Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 5:18 pm Post subject: WORD OF WARNING to anyone using a HALTI TRAINING LEAD...
A few weeks back I bought a Halti training lead. I've only used it, in the park, on one previous occasion and then only briefly.
Yesterday I put it on Dexter - again only once we'd reached the park - so we could enjoy a bit of a run together etc. The key thing to note: I've had Dexie for 7 weeks and NEVER let him off lead at the moment as he jumps at everyone and also we've only just started doing Recall.
All was well until suddenly, Dexter spied a rather pretty Border Collie, some distance away. He started pulling and then to my surprise I heard a 'click' - and the Halti lead TOTALLY snapped off his collar!
It was a rather horrible moment: I had visions of Dexter either sprinting off into the distance, never to be seen again, or jumping up at some child and traumatising them.
Fortunately his love of food proved stronger than his love of freedom or the other dog and when I yelled 'TREEEEATS' and hurled myself to the ground, frantically tipping my bag out to show him all the grub I'd brought with for him as rewards, he wavered, looked from me to the Border Collie and back to me again - and then thank G-d came trotting back to me to feast on milk bone biscuits......
When I examined the Halti lead it transpired that it hadn't broken, it had simply *released* under the pressure of Dexter pulling. I never expected this to happen and just want to warn anyone else out there who may be using one....Don't mind admitting I was positively weak with relief once I'd got the other lead on Dexter.
WTG Dexter for coming back when you called him, thank goodness you weren`t using it on a busy road, I`d be onclined to tell the makers what happened too.
Aww but what a good boy he was for coming back to you under such a ditraction
I've never used a halti (is it a head collar?) I think I've read on here that you can double attatch them for safety, once to a regular collar and once to the leash maybe - hopefully someone esle will clarify for you so it never happens again.
Have had halti leads for over four years and have used them for lots of things apart from on collars as in tying them up to my car , park benches and had no problems. Would send it back to the company if i were you
I've had 2 for Luna for well over a year that have at times been used a lot - for attaching her to fence while setting up agility or attaching her to hook in car boot before got tailgate or for attaching her around my waist when walking/running/cycling and needing hands free or in the way shown in pic when she was learning not to pull last year. I've never had a problem with them.
Has it broken? I'd be tempted to complain to Halti.
Well done to Dexter for heading back to you!!! You can take confidence from this incident that at least he's a good boy!!
Oh yes, I was thrilled that Dexter came back for treats rather than dashing after the other dog, absolutely.
It wasn't the Halti head collar - it was just the Halti lead, and it's *meant* to be very durable. I am indeed going to write to the company as I wouldn't want this to happen to anyone else....
SARAH/BASIL - the lead was just attached normally to the collar. That's why I'm even more concerned at what happened - it shouldn't be sold as a lead if it can't withstand the pulling of a 'normal' young Labrador
I had similar problems using one on a harness. The problem was that the ring on the harness was just the right size for the spring clip to wedge inside it, so then when the dog pulls in the right direction it opens up the clip. I started using a secondary clip on the first ring on the lead.
Another warning though - watch out for the rings and 2nd clip of the lead, if you accidentally get your fingers inside a ring and the dog pulls you could easily break a finger. Coco pulled the lead out of my hand once and the smaller clip ripped my finger open - it isn't particularly sharp though, it was just the pressure.
I was walking my friends german shepherd when the clip snapped! luckily i was in the park, if i had have been on the road i dread to think what would have happend.
I have been using the halti lead for a good couple of years for my gang and also my walking dogs (so up to 10 dogs a day) which is alot of daily use.
To me it sounds as though you were unlucky to have a faulty lead. I cant rate them highly enough!
Though...having said that - I would second Pams message, of beware of the ring in the middle of the lead as I have had my finger almost snap backwards when it got caught in it once!
Definitely complain and get them to send you a new one.
...and if you do ever choose a halti then you can buy a saftey link to attach from the halti (head collar) that then attaches to the collar so if you experience a problem then your dog lead is still attached to the dogs normal collar.
Heidi
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Tabbitha.The exact same thing happened to me a while back.We were walking along a very busy road at the time Before I realized his halti had snapped and away he went.Lucky for me he headed up someone's driveway and went into their garden.
I was in a state because he thought this was fun and I was soo afraid of him heading out on to the main road.Fortunately the house owner came out and was able to help me catch him.
Since then I have never used the halti.I now use the retriever lead which is not as intrusive as the halti and is much more comfortable on the dog.It has a bit which you can put over his nose if he starts to pull and I must say I love it and Dyl is happy enough as well.In fact I have now bought a second one so I would really recommend this to anyone who has a dog that is in inclined to pull.I actually brought the halti back to the shop but they didn't seem to be too worried about this problem much to my annoyance.With the retriever lead I would use the nose piece if Dyl would become boisterous when meeting another dog and maybe would be hard to control as he is very strong weighing around 37kg.It is much for my security as well as his.
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