I have tried a Halti on Jasper, an 8 month old black lab who can unbalance my 14 stone, and it works brilliantly. Pulling stops immediately but despite taking the time to build a positive association, as described so well above, he still does not like it. He will put it on willingly enough and is fine whilst otherwise engaged, but if not distracted will drag his face through the grass to get it off his nose.

I also use a Canny Collar, which works in the same way except the nose strap is removed and clipped around the neck when you take the dog off the lead. The lead attaches to the nose band behind and above the dogs head which seems to give better control of the dogs direction. The problem I have found with the canny though is that it requires slight tension in the lead to keep it in place, without that it can be removed with a flick of a paw.

As with all things it is a matter of perserverance and I don't want either to be a permanent solution but all my other attempts at stopping him pulling like a train have failed. A slip lead did little to discourage him and I have stopped, changed direction and gone round in circles until I am dizzy but he just does not seem to get it.

Most of the time I am able to contol him within reason but there are times when I need close control of him, such as picking the kids up from school, where a head collar is the only way to be sure he is not going to detach my arm from it's socket.