# Puppy HATES his collar



## Lycankitty (Nov 16, 2011)

Hi
I'm having problems putting a collar on my 10 week old chihuahua pup, he howls, whines, squirms and panics. I've tried treats and toys but nothing calms him down. When I do final get the collar on him he acts like I've abused him or something then he goes into his crate and sleeps. He won't even play with a toy or eat his food. I don't know what I'm going to do  I can't even take him out for a walk because I can't find a harness small enough. 
Should I continue to keep his collar on him and hope that he gets over his dislike for it or should I give in and let him be collar free?
Thanks for reading


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## dexter (Nov 29, 2008)

hi yer at that age i'd put it on for a few minutes at a time increasing the amount of time over a few days.. I use a slightly looser collar at that age providing i'm around when he has it on. He'll soon get used to it after awhile .


10 weeks is a bit young to be taking him for a walk has he had all his jabs?


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## Lycankitty (Nov 16, 2011)

He's 11 weeks on Tuesday and he's had all his jags. It's not so much a walk as a trip into the garden or the short trip to the corner shops. We have a shared garden so it's not enclosed. He's been out into the garden before but I don't want him chasing the cats into the bushes. Should I wait until he's grown a bit?


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## Callia (Jan 14, 2009)

Its quite common for a pup to object to wearing a collar to start with at this age. I would put a really soft leather collar on him fairly loose without him being able to get it off and leave it on for a few hours each day. He will soon get used to it but just be careful that he doesnt scratch himself too much or get caught up on anything obviously. His just sulking and will be fine honest  Try not to feel guilty and pamper him when he is being a sulky boy, it will only make him worse LOL


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## Lycankitty (Nov 16, 2011)

Lol he does have a tendency to give me puppy eyes. I've taken the collar off him for now and he's curled up on my lap. I think I'll hunt online for a harness maybe I'll have better luck with that.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

- he's TEN weeks old, & the breeder / former owner did NOT have a collar on him?! :cursing: 
stoopid twit... :nonod: poor pup! 

i'd put it on & leave it on, 24/7 - with no more than a PINKY-tip going between the dog's neck & collar. 
Chis have itty-bitty necks, & a loose fit means possibly the dog BACKS-OUT of the collar & is lost - 
very dangerous for teeny dogs, they can be trod upon, hit by cars, attacked by larger dogs, & so on. 

he will become accustomed over time; i'd simply ignore fussing & carry on.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

leashedForLife said:


> - he's TEN weeks old, & the breeder / former owner did NOT have a collar on him?! :cursing:
> stoopid twit... :nonod: poor pup!
> 
> i'd put it on & leave it on, 24/7 - with no more than a PINKY-tip going between the dog's neck & collar.
> ...


By law, he has to wear a collar and tag when he's out. He'll have to get used to it, and the longer you leave it, the harder it's going to get. As others have said, put a light collar on him, leave it there and ignore any fuss.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

Lycankitty said:


> :lol: he does have a tendency to give me puppy eyes.
> 
> *I've taken the collar off him for now* & he's curled up on my lap.
> 
> I think I'll hunt on-line for a harness; maybe I'll have better luck with that.


i'm not trying to be mean, but *every time U take it off, U have to put it back ON... 
which [i think] is the crux of the issue: He's being sensitized*.

'sensitizing' is the precise opposite of 'habituation': 
rather than become accustomed to something & relax around it, or actually prefer it to be there, 
the person becomes more & more 'sensitive' to it: the volume of sound, the distance they'll tolerate, 
the sight of only part of it, sets off a huge panic. :nonod:

i'd -*stop*- taking it off, as he must wear it, anyway; he's got to become accustomed, 
& IMO it's not the COLLAR, it's the process of chasing him down to get it on him, while he flees & cowers.  
he's practicing being AFRAID, not only of the doggone collar [it's harmless & painless], but much worse, 
he's ASSOCIATING You with that 'bad time', being pursued relentlessly; -*You*- will soon be 
poisoned by the taint. That would be disastrous IME - changing these powerful emotional-opinions 
is a terrible uphill-struggle.


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## Manoy Moneelil (Sep 1, 2011)

Anything new that you have needs to be introduced to the pup.

The pup wants to know if it is a threat or food.

Your collar probably smells of the factory where it was made - washing it in hot water (no soap) will help neutralise the chemical smell. You could put the collar in the dog's bed to get his smell on it.

So without making a fuss of the situation introduce the collar to the pup, let the pup sniff it and see that it is not dangerous or food. Leave it on the floor in front of you while you play with a toy.

Buckled loosely so you can place it over the pup's head in one simple movement, put the collar on your hand and place a small treat on the palm of that hand, let the pup sniff the treat, and then eat it.

Play with the toy.

Put it the collar on your hand and place a small treat on the palm of that hand, let the pup sniff the treat, and then eat it.

Play with the toy.

---------repeat half a dozen times---------​
Hold the collar open with the treat just sticking through the collar so the pup does *not* have to stick his head through the collar to get the treat.

Play with the toy and repeat above a few times.

Build up to getting the pup to stick his head through the collar to get the treat and after a few goes place the collar on him.

Reward the collar going on, distract with exciting toy play or "chase me".

After a while take the collar off.

In time the collar going on is just normal and a precursor to play/feed etc.

Last month I went through this process with our GR pup (a bit older than yours) but had never worn a collar before, I admit it was slightly different from the above in that I introduced the collar after washing and being on me for a while (my scent). The collar was put on for hand-feeding (we shared some BBQ chicken) as the dog sat on my lap, the following day and a few sessions later I just didn't take it off - the dog did not notice. And we moved on to walkies the next day.

A few years ago a friend of my wife was having some trouble with her Rottie pups, I got her to put the bundle of little collars into the bed that the pup's mother slept in, after a few days the collars smelt of mum. Introducing the collars to the pups the second time was a breeze - the collars smelt familiar and were accepted straight away.

Once the collar is on and familiarized: after a few days make up an indoor-lead (one with no handhold - so it can not catch on anything) it does not need to be long. Again place the lead on for play time. Take off at the end of the game.

It's all about showing that the new thing is not a threat and that it's introduction means that a good thing happens, positive association. :thumbup1:

There is a lady on the site that makes custom harnesses she might pop into this thread.


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## Lycankitty (Nov 16, 2011)

Thank you all for your advice. I think I'll go with my gut and keep the collar on him 24/7. I do agree with Leashforlife and Borrowzig, I can also see the merit in Manoy Moneelil's method but I think it might just draw out his sulking. 
I feel like there is just so many conflicting theories on puppy training that it's getting very overwhelming. 
Do I start doing what I feel is right?


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## Lycankitty (Nov 16, 2011)

Well I've put joey's collar on him, he's sulking but he'll just have to get over it. Thank you again to all those that replied.


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## NicoleW (Aug 28, 2010)

leashedForLife said:


> - he's TEN weeks old, & the breeder / former owner did NOT have a collar on him?! :cursing:
> stoopid twit... :nonod: poor pup!
> 
> i'd put it on & leave it on, 24/7 - with no more than a PINKY-tip going between the dog's neck & collar.
> ...


My pup, albeit she was 5 months old squirmed out of her collar when walking and ended up getting hit by a car and dying. Make sure when you put one of yours you as LFL says and a nice snug fit


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

NicoleW said:


> My pup, albeit she was 5-MO, squirmed out of her collar when walking & [was] hit by a car & [died].


oh, Nicole! :nonod: i'm so sorry. Poor pup, & so awful for U, too.


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