most people don’t know how to use them, and therefore use them for exactly what they’re nick named – choking the life out of their dog. Using them wrong is ineffective, inappropriate, and in all instances cruel.
Which is the Best Choice?
If you require a training collar, I personally recommend a martingale. They are an adjustable collar with a chain joining the material ends. No chain is being constricted and pinching your dog’s flesh. There is no choking, unless we revisit yanking and pulling on the leash – that’s not training, it’s one step away from physically bludgeoning your dog.
A Martingale’s purpose is to: 1. Constrict quickly (only the collar band), as a signal 2. Release quickly, resulting in a painless correction. If you do cause discomfort and your dog chokes, coughs or yelps, you are not doing this correctly. Seek experienced help in the form of dog training classes before you physically injure your dog.
The Bottom Line
In the end, nothing beats good basic training and consistency, despite collar or halter. So, don’t just go out and buy a pretty collar or fancy halter. If your dog is pulling your arm out of its socket, or dragging you willy-nilly across the park, you need help with training, not a prong collar!
A great percentage of dogs are rehomed because people won’t invest the money for basic training. The rewards vastly outweigh the cost.
Choosing between a halter and collar are clearly up to you. But consider their true purposes, and make an informed decision that considers yours dogs breed, size, and energy level. You and your pooch will be happier for it.
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