Help! How to have happy halti walks?

I have a very large 8 month old puppy who I've only rescued since Saturday. Walks are proving to be a bit difficult! I fully plan to teach Harry to walk to heel properly at some point, but at the moment I need to use a halti as he is so incredible strong that I physically can't walk him and it's unsafe as he had some fear aggression towards strangers and other dogs at the moment. I started using as halti two days ago and it's been great as he physically can't drag me down the street, much happier walks. However there are still a few issues and I'd like help on how to correctly use the halti.

When he pulls I've been following the instructions and simply stopping walking. I'm trying to make him walk on my left so when I stop, his head turns to the right. The problem is because he's so long that as he turns sideways he stands right across my path and automatically then comes back to my right hand side. He also zig zags across my path something chronic, and although he's not dragging me around, his getting under my feet was really driving me mad. I just cannot get him to stay on the left, it's like one step - cross path - stop and repostion - one step - cross my path....and it goes on! I trod on him so many times. I know poor Harry is just learning and he's obviously not staying in the right place because I'm doing something wrong, but I don't know what! I felt bad that I was getting frustrated with it last night, it's not his fault. So help!

How can I get Harry to learn to stay on the left? I used chicken and "good!" rewards when he was in the right position but he still wasn't getting it at all. I think I can't be using the halti quite right, the only guidance I can find on the internet is how to fit the halti - I know that and Harry lets me put it on, what I need to know is how to walk him on it.

Should I be stopping dead when he pulls unti the lead goes slack? Or should I do the turn in the other direction when he pulls? Also any suggestions on getting him to ignore strangers would be great as chicken didn't do it!

Our dog trainer is going to be Harry's dog walker so hopefully he'll show fast progress but I'd like advice from here too please!

Hi - you have to train them to walk on a lead or halti. Maybe start in the house by getting him to follow you and reward? Then small sessions on a lead, rewarding / praising when he`s in the right place. Do it a few times a day, for short periods. When he`s learned to walk on a lead, you can take him for a walk.
I wouldn`t go out with him till he`s learned. It`s really hard to train a dog to walk on a lead when he`s being bombarded with new experiences and distractions - passers by, cats etc.
It shouldn`t take long.
Then when you go out, he`ll be used to looking to you for a lead.

Thanks. But does that then mean he doesn't get walked in the mean time? He's a super active puppy and our garden isn't that big, he needs the exercise. i'd dread to think what he'd be like without a few days of walks, he'd be bouncing off the walls! And walking him on his collar during this time is not an option as I physically can't hold him

A puppy shouldn`t be walked too far TBH. And training and training games tire them out faster than walking.
All the time they`re bouncing about in the street leaping at people and tripping you up they`re learning bad habits. Personally I`d take my time and lay down some ground rules.
This is just my opinion, mind.
Why not have a walk as a training session then? Up and down the street teaching him to walk on a lead?

I've only recently started using a halti with our new dog and it does seem to be helping, although he doesnt cross my path like your big boy!

Reading your description I wonder if maybe your still letting him walk a little ahead of you? or he is getting ahead of you when you stop? so when his head turns he still has space to follow with his paws?

I also walk Jas on the left, lead handle in right hand, left hand holding the lead closer to the halti. When he pulls I stop or gently apply pressure to the lead with my left hand, not letting my left hand more than an inch or two past my leg. When his head turns its just in front of my left leg and his shoulders are still at my side, sometimes his head will then rub my leg but he cant cross me.

I've also realised that rather than holding the lead/halti in towards me, I move my left hand closer to him when I do stop/apply pressure. Almost like moving my arm out to the side a little, (hand level with leg) and kind of veer to my right everso slightly at the same time, this gives a space between us that he can put a paw into if needed without getting his toes squashed! Also if he keeps pulling it should continue to turn his head in towards your leg and body which gives him no space to step into.

Jas pulled like a steam train when we got him a month ago, nothing beats proper "heel" training and it is paying off, occasional use of the halti has really helped, especially in the snow and ice! but its not something I want to rely on!

I'm not sure if any of this makes sense but I think I am basically saying dont let his shoulders pass your leg or he will have space to step across you!

Hope it helps!

Thanks everyone. yes I am currently lettinghim walk a bit in front, mainly because me dog trainer has said not to be too hard on him at the moment and no formal training yet because he's had such a bad start and that everything needs to be fun for him so I guess I may be letting him get away with a bit too much. He has so many behavioural problems that I don't really know where to start. It's mostly normal puppy stuff like pulling, jumping up, and generally being a whirlwind but because he is SO large it's all exhaserbated (sp?)! Then of course there is all his fear towards strangers and dogs. I just don't know which behaviour to start with But we do have a dog trainer involved. Maybe we need to take the walks a step back.

Roughly how much exercise should an giant 8 month old puppy get? he's currently getting approx 15-20 mins twice a day...is that too much?

When I got Daisy - who had never been walked and had issues, I took 2 weeks to get to the end of the road. I took her out then we turned back when she kicked off. Hopefully your boy is nowhere near as volatile, but it would be worth taking your time with him. When he gets excited, it can take hours for his adrenalin levels to drop, and during that time he won`t be listening to you.
It`s really hard with a new dog to assume they know stuff that you took for granted with your previous dog.
I know you want to have lovely walks with him, but why not take a bit of time to get to know each other? He needs to understand what you want, and to want to please you. Then you can face the big bad world together.
It won`t hurt him to have quiet lead-walks for a week or so while you get to know each other.

Thanks I've been wanting to get him out on walks as he spent months shut up in a room wihtout walks, but I guess it's all so stimulating for him he just gets totally over excited and far to distracted to listen. Also I guess it just goes against my nature not to walk a dog....*shock horror* but I see where you're coming from and you're probably right. Right so back to basics and mounds of chicken may be the order of the day!

It's difficult to find the balance between taking things slow but equally not letting him rule the roost entirely, he's quite insecure and needs to feel I'm a strong leader caring for him, it's a delicate balance.

Sounds like you have a lovely handfull there!
I know you want to take it easy with him but in many ways it is better to decide on the rules now and stick to them
Dogs are smart and can easily settle into 'oh this is how we do things here' far more difficult if you let him keep in a bad habbits and then try and train him different, the more he pulls and crosses and things the more he is practising doing these things and the better he will become at them
and as you know because he is so big you really have to get on top of it eles you will be injuring yourself and him

I agree with what C&D says, at the moment EVERYTHING is new so a walk round the garden is amazing, the house is new, you are new
Going for a walk ,espech if he is reactive to everything else, is a total overload, you are wanting him to walk nice (which he dosent understand yet) when there are new smells and sights, there are scary dogs and people and he dosent even know or trust you yet

Take baby steps, teach him in the house how to walk on the lead, take it outside to the garden, slowly build up the distractions

Decide what you want him to do - with mine I am OK if they cross round, sniff, whatever just so long as the lead is slack, and they turn to me when the lead gets tight
But you can also teach a really strict heel then release him to sniff and stuff when you say

I found dogmatic head collar better for control than a halti but I've got a squashy faced boxer. We are using this with training so if she does try to pull (she doesn't tend to with the dogmatic on), I turn and walk in the other direction. Imagine that might be hard with a giant dog though.
Will be watching this thread with interest