Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

Q How do I prevent my dog from backing out of the NewTrix dog halter?

A To prevent it slipping off over your dog's head, cinch it down with the black plastic slider at the back of halter. (If your dog is an escape artist you may have to open and close it this way for a while until your dog forgets about slipping out of it.) To test that you have the NewTrix cinched down enough, try pulling it off over your dog's snout - it should not come off.

Cinch down the Black Plastic Slider on the Nape Strap so as to prevent the Nose Strap from slipping forward off the snout.

Q My dog hates to wear anything on her face, she tries to paw off anything I put on her. What should I do?

A Before putting the NewTrix dog halter on your dog, rub it in your hands to give it your scent. With a food treat in your hand, lure her to put her nose through the loop to get the treat. Slip the neck loop over her ears while she is busy chewing. Remove the NewTrix, turn your back and ignore her efforts to get your attention. Put the NewTrix on once again and reward quiet behaviour with treats, touch and praise. Be patient through the introductory period. Interrupt any efforts to paw at the NewTrix. Distract your dog with a walk, treat or trick. Try to associate the NewTrix with fun, food and friendship.

Q My dog is right on the cusp between two sizes. Which size do you recommend I order?

A The NewTrix dog halter works better looser than tighter, so we recommend you order the larger size if your dog's weight is right on the cusp between sizes. The halter can be quite easily adjusted down in size. If however you find the size we recommend is too big, we will send you a smaller size.

Q What is the piece of strap between the slide adjusters and the metal rings for?

A This allows you to expand the fit if your dog grows. It allows you to use a NewTrix that is of a larger size. The limit to this is if this segment is so long that the 2 metal rings end up almost touching behind the neck. In that case you need a smaller size. The metal rings need to be more or less on the side of the neck to act as pivots for the push-pulley action from the nape loop.

Q Does the nape loop need to sit at an exact location high on my dog's neck? And should it be tight?

A No. Let the nape loop sit where it naturally falls. Pull the nosepiece forward to see if it can come off. If it can come off, then tighten the nape loop by feeding strap through the slidelock behind the head. Long-nosed dogs can have the nape loop quite a bit looser than short-nosed dogs.

Q When I try to slip the NewTrix Dog Halter on and off my dog's head his ears are scrunched up and he doesn't like it. Do I need to loosen it each time?

A For most dogs, you don't need to adjust the slidelock again but for some short-nosed or head-shy dogs, it is better too loosen the slidelock each time you slip the NewTrix over your dog's head and tighten it up once on.

Q Don't I need to show my dog who's boss?

A Social animals have a natural instinct to control or be controlled by other members of the group. In the canine pack, body language communicates clearly who is the leader and who is the follower. When puppies play-wrestle, they try to pin down the other pup's snout in their open jaw. The pups learn to inhibit their bite to not hurt each other as they struggle for control. If a pup is hurt, it squeals and withdraws from the game. The social instinct drives them to play for the fun of it, while they learn how to get along. The pups learn to lead and follow as natural ways to control or be controlled by others in the pack. The NewTrix dog halter mimics the instinctive canine body language of control. It forms a figure eight to encircle your dog’s snout and neck without crossing the sensitive and delicate structures of his throat. Any pull on the leash from you asserting control, or from your dog trying to lunge or pull, will constrict the halter to apply a gentle, even pressure around the snout and around the back of the neck without choking. This is an immediate and clear signal to your dog that you are the leader!

Q I keep hearing about "loose leash" walking. How does the NewTrix help the dog to learn it?

A The secret to training your dog with the NewTrix dog halter is to develop a light touch. Think of it as power brakes for your dog. Any tug you feel is a stop or halt signal. Hold your arms close to your body, flex your knees, and brace yourself to stop and your dog will also stop. As soon as he stops, release the tension on the leash by extending your arm. You must practice to overcome the habit of tugging and jerking the leash. Practice releasing the tension when you get the halt response.

If your dog is highly motivated to go forward, he may ignore the subtlety of the gentle nudge at the nape of his neck. Hold your ground. The leverage is still in your favor to make him stop. As soon as he stops, release the tension to reward the halt response by extending your arm. If he still wants to go forward, hold your ground and do nothing but flex your knees and brace yourself. The more he pulls, the tighter the figure eight will constrict around his snout and neck. As soon as he relaxes, the pressure is released. The NewTrix head halter does all the training because it reflects your dog's effort right back on him. It works better if you do nothing but anchor yourself and get ready to reward the halt response with a slackening of the lead. In other words, "Don't just do something, stand there!"

Many people find it hard to get out of the habit of tugging on the leash, or walking with constant tension on the leash. But if you never use the NewTrix to pull your dog forward, it will remain a clear, consistent, intuitive message to halt. Train your dog to only walk forwards on your cue and with a loose leash and he will find the NewTrix dog halter comfortable. If your dog seems to still pull with his face while wearing the NewTrix, at least you have leverage to control him easily and you are not twisting his neck. You must not keep constant tension on the leash or pull your dog forward; or your dog will learn to ignore the balance reflex. The leash should always be loose except for momentarily when signaling "stop" or "slow down." To go forward, just lead the way and use your voice for encouragement.
 

By Dr. Robert Curran, D.V.M., B.A.

The secret to training your dog with the NewTrix™ dog halter is to develop a light touch. Think of it as "power brakes." Any tug you feel is a "stop" signal. Hold your arms close to your body, flex your knees, and brace yourself to stop and your dog will also stop. As soon as he stops, release the tension on the leash by extending your arm. You must practice a little to overcome the habit of tugging and jerking the leash. Practice releasing the tension when you get the halt response. This rewards you both for stopping at the slightest tug on the leash.

If your dog is highly motivated to go forward, he may ignore the subtlety of the gentle nudge at the nape of his neck. Hold your ground. The leverage is still in your favor to make him stop. As soon as he stops, release the tension to reward the halt response by extending your arm. If he still wants to go forward, hold your ground and do nothing but flex your knees and brace yourself. The more he pulls, the tighter the figure eight will constrict around his snout and neck. As soon as he relaxes, the pressure is released. The NewTrix™ dog halter does all the training because it reflects your dog's effort right back on him. It works better if you do nothing but anchor yourself and get ready to reward the halt response with a slackening of the lead. In other words, "Don't just do something, stand there!"

Many people find it hard to get out of the habit of tugging on the leash, or walking with a constant tension on the leash. But if you never use the NewTrix™ dog halter to pull your dog forward, it will remain a clear, consistent, intuitive message to halt. If you train your dog to only walk forwards on your cue and with a loose leash, he will find the NewTrix™ dog halter comfortable. If your dog seems to still pull with his face while wearing the NewTrix™ collar, at least you have leverage to control him easily and you are not twisting his neck. You must not keep a constant tension on the leash or pull your dog forward or your dog will learn to ignore the balance reflex. The leash should always be loose except for momentarily when signaling "stop" or "slow down." To go forward, just lead the way and use your voice for encouragement.