Dog park saftey

Oof! I feel sorry for all involved in that.
I didn't get one for Katy because I'm fond of dog noses/muzzles and just don't like them being fooled with. Several people recommended them to me.
The owner of the dog who died must be heart broken.

My understanding is that both families are absolutely devastated.

I can imagine it's almost harder for the one whose dog lived, in this kind of situation. Horrible for all.

Its actually not a muzzle and the dog should still be able to bite with this lead. It is supposed to replace a choker type collar or similar -- more "humane" for those dogs that tend to pull their owners. The problem is if the dog runs quick or something he can get hurt -- I think the broken neck thingy might be more likely although if they got into a fight who knows - but the dog with the head halter should have still been able to defend himself and bite.

I haven't used one -- I use a regular halter type that goes around the body. But fortunately I have a well-trained dog that doesn't even need to be on a leash to stay next to me.

Sounds like a very sad story as from what I've read (and there are those are very negative of this type of lead) -- these leads tend to be more gentle for tough to control dogs than other sorts of collars.

You're right Linkat. It's not really a muzzle to keep the dog from biting person or animal.

With that kind of setup? When he's off leash, that goofy thing should have been off. The dog should have had a normal collar on besides this halter contraption.

I hated these halter thingies as they constantly came off the dog when walking them as they are too easily put on wrong.

I think it was the way the dogs got tangled together -- the halter dog couldn't move his head around while the regular collar would rotate around the other dog's neck, giving him more ways to move.

My dogs don't wear halters but I would do as tsar suggests if they did -- take it off during social time.

I'm still working on training the puppy on a leash. She's pretty good but still gets a little too excited. She's a big girl so I need to get her to settle down.

I meant muzzle as part of the dog's nose, not the apparatus of a leash or way to keep the mouth closed, but the forward part of the snout. Maybe that term was only local for us. Used as in saying, Kelly's muzzle was turning white.

ah - blond moment or senior moment -- there are though many people who think this lead is cruel as they feel it is a muzzle (not the part of the body).

but it doesn't keep the mouth closed, right?

That stringy thing? Not at all.

It's more of a halter than a muzzle. If you pull on the leash gently, it turns the head to the side, if you pull it too hard, it could potentially break a dogs neck and/or choke them.
My dog hated it. He spent half the walk trying to rub it off, whilst rolling around on the ground. People would actually stop and laugh...
I wonder if they people left the leash attached or not. But I can see how two dogs jumping up at each other could get tangled up in the head piece alone. A freak tragedy and a sad lesson.

It is an ideal training aid for a large dog like a Labrador Retriever. I've used them on several dogs to teach them to walk to heel and discarded them once that stage of obedience was reached.

They are far more gentle than many other training aids. Choke chains and body halters can harm a dog - but so can most pieces of equipment if not used correctly. The purpose of a Halti is to gently turn the head in the direction required, and to be able to control a dog in a gentle manner.

Unless the dog is pulling ahead or being disobedient and turning in the wrong direction, the mouth's movement is in no way restricted and the dog can hold a ball, chew, and drink. The Halti should NOT be left on the dog when the dog is off the lead. Nor, in my opinion, should it be used when the dog is on a long exercise lead.

The autopsy results said strangulation.

Please be aware of this possibility.

To repeat, I never said it was a muzzle. I was talking about the dog's nose, dog's do have noses and muzzles.

I agree totally - any restraint or training aid can cause fatalities if used negligently. I know of dogs and their owners who have been badly hurt by the very thin extending dog leads - they are like cheese wires when they cut into flesh.

Very sad indeed. Dog parks are wonderful but you always run the risk of your dog getting hurt or hurting another dog. They are, after all, still just animals. And this is apparent in this story. The poor things got tangled and instinct took over.