Thoughts on half check collars?

[supergirl]

With my pups I used one of the dog-games fleece lined harnesses to begin with and our puppy classes would not allow anything other than a flat collar.  I've only started using a harness now that my dogs are older (2 years and up) and its only when I'm walking more than one dog.  Individually they will all walk nicely on the lead, but when I have all four it just gives me a little more control especially when we had very icy weather.

Personally I think any type of check collar is a bit harsh for a puppy.

The harness that we use is similar in principle to the Mekuti

http://www.friendsoffido.co.uk/easy-walk-harness-mediumlarge-i19.html

[penfold]

I was at a KC conformation training day recently where the trainer was saying that choke/half check collars both had the potential to damage the dogs neck and permanently affect its head carriage.    TBH, have used them on the past on adults but would not now. 

I use a halti on the springer (he is a huge, very strong 25kg boy) - and it works well.

[RachelA]

Thanks everyone.  I don't think half check collars are right for us.  I was just surprised the trainer recommended them.  Your replies have made me question even more whether the course is right for us. Its run by a charity and is very popular, huge waiting list. Maybe because it is so cheap - £20 for 14 weeks!  We live in Harrogate. Don't suppose anyone knows any good classes in our area?  I'll probably go along anyway if I can't find any more - and if I don't like their methods - won't use them!

Lela's recall is generally very good, unless she sees a bird  and she is very well behaved otherwise.  She does pull on the lead though. So not sure how much training we need? But it would be great fun for her (and me!) I guess.

[mooching]

Have you tried these people at all?

http://www.tailwaggerclub.com/

(I haven't any personal experience of them; I just googled "reward-based dog training Harrogate")

[RachelA]

Have you tried these people at all?

http://www.tailwaggerclub.com/

(I haven't any personal experience of them; I just googled "reward-based dog training Harrogate")

Thanks Mooching - they look good.  I'll definitely contact them.

[Jessie_Pup]

Have you looked on the A.P.D.T. website?

[BADGER1]

really recommend the tailwagger club, i go with both my dogs (badger who's nearly 4 now and has completed his kennel club awards right through to gold with the club and my pup Bella is working towards the kc silver award at the moment)they only use reward based training and are a really friendly bunch of people!

[JeffandAnnie]

Re. Praia's comment about police dog training, I think she's from America so perhaps they do things differently there 

[mooching]

The trainer I talked to had just retired as head of training for the Met. I suspect he knew a thing or two about handling and training police dogs My FIL is also a retired police dog handler and interestingly, he was also given all his dogs as puppies to train and live his family - they we're certainly not bought in ready trained from outside.

Hannah, we have a friend who has just retired from Hampshire Police who was a police dog handler, and that's how it always been with him as well - that the dogs come to them as pups, live in the home and are trained by the officers who use them at police dog training school. We've known him a great number of years and he's had several dogs over that time and they've always been with him at his home.

[Helen]

I was at a KC conformation training day recently where the trainer was saying that choke/half check collars both had the potential to damage the dogs neck and permanently affect its head carriage.    TBH, have used them on the past on adults but would not now. 

I use a halti on the springer (he is a huge, very strong 25kg boy) - and it works well.

halti's can also cause damage to neck and spine if the head is jerked and so can flat collars (and flat collars can cause larynx and trachea damage).

not saying that I approve of choke chains or half checks here, only mentioning that other 'tool's' can also damage a dog.

[Top Barks]

Thanks everyone.  I don't think half check collars are right for us.  I was just surprised the trainer recommended them.  Your replies have made me question even more whether the course is right for us. Its run by a charity and is very popular, huge waiting list. Maybe because it is so cheap - £20 for 14 weeks!  We live in Harrogate. Don't suppose anyone knows any good classes in our area?  I'll probably go along anyway if I can't find any more - and if I don't like their methods - won't use them!

Lela's recall is generally very good, unless she sees a bird  and she is very well behaved otherwise.  She does pull on the lead though. So not sure how much training we need? But it would be great fun for her (and me!) I guess.

Sounds like SOS dog training? If so avoid them like the plague.

[RachelA]

Thanks everyone.  I don't think half check collars are right for us.  I was just surprised the trainer recommended them.  Your replies have made me question even more whether the course is right for us. Its run by a charity and is very popular, huge waiting list. Maybe because it is so cheap - £20 for 14 weeks!  We live in Harrogate. Don't suppose anyone knows any good classes in our area?  I'll probably go along anyway if I can't find any more - and if I don't like their methods - won't use them!

Lela's recall is generally very good, unless she sees a bird  and she is very well behaved otherwise.  She does pull on the lead though. So not sure how much training we need? But it would be great fun for her (and me!) I guess.

Sounds like SOS dog training? If so avoid them like the plague.

Not SOS its Harrogate Road Safety Dog Training

http://www.hrsdtc.co.uk/

Any views on them?

[Top Barks]

Never heard of them but looking at their Site it looks like a traditional obedience club. As you say it is very cheap. Just don't do anything you don't agree with. Sounds like the sort of,place I used to go to 20  years ago.

[harveyroan]

The trainer I talked to had just retired as head of training for the Met. I suspect he knew a thing or two about handling and training police dogs My FIL is also a retired police dog handler and interestingly, he was also given all his dogs as puppies to train and live his family - they we're certainly not bought in ready trained from outside.

Hannah, we have a friend who has just retired from Hampshire Police who was a police dog handler, and that's how it always been with him as well - that the dogs come to them as pups, live in the home and are trained by the officers who use them at police dog training school. We've known him a great number of years and he's had several dogs over that time and they've always been with him at his home.

Not sure its thats the case for all officers as our force is asking for puppy walkers. The role involes looking after the dog for 18months and includes putting in some basic training before the proper training starts.

[Joelf]

I use half check collars on Spike and Domino at the end of a walk as a means of attaching their leads to them.
The reason is because my hands and fingers are very stiff and particularly in the cold weather I find it hard to fiddle around with clips onto their collars. The half check enables me to just put the leads over their heads.

It doesn't tighten too much around their necks and I've never had any problem with it hurting their necks; I would never consider a choke chain under any circumstances though. If I have to put them on their leads for any length of time I always use their harnesses.