Last Updated on January 12, 2024 by Kittredge Cherry
People often say our Great Dane is like a horse — and we found that the best way to walk him is with a Halti head collar similar to a horse halter.
(Q Spirit is hosting this article as a way to support dogs and dog lovers. This is an updated version of my original post.)
Sometimes we even use TWO leashes like the reins of a horse. I hold one in each hand to stop him from pulling.
Based on years of experience, here is the set-up of leashes and collars that work best for our Great Dane Princeton. These should work well for other giant dogs such as Mastiffs, Irish Wolfhounds, Newfoundlands, Great Pyrenees, Saint Bernards — as well as for other big dogs.
For the primary collar and leash, we use the Halti head collar and a six-foot leash.
The Halti head collar limits pulling by steering the head to the side when the dog pulls. It works like a horse halter to guide the direction of movement.
The newer Halti models have a built-in Neoprene-padded nose band to prevent soreness and stop the strip from moving into your dog’s eyes. That’s a great improvement because the top of Princeton’s snout got sore when the edge of the Halti dug into his skin. I solved that by wrapping cloth over that part and taping it into position with stretchy cloth Kinesio Tape. Fortunately the new Haltis have built-in snout protection.
The best leash I found (after a lot of searching!) is the Signature K9 Braided Leather Leash. It has lasted for years, was comfortable in my hand from the start, and has an easy-to-use but strong clasp. I use the 6-foot 3/4-inch size.
Big, strong men are able to walk Princeton with just the Halti and long leash. But my Great Dane weighs more than I do, so I have to have to add a back-up collar and leash.
For the secondary collar and leash, I use a slip chain collar with a short 16-inch leash, sometimes called a “traffic lead.” This makes it possible for me to walk a dog who outweighs me!
The short leash that I recommend is the Mendota Traffic Lead. This 16-inch polypropylene braided rope leash feels soft in the hand but is super-strong. It has brass or nickel hardware and oil-tanned leather splices.
The short leash can work with any kind of collar. The slip chain collar is loose but tightens when it is pulled. Princeton used the 26-inch size. Chain slip collars are also known as cinch dog collars or choke chains. These somewhat controversial tools do not actually choke the dog, but are effective to deliver a short correction that gets the dog’s attention.
If I see a challenging situation ahead like a cat or skateboard, I make sure to slide the slip collar up high on the dog’s neck for maximum control.
When not in use, the short leash can hang free like a necktie.
Now all we need is a saddle!
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