# Dogmatic Vs Halti Headcollars



## ChatterPuss (Sep 4, 2010)

Hi,
I am currently using Halti Headcollars on my two Springers (13 months and 8 months old). It has worked well on my 13 month old and he walks quite nicely when he has it on. However, my 8 month old spends most of her walk trying to pull the Halti off.
What non-pull headcollars /harnessed do you use and why. Would I be better to try the Dogmatic and what are its benifits over the Halti??


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

ChatterPuss said:


> Hi,
> I am currently using Halti Headcollars on my two Springers (13 months and 8 months old). It has worked well on my 13 month old and he walks quite nicely when he has it on. However, my 8 month old spends most of her walk trying to pull the Halti off.
> What non-pull headcollars /harnessed do you use and why. Would I be better to try the Dogmatic and what are its benifits over the Halti??


I love the Dogmatic but Kilo isn't a sustained puller; most of his walking is on a loose lead so he has a headcollar for spotting a cat : for instance or walking in crowds for close control. I have never used a halti so cannot compare, but the Dogmatic is padded and doesn't ride up into Kilo's eyes; he also doesn't fight it or try and paw it off - but was habituated to it carefully, so how much is due to that I am not sure.....


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## ChatterPuss (Sep 4, 2010)

Dogless said:


> I love the Dogmatic but Kilo isn't a sustained puller; most of his walking is on a loose lead so he has a headcollar for spotting a cat : for instance or walking in crowds for close control. I have never used a halti so cannot compare, but the Dogmatic is padded and doesn't ride up into Kilo's eyes; he also doesn't fight it or try and paw it off - but was habituated to it carefully, so how much is due to that I am not sure.....


Where do you attach the lead? Is it to the loop under the chin and is there an additional attachement for security to the collar??


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

ChatterPuss said:


> Where do you attach the lead? Is it to the loop under the chin and is there an additional attachement for security to the collar??


I use a training lead; one end on the headcollar (under the chin) and one end on the collar. This has the advantage of being able to control the dog on the collar most of the time and use the headcollar as needed; great for my purposes but not sure for a constant puller.


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## TabithaJ (Apr 18, 2010)

I highly recommend the Dogmatic. You will find with it that when the size is correct, the slipline over the nose does *not* ride up over the dog's eyes - unlike with many other brands.

I would urge you to email the team at Dogmatic re sizing, they are really helpful.

I use a Dogmatic for Dexter; he rarely pulls any more but he will lunge at the sight or sound of any animal - horse, cat, bird, another dog if on lead. He's also reactive to quite a lot of things and gets easily spooked so for us, a good headcollar is vital!

That said, I do also have a Halti with a padded noseband and I use this when the Dogmatic is being washed and dried. It too works really well.

I use a double-ended, very strong leather lead. One trigger hook is attached to the headcollar, the other to Dex's half check collar.

This offers added control and as has been pointed out in another post, it means that when your dog is walking calmly, you can start relying more on the 'normal' collar and use the headcollar as 'back up'.

AVOID the 'gentle leader' headcollar by the way - utter waste of time!

*And just for anyone who may not know: never, ever use a headcollar with any form of extending/retractable lead, it can cause serious harm to your dog's neck.*

Good luck


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## CKD1 (Dec 16, 2011)

I never liked the halti it always rubbed or would ride up into the eye. I use the dogalter by Kumfi much better fit and has padding. I've not used the dogmatic so can't compare.


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## Thorne (May 11, 2009)

Haven't personally used a Dogmatic but we use Haltis at the kennels for the very strong dogs (most of the staff are fairly petite females!) and they _invariably_ ride up into the dogs' eyes. Some owners bring in their dog's Halti and request we use them instead of the usual rope slip leads, putting them on normally involves a fair bit of evasion on the dog's part so it appears they're not the most comfortable headcollars out there.

Scooter hated his but seems perfectly comfortable in a muzzle, I think it's the tightening action that dogs dislike.

ETA: Haltis do seem to work for most dogs I've used them with! Horrid Scooter was one of the exceptions who promptly learnt to brace his neck against it and pull anyway


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## Honey Bee (Mar 29, 2011)

I love the Dogmatic. It has given me so much more confidence which has in turn given Honey more confidence about dealing with traffic. If brakes do squeal and she jumps I can easily maintain control of her which I cannot with a Halti. She is not a puller and walks to heel 99% of the time though. 

I have a loop attached to it that clips onto her collar because she did manage to slip it over her head once. Luckily we were in a field at the time and she did it by rolling while I was talking to someone.


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## TabithaJ (Apr 18, 2010)

The Dogmatic does not tighten, so presumably more comfortable for dogs. 

On a more superficial level, the Dogmatic also comes in some nice, bright colours, so may look less like a muzzle 

The Black Dog Training Halter is another option, it's pretty good but Dex never looked comfortable in it so I put it to one side.

I can honestly say that the Dogmatic saved our walks in the early days!!! (I use the padded, webbed version, not the leather one).


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## 2Hounds (Jun 24, 2009)

I opted for a dogmatic but I've not used the halti to compare, my friends dog wore one and he didn't seem particularly comfortable in it, trying to scratch it off occasionally on walks so i ruled it out, which TBF Hattie hasn't done with the dogmatic so far.

Were still trialling its helpfulness with the cat/prey reactions as Hattie is difficult to control then, but doesn't seem as bad so far. It certainly works well when she does pull in excitement. I also use a double ended lead and clip the other end to her harness, most of the time she walks nicely so i tend to leave the halter end looser.

I personally don't like the pattern on dogmatics and wished they did a plain black webbing version, I would certainly get advise on sizing to avoid needing to return. I measured and was sure it would fit so didn't ring and it did fit but the lead loop was too small so she couldn't open her mouth properly ooops, but then i do have a funny shaped pointy dog


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## lydan9gj (Jan 4, 2012)

well,it looks very healthy


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## Polimba (Nov 23, 2009)

I tried the Dogmatic last year and Zimba really didn't like it, we had been using The Gencon and I thought it would be more comfortable for him. I dogged it out again in the recent icy weather and he was better with but ordered the next size up. After a bit of getting him used to it, it's working great. :thumbup1:

He's not a habitual puller, he more a lunger and I think he's given me a sore elbow so I now I'm using it for road walking.

I do have a Halti but it tends to ride up, but it's useful to keep in my pocket.


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

Dogless said:


> I use a training lead; one end on the headcollar (under the chin) and one end on the collar. This has the advantage of being able to control the dog on the collar most of the time and use the headcollar as needed; great for my purposes but not sure for a constant puller.


The Dogmatic does work on a constant puller, as I have learned, provided you use the double ended training lead, as Dogless has described.

What nobody has mentioned and is important, you should not use a headcollar of any description on a growing pup, or one that is teething. A non pull harness is better at this age, but even with those you have to be careful it does not tighten on growing joints.


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## rottiemum (Apr 12, 2011)

Dogmatic :thumbup1:

Used to have a Halti, but it rode into her eyes and she could throw it off if she tried hard enough. The Dogmatic is great - she doesn't even try to get it off, and it doesn't ride up into her eyes. Control with it seems better too.


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## mimi g (Mar 10, 2009)

I use a dogmatic for Tia and it works really well....she is only a whippet so not very big but goes through phases where she will pull until she chokes herself. In the dogmatic she walks at my side and I use a doubled ended training lead. I also found when she was pulling my older dog would pull too even though he was trained to walk nicely.....now Tia has the dogmatic Bailey walks like he used to making my life much easier.


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