Rocky hates his collar

Rocky is due for his first walk outside tomorrow so I tried his collar on him yesterday. He hated it and ran around very sheepish, scratched at it and lay in his crate for a couple of hours. He wouldnt eat and didnt want to go outside and seemed to lose all his character and confidence so I took it off him.
I put it on him again at dinner time today and it was much the same behaviour but I though I would persevere.
6 hours later he was still the same. He seemed scared and unconfident, his tail curled under and only ate a bit of his dinner and he has been in his crate sleeping 90% of the time. He doesnt even come out to greet us when we come in the room.
I took it off him an hour ago as I fear I could permanently cause damage to his behaviour if I keep it on him.
Has anyone else experienced this before?
Rocky is almost 12 weeks old.

It's a matter of perseverance. 

Try putting it on loosely, then take it off after just a minute or so, giving him lots & lots of praise & maybe a little game afterwards. THen gradually build up the time.

You can do that several times a day.

You could also try him with a harness to see if that helps, but the law in the UK states that a dog must have a correctly fitted collar, with an i.d. tag, on at all times in a public place. 

If there are 2 of you , try playing with him and distract him a little whilst the other slips the collar on , make him associate it with fun . I didn't have a problem as the breeder used collars from very early ( different colours ) to help identify them to the owners etc so Tommy was no problem at all, we also started Tilly with a collar from when we first brought her home at 8 weeks to get her used to it before she went out .

NEVER leave them unattended with the collar on though as so easy for a pup to get themself in danger

Excellent advice, as usual, from Caryll and Dave.

Don't despair Bob, no puppy I've ever had has tolerated their collar (or collar and lead) at first.

Rocky will soon associate the putting on of his collar and lead as a sign that he will be going for that most exciting thing - WALKIES! But in the meantime, build up gradually with plenty of distractions from the unfamiliar (at first) sensation of a collar around the neck, and remember to only do 5 minutes per month of his age walks at a time.

He'll get there, they all do!  

Great advice above, but I think its just perseverance it may be he is just having a strop at having it on but I am sure he will get used to it.
Good luck  

ahh poor rocky,as Lynda said once he associates having his collar on means he gets to go out he wont want it off ,it wont take him long,i hope you both enjoy your walk,dont forget the camera!

Aww rocky it's ok Darcy didn't much like hers either, we did little & often lots of persistence he'll get there.

Well I bottled out on putting the collar back on him as I couldnt bare to see him in that depressed state again. Maybe when he is older and more settled i'll try again.
I did however buy him a harness today and put that on him and he didnt mind that so I took him for his walk using the harness and he had a ball. Slightly nervous initially but then he got right into it and really enjoyed his first walk.

I'm sure he will get used to his collar in time. Does he have a very light weight one to get used to having it on ?, something like a cat collar to begin with. It is a legal requirement for your dog to wear his collar when outside.

Hi Kathy just reading your post above is this a legal requirement in the UK or are you in a different country xx

I am a real idiot I have had nel out and about in her harness for weeks now and have only just realised by reading up on here that its law to have your dog in a collar when out and about. Right that's me down the pet shop tomorrow to sort out a collar for nel

janfrost489 wrote:Hi Kathy just reading your post above is this a legal requirement in the UK or are you in a different country xx

It's for the UK, it's a legal requirement to have a collar with a dog tag on your dog when out of the house

This is one of the few dog laws in the uk which actually makes some sense.

If, heaven forbid, a dog happens to escape on a walk then a collar will make him much easier to catch. The identification disc attached to collar (and I use a sturdy key-ring, not the spindly little wire that some id discs come with) should show your surname, postal address, and contact telephone number.

Crutchlow79 wrote:I am a real idiot I have had nel out and about in her harness for weeks now and have only just realised by reading up on here that its law to have your dog in a collar when out and about. Right that's me down the pet shop tomorrow to sort out a collar for nel

We all learn something new every day although darcy walks on a harness she always has her collar on outside as it's the law

janfrost489 wrote:Hi Kathy just reading your post above is this a legal requirement in the UK or are you in a different country xx

Yes I am in the UK, it is a legal requirement in the UK at least.

Went shopping today and brought sasha a lovely new collar and id disc not that she like wearing it think shes got used to wearing just a harness and the tag is annoying her. We lost the last one as it fell off her harness. At least she is all legal again

janfrost489 wrote:Went shopping today and brought sasha a lovely new collar and id disc not that she like wearing it think shes got used to wearing just a harness and the tag is annoying her. We lost the last one as it fell off her harness. At least she is all legal again

I do recommend that you change the spindly little wire with a good strong keyring.

Thanks lynda thats a good idea the split ring isnt very sturdy although it is better than the last one. Dont know why I didn't think of doing that lol

Kathy wrote:

janfrost489 wrote:Hi Kathy just reading your post above is this a legal requirement in the UK or are you in a different country xx

Yes I am in the UK, it is a legal requirement in the UK at least.

It makes complete sense for it to be 'law' but who is going to enforce this law. Certainly not the police.

Bob R wrote:

Kathy wrote:

janfrost489 wrote:Hi Kathy just reading your post above is this a legal requirement in the UK or are you in a different country xx

Yes I am in the UK, it is a legal requirement in the UK at least.

It makes complete sense for it to be 'law' but who is going to enforce this law. Certainly not the police.

You'd be surprised.

With most breeds, no they won't bother. But with bull breeds? Just give them an excuse..... 

Bob R wrote:

Kathy wrote:

janfrost489 wrote:Hi Kathy just reading your post above is this a legal requirement in the UK or are you in a different country xx

Yes I am in the UK, it is a legal requirement in the UK at least.

It makes complete sense for it to be 'law' but who is going to enforce this law. Certainly not the police.

Actually when i was stopped by the police over questioning me about Chance yes they checked his collar and tag.