Halter Training Victor – 8 September 2011

Today I attached the lead rope to Victor’s halter for the first time. I’d managed to catch him and get his head collar on fairly easily and clipped the blue lead rope onto the metal ring.

At first Victor was confused. He moved his head up and down trying to shake the rope off; he probably didn’t like the extra weight of the metal clip belwo his chin. As I held onto the other end of the rope Victor picked up his with his teeth and threw his head up, keeping the rope in his mouth. He then shook his head again and tried to shake it off.

As he moved I moved with him, to get him used to the idea that when the lead rope is on I go with him, and he goes with me.

Of course, with it only being the first time that I’ve put him on the lead rope, I didn’t attempt to lead him around, I just let him lead me around a little bit. And I pulled ever so slightly to get him to turn his head towards me a couple of times, just to get him used to it.

After a while I unclipped the lead rope and let him wander about with just the halter on, something that he’s used to. Then I took that off too and scratched him on his neck, which he loves, and told him what a good boy he was.

Later that evening, I came down again, this time jsut with the collar and put that on him for about five minutes, before aking it off. He recognises how the halter goes on now, as when I hold it out he puts his nose in the nose loop.

I believe he loves this training almost as much as I do!