Densil and his canny collar

Densil's canny collar has arrived today, so will be testing it out on his afternoon walk and let you know how we get on.

ok - so Day 1. Managed to get the collar on around his neck ok, but then spent 10 minutes trying to figure out how to do the nose part as it kept ending up with the plastic clip on top of his nose, instead of under his chin. Finally had to watch you tube video so see how to do it and like most things it's easy when you know how. I have been using the dogmatic collar for the last couple of weeks, and noticed that the canny collar is a lot easier to put on as the collar goes around the neck first, whereas with the dogmatic it has to go over his nose first and he doesn't like that. Also he would stand and freeze at the door and not go out, but with the canny collar we were off straight away.

It took a bit of getting used to having a short lead and holding it straight up in the air. As instructed, every time he pulled I gave a short backward tug. After about 5/10 minutes he started walking a lot better with the lead loose most of the time. He shook his head a few times and at one point I noticed he had shaken the loop off his nose, so had to put that back on. He did jump up and bark at another dog accross the road, but I managed to keep control when he saw a cat underneath a car. The problem with Densil is that he is very inquisitive on his walks - he loves sniffing bushes and peeping through holes in fences. I don't have anywhere local that is enclosed so I can let him off lead, so like to let him explore a bit. If I keep using the canny collar I think I will have to put his harness on and use an extending lead in a park area just so he can do some investigation.

Anyway, Day 1 went ok and will post again tomorrow.

Pleased to read that Densil is getting used to the Canny Collar, once you have the technique for putting it on you are away with it. Good luck for tomorrow.

Densil sounds just like Maddie. She sniffs a lot and manages to get her nose out of the collar too. When it is on properly it works well doesn't it? Although I fn=ind the angle I need to hold the lead at makes my arm hurt

should hopefully receive ours for Tommy tomorrow so that will be getting a test straight away , little buggers nearly pulled my arm out of its socket today

Day 2 and looking very good so far. I fitted the collar in one go today with no resistance from densil. Also he did not freeze at the door but went straight out. Most of the time he was walking fine, just a couple of little pulls and as soon as I pulled back on the lead he stopped. The loop did come off his nose a couple of times - not sure why, so will have to try and figure that one out. Also, as somebody else mentioned it does seem a bit unnatural holding your arm straight up in the air and a couple of times I found I had reverted to the old position of letting him walk slightly ahead.

I ordered a size 4 as he is 15 1/2" around neck and the collar is done up on the last but one notch. I have noticed that it sits lower on the neck than the dogmatic - which actually sits on the pressure points behind the ears and is supposed to calm them down.

So at the moment it is definitely better than a harness and also would give it a couple of more marks than the dogmatic.

Have a look at the short video below for fitting the Canny Collar, it may help you too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxLAntnb2IM

Thanks, had a look at the video yesterday, but managed to fit it fine today. Only problem is the loop keeps coming off his nose and I don't know why. The plastic clip is under his chin and the buckle of the collar is on top in the middle of his head. Had to come home this afternoon as couldn't get it back on without taking collar off.

Still waiting for Busters hope it comes for the weekend

Glad its working for you guys

Still having problems with the nose bit - I had to keep stopping and trying to put it back on during his walk today. Don't know what I am doing wrong. I will post a couple of pics showing him wearing it. I used a shorter lead today and tried keeping it straight up instead of along his back. Apart from that he was walking well with the occasional pull on the lead, which he soon stopped when I pulled back on the lead.

I have read elsewhere that somebody used an elastic band to stop the problem of the nose loop slipping off - just not sure where they put it - I suppose it was underneath the d rings where the lead clips on. May have to give this a try.

2 pics of Densil with his new canny collar

Day 4 of using the collar and I think he has got used to it as he was pulling quite a bit this morning and I had to keep pulling back on the lead. He also tried rolling his head along the grass - obviously to try and get it off. For his afternoon walk he behaved a bit better. The nose loop slipped off again a couple of times during both walks. Have posted 2 pics to show that I am using it correctly.

still not received mine from the shop yet was hoping to have got it a couple of days ago in advance of his training today, oh well just have to wait a bit longer, sure you will both get the hang of it soon

The pics look good I ordered the blue for buster
Densil looks good in it

I think you may just need to adjust the clasp under the nose so it's a little closer fitting to his muzzle, hope that makes sense. This should stop it slipping off his nose.

Kathy wrote:I think you may just need to adjust the clasp under the nose so it's a little closer fitting to his muzzle, hope that makes sense. This should stop it slipping off his nose.

Thanks Kathy, didn't realise you had to do that. I did tighten it up this morning but we hadn't got far up the road when it slipped off, also did it a couple more times but we were out for an hour though. It is taking a bit of getting used to because Densil can't be let off the lead anywhere so I have always let him have a longer lead on his walks as he likes sniffing bushes/fences etc and of course weeing up every tree and lamp post. So it is a bit of a change for us walking on the short lead all the time. I am going to buy a training lead so I can take him to some grassy areas and let him have a bit of roam, without having to worry about him running off.

I have noticed an improvement though. There are a couple of places on our walks where he will really pull to get to them because he knows there are cats/dogs living there. In the past he has just dragged me there, but with the canny collar I just jerked back on the lead and he walked by quite nicely, so I praised him and treated him.

Pleased to read you are having some improvements on your walks, I'm sure you will get there.

Thanks for the up dates which will be useful to others too.

Last update for a while - I will carry on using the collar and report back in a week or so. I was really glad I had the collar today - we had snow and in the past I was always worried Densil would pull me over when he pulled on the lead. Today, using a very short lead I managed to keep him beside me all the time and we walked fine. Although I did slide the yellow clip up under his chin it came off twice during the walk - about 40 minutes, so I'm guessing the person who used an elastic band put it under the yellow clip to stop it sliding down, so I may give this a go.

Well it's the first week of using the collar and I must admit the first day I wasn't sure about it, but now we have been using it several days I am really impressed. It has been a bit of a change for us as I always used to let Densil have a long lead so he could sniff around on his walks. Using the canny collar he is walking beside me to heel and it is great. So I ordered the training lead from canny which came the next day and have started using this to let him have a roam around in a play area near us where dogs are still allowed. He really enjoyed this and I started training him in recall - in the past I have only been doing this at home and in the garden. He came back each time I called him so that was great. We were having a lovely time until he spotted a cat and nearly dragged me through the bushes, lol. Thankfully the training lead has a good handle on it and I managed to hang on and gradually bring him back.

Great news. So glad you have seen great improvements. certainly makes the walks allot more enjoyable for you which in turn makes them enjoy it more. Win-Win

So we have been using the collar around 4 weeks now. He walks on loose lead and to heel some of the time, but he still tries to pull ahead a lot so I have to pull back on the lead to correct him, but at least it isn't the struggle we used to have with the harness. The only downside is the nose loop still keeps falling off and I don't know how to stop this. It is awkward when we are out and I have to bend over and try and refit it - gets me in the back as well. I was so fed up with it this morning that I thought after he had his exercise on the long lead I would just walk him back on the harness. That didn't last long as he really pulled and started dragging me, so the collar went back on again. I also find I have more control over him - he has been far better when we have met other dogs - in the past he would jump up on his hind legs and try to get to them, more to play than in agression. The same thing with cats - he hates them with a vengeance and I have managed to get him to walk by with a cat sitting in the garden, whereas in the past he would have pulled to get to them. So, all in all really pleased with the collar if only I could stop the d**m nose loop from falling off.

Perhaps you could email canny collar & ask there advice about the loop falling, which I can imagine is a pain!!

densil wrote: So, all in all really pleased with the collar if only I could stop the d**m nose loop from falling off.

Send an email to Donna at Cannycollar, I'm sure she'll be able to advise you on that.

Thanks, did mention it to Donna and have followed instructions about having the lead loose and short and holding it upright. Maybe it is just that Densil's nose is a bit short. I have tried walking him on harness again but he is just back to square one and pulling again. I know he doesn't like the canny collar because he keeps shaking his head all the time, but at least it does make him walk better.

I'm not understanding what's going wrong for you as mine has only fallen off once in the few days we've had it

I've never seen one close up, but I've seen pics. Is there any way to tighten the nose bit a little?

Caryll wrote:I've never seen one close up, but I've seen pics. Is there any way to tighten the nose bit a little?

you just push the yellow clip up a bit , it's not really tight like a buckle so it sort of regulates itself if you push it up too far

I think I might have an idea why. I think Densil might be moving his mouth and this is why it falls off. A few months ago we had a real problem with him when he was panicking at cars going by. I have had to get him to look at me and give him a treat in order to stop him doing this. He has been much better, but yesterday there were several noisy cars around and he started looking at me for treats which I gave him. I noticed the loop fell off a couple of times after this, so it might be something to do with it, although the loop has also fallen off just walking normally down the street. It is usually only 2/3 times during a 45 minute walk, but just a nuisance trying to get it back on again in the middle of the street.

Reposted the 2 picks - the yellow clip does look a bit low, but I think it just works itself down like that - this was after we had been for a walk. Will try and move it right up tight this morning and see what happens.

Do you have the loop sitting right back on his muzzle ?? I know what you mean about opening his mouth but to me that would only happen if its sitting too far forward

Dave wrote:Do you have the loop sitting right back on his muzzle ?? I know what you mean about opening his mouth but to me that would only happen if its sitting too far forward

As you can see from the pic above, the noose is just underneath his eyes so can't get higher than that. I tried tightening up the clip under his chin the last couple of days and that seems to have helped - it didn't fall off at all this morning, but then I didn't need to give him any treats on his walk.

Really don't know Tommy's came off once this morning just whilst we were standing talking to another dog walker as he sort of wriggled out of it but that was all