Fear of the Collar

Dear All

We are few hours from the first time our Polly will be allowed out.... and we have been making her wear the collar since yesterday.
She FREAKED out!
Shaking and becoming very quiet, like it was a sort of punishment.
we tried to make this thing happen with a lot of cheering and smiles and enthusiasm in the voice.
I have even given her favorite biscuit.
Well... the moment she wears the collar, her personality changes and from being hyper active, destructive, funny and full of life, she becomes quiet, shaky and depressed.
Few notes:
1) collar is not tight
2) collar is very soft
3) we only want her to get used to it before the BIG day comes
4) the moment we take the collar off she comes back to life!

Is this normal?
Has this happened to you guys?

I reckon that once she starts associating collar to being out and about, she will be thrilled and happy.
What's your opinion?

Thanks a lot

Marco

The opposite happened when we put our puppy in a collar. He did not like it at all and would constantly scratch at it trying to get it off.

Have you tried putting it on and then getting her to play with her favourite toy?

We used the playing as a distraction and would only leave the collar on initially during the game and then take it off (only when he wasn't scratching it so as not to re-inforce the scratching) and then we gradually increased the time he was wearing it to full time.

I know its a bit different from your situation but maybe try it out? You might have to make an even bigger effort of playing, make it the most exciting thing ever and keep at it until she gets excited too.

The only other thing I could suggest is borrowing a harness and seeing if she reacts the same to that.

When Mia's harness goes on she walks all low to the ground and tries to get back in bed or climb up you for a cuddle, once she's outside she is fine and walks normally etc, so just perservere with it if you know it isn't actually hurting her ie its not too tight etc

Get her used to it, leave it on and act as nomal. play/feed/rest, she has to wear one

Like anything, she just needs to get used to it. As Janey said, put it on her, and act normal, like it's no big deal. She'll get used to it very quickly. Remember to take it off if you use a crate though, there have been some awful stories about dogs accidentally hanging themselves with their collars in their crate.

Start practising with the lead too because she'll probably be even more afraid of taht than the collar at first. Just put it on her and let her trail it round the house at first, then build up to you holding it, then gently leading her round with it. It will freak her out, but she will get used to it.

When you first take her out, she will probably freeze up, this is normal too. try coaxing her along with treats and praise. Soon she'll love it.

It is the 3rd day we keep the collar on during day time... but she keeps being not herself with it on... she looks miserable.
We took her out today and she was walking and stopping.. bu still very scared and shaky...
the only good point is that she enjoyed a lot people stopping by and cuddling her... or even a couple of dogs we met on the short walk we had.... you could tell by her tail:-)...

Another issue is that she does not pee or poo outside... OK... I know it is only her 2nd short walk out.. but she'd done nothing inside and I thought it was the right time to "express" herself out.... but nothing.. I thought she'd burst!.... after a long wait out of the flat, we entered and obviously she did pee and poo...
I am a bit concerned.
Have I done something wrong?
I do not understand why she gets so afraid of wearing the collar and, consequently going out too....

Should I try with Harness? I was told to avoid since it is more difficult to teach not to pull the lead... but I rather face that problem that making my Polly depressed!

Advice?

I don't think you've done anything wrong at all. I would just carry on doing what your doing, it's only been a few days and it does take time for them to get used to things. I had Bella for a few weeks before I could take her out so she had quite a while to get used to the collar. Going outside everything is new to them so it's all a bit scary. Bella didn't pee or poo her first few times out either. Give her time and she will start to enjoy it all

I think you are doing the right things as well. They can sometimes be a little nervous about new experiences. Let her go at her own pace and she will get used to it after awhile. Try not to make a fuss if she acts a bit scared. This could make her think she has a reason to be nervous and don't force her. Try going just a little farther each time.

Suki was terrified of walks when we first got her. The first time she saw a train she completly freaked out but after some time it was no big deal.

MarcoLondon wrote:It is the 3rd day we keep the collar on during day time... but she keeps being not herself with it on... she looks miserable.
We took her out today and she was walking and stopping.. bu still very scared and shaky...
the only good point is that she enjoyed a lot people stopping by and cuddling her... or even a couple of dogs we met on the short walk we had.... you could tell by her tail:-)...

Another issue is that she does not pee or poo outside... OK... I know it is only her 2nd short walk out.. but she'd done nothing inside and I thought it was the right time to "express" herself out.... but nothing.. I thought she'd burst!.... after a long wait out of the flat, we entered and obviously she did pee and poo...
I am a bit concerned.
Have I done something wrong?
I do not understand why she gets so afraid of wearing the collar and, consequently going out too....

Should I try with Harness? I was told to avoid since it is more difficult to teach not to pull the lead... but I rather face that problem that making my Polly depressed!

Advice?

put it on her just before you guys go to bed, feed her first meal with it on, any attention whether its pitty or sadness toward her is just making it worse, you might be putting on a happy face and calling her in a high pitched voice but inside your thinking( awww come on baby polly, its not going to hurt you pretty please be happy) she can pick up on that and know something is not quite calm about you, when it comes to her toileting out side, plank your backside down somewhere out side and wait and wait and wait they can not hold it in for ever, a good thing to start doing, during her going to the toilet use a command word pee-pee or poo-poo what ever and reward once finished so you wont have this problem again

Many thanks for your advice... the only concern is leaving the collar ON at night.... being in the crate I heard it is not so wise, because she could get strangled. Apparently many accidents happen!
Anyway... agree with all the others!!! Thanks again!

M

strangled by her collar in the crate......never heard of that ever happening, I'm guessing it would be the clasps/buckle of the collar that may get stuck, you could test it at all angles inbetween the bars to see if it sticks at all or get another collar as a tester during the night one that will not get caught.

MissRogue wrote:put it on her just before you guys go to bed,

No!!! Please don't! Your pup will be uncomfortable & will dread it even more! Also, it could get caught on the crate bars and make her panic! I think it's very unfair to leave a collar on a pup all night.

I would just persevere during the day with short episodes of putting the collar on - loads of praise & treats & then taking it off again. Lengthen the time you leave it on gradually.

MarcoLondon wrote:
Another issue is that she does not pee or poo outside... OK... I know it is only her 2nd short walk out.. but she'd done nothing inside and I thought it was the right time to "express" herself out.... but nothing.. I thought she'd burst!.... after a long wait out of the flat, we entered and obviously she did pee and poo...
I am a bit concerned.
Have I done something wrong?

When Violet started going out in the street, rather than the garden, she just didn't know she was supposed to do anything! It was the same when we brought her home - she didn't do anything for ages, and it turned out it was because we'd put her on the concrete, and she only knew to go on the grass

So every time she did anything in the garden we said 'pee-pee' until she did it on command, and then when she was out and about we'd ask "do you need a pee-pee?" and she would do one. She still does it on command, much to the amusement of small children in the park :-$

have you tried using a slip collar on her, so its really loose around her neck, with a stopper so it can not be tightened.

MissRogue wrote:strangled by her collar in the crate......never heard of that ever happening, I'm guessing it would be the clasps/buckle of the collar that may get stuck, you could test it at all angles inbetween the bars to see if it sticks at all or get another collar as a tester during the night one that will not get caught.

This can and has happened. Please don't leave a collar on her at night. You can leave it on her during the day to get used to it but take it off at night. Strangling is rare, but it does happen, so why risk it? Plus she'll be happier and more comfortable with it off at night.

Nala didn't like her coller either at first, constantly scratching and scraping it against furniture trying to get it off. It sounds cruel, but I just left it on all the time and she got used to it after a few days. Now she has no problem with it, but freaks out whenever I take it off or put it on again (if she's going to have a wash or whatever). It's as though she has got used to it and so no longer notices it, but doesn't like the reminder it is there!
I don't take it off when she's in her crate.

JillyNala wrote:I don't take it off when she's in her crate.

You really ought to. Apart from being uncomfortable it can also be dangerous.