Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TRAINING H~LTER FOR ANIMALS
The inven-tion relates to animal training and restraint
devices such as halters, mu~zles, and collars on leashes used
in the training and control of animals, particularly animals
having muzzles such as canines.
These devices are used to bend the animal's actions
to the master's will. The idea is to cause the animal to
voluntarily comply, and avoid the physical tug~of-war that
occurs when the animal wants to go a different direction than
its master, or wants to move faster or slower than the master.
Beyond the simple leash and collar, which engenders this type
of contest, there are currently in use choking collars, which
are simply a canine version of the hangman's noose, and inwardly
spiked collars, which when tugged by the leash causes the animal
to prefer to acquiesce to the master's wishes rather than suffer
the pain of the spikes digging into its neck.
Both the choking collar and the spiked collar are based
on the infliction of pain to restrain the animal, and are looked
upon by some as being inhumane. In addition, they may not
be very effective, first, because the directional guidance
provided the dog is somewhat rough, and second, because the
animal will respond in inverse proportion to the thickness
of its pelt at the neck.
There is thus a need for a device which will more
accurately direct the dog, and will do so without the infliction
of pain on the animal.
The abovestated need is provided by the instant invention
which directs the dog not by the infliction of a pain, the
aversion of which causes the animal to move in the ri~ht
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direction, but by means oE a special halter by virtue o~ the
construction of which the t~nsion applied to the leash is no~
dlrected to the neck of the animal at all, at least not ln
substantlal par-t, but ls instead dlrected toward the animal's
muzzle.
Thus, rather than operating on the principal of brute
~orce to control the animal, wlth or without the infliction
of accompanying pain to give the operator some leverage, -the
instant invention operates on the theory that upon turning
the animal's nose to point in the direction the animal should
move, the animal will in fact proceed to move in that direction.
The invention in one aspect pertains to a training
halter for dogs, comprising a loop member for encircling the
dog's muzzle, a leash Gonnected to said muzzle loop, and a
unitary collar member shaped and dimensioned to completely
surround the neck of the dog, and having means for securing the
collar member around the neck. The collar member supports a
ring cinch, the loop member having its lower portion passing
through the ring cinch, and being connected to the leash,
whereby tensioning the leash tightens down the loop member on
the muzzle of the dog. There is a pair of lateral supports
each having means for connecting its rear end and front end to
the collar and loop member, respectively, on the opposite sides
of the dog's head, the connecting means comprising front end
and rear end slip loops. Each of the members pass through
the slip loop at the end of each lateral support on the opposite
sides of the dog's head.
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According:Ly the invention comprehends a training halter
for animals having a muzzle comprising a loop member for
encircling the animal's muzzle, a leash connected to the muzzle
loop, means for holding the loop in position encircling the
muzzle, and means for cinching the loop.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of
the invention;
Figure 2 illustrates the halter of Figure 1 in use on
a canine;
Figure 3 illustrates an alternative strap connector
means;
Figure 4 illustrates a harness similar to that shown
in Figure 1 but having modified strap connections; and
Figure 5 illustrates yet a fourth manner of
interconnecting the straps at the junctures of the halter.
In Figure 1 the first embodiment of the, halter shown
wherein the leash 10, having a hand loop 12, bifurcates
at 14 with both of the bifurcations extending through
the cinch ring 16 which i.s supported on the connector
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strap 18, the bifurcated portion of the Icnsh extcnds through the slip loops
20 of the laterul strap supports 22, and up and over the muzzle of the
dog. The con~nector strap ~8 is enga~ed aro,und the:collar member 24 so
Shat as shown in Figure 2, as tension is applied to the leash, its effeet
is fel t primar~y around the muz2~e areEI of thc dog. Also, the more
tightly the leash is p~led, the tighter the loop will p~l against the
animsl's muzzle. The purpose of this inYention is to obtain ~ more secure
grip Or the animal's muzzle, without permanently restraining the animal
rrom opening its mouth or causing pnin. Instcnd, it has thc cffcet of
making the h~l ter self-adjusting to a eertnin extent. Conceivably, the
er could be m~de more self-adjusting by incorpor~ting the feature ot
adjustability of any of the str~ps, such ns, ~or ex~mple, the later~l strap
supports 22, which coL~d be ms.dc adjustablc by virtue of fl Velcro l~tch
system or the buckle system illustratcd on thc collnr member 24.
The embodiment nlustrated in Figurc 1 is the simplest of ~11
embodiments because the slip loops 20, togethcr with the slip loops 26
nt thc re~r end of thc laternl strnp s~lpports, loosely engage thc lront
loop 28 and the collar 24 without any ps~rmancnt Rttnchment, &Ithough
clenrly the leash c~nnot bc removed trom thc l)nl~cr. ~n order to maintain
the lateral StrQp supports 22 at the nppro~imntc snmc clev~tion, nnd nlong
the same porti~n of the animal~ faee, a loop ~nd ring system shown in
Figure 3 could be used for the slip loop eonllectio~ 20 or 26. Th~t
is, the lateral strap loop 22 indi~ated in part in l:igure 3 wo~d be runnlng
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rearward or forward, depending on which slip loop thc ring replaced. This
wo~d prevent movement of the membcrs at thcse join~s, except th~lt it
would provide ~ng~ar movement about thc ring, enab~ing the joint to
~djust to the configuration of the animal's physiology.
Another modification shown in Figure 5 is identical to that shown
in Figure 3, except that instead of utilizing the ring 34, the members
are simply stitched together as indicated nt 30. This would not only
secure the lateral strap supports 22 ngainst elevationnl movement, but
wo~d provide some angular rigidity as well. 1t will of course be borne
in mind that although the strap materiDl such as Icather or Nylon should
be strong, it should also be fairly ilexible~
In Figure 4, yet another embodimcnt is shown wherein the muzzle
loop is comprised of an upper loop membcr 28 having looped tips, and
the leash is bifurcated nnd tcrmin~tes in two loops 38, which together
with the loops of thc upper loop membcr 28 on~n~e thc forward slip loops
20 of the lateral strnp supports 22. Tllc collar ~trueture is similnr,
wherein the slip loops 26 sre engaged by the loop~ of the three collar
components 32, 34 and 36. This construetion differs over the construetion
of Figure 5, nnd even over th~t of Figure 3, in tlmt in addition to providing
some angular adjustment of the straps rclntive to one ~nother, it also
provides H certnin dc~ree of relntive trn1lsl~ltiol)nl motion which mny be
greater than that illustrated in Figur~ 3, dcr3ending on the length of the
loops 20 and 26.
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In any of the embodiments, the htlltcr enn bc engaged on tlle dog's
neck and muzzle, and provide the mnster with greater eontrol, without
inilieting the pain associated with the tormcr methods of controlling and
training dogs.
It should also be noted that, sho~d the animal become unr~dy and
begin to tug foreerully, the self-einching mu7zle loop 28 will automatieally
loel; itself in a p~ ion whieh will prevent the animal from biting.
A seeond ring eo~d be provided in parallel with the cineh ring 16
to allow the trainer to loel; thc loop mcmbcr 28 into a convcnient position
when the cinching of tlle muzzle is no longer neeessary.
~VIlile the preferred cmbodimcllts Or the invention have been des-
eribed, other modifications may bc mAde thcreto and other embodiments
may be devised within the spirit Or the invention and the seope of the
appended claims.
