# Itchy collar and harness



## Siandvm (Jun 22, 2016)

I have no words of wisdom, mostly because it is a running joke around here that Rayder's harness must be made of fleas!


----------



## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

An increase in 'itching' (scratching) can be a 'displacement behavior' due to anxiety/stress. Your pup is very young and the collar and leash are 'new' to him, as would be attaching the leash. so may be causing him a little 'stress'. You can help him to feel better about wearing them, through short sessions of putting the collar or harness on him, feed tiny treats while it is on, then stop feeding the treats, as soon as you take it off. Repeat three or four times each session, take a break, and repeat after a while. In time he will become accustomed to wearing them, but may, if in a situation he is 'worried' about, 'scratch' at himself.


----------



## B and G Mom (Oct 29, 2014)

I second Charliethree's suggestion. 

Gunner wears his collar all the time, but will scratch at his martingale training collar when we are in class and he has hit is "training limit". In his case, it's not the collar being new to him, it's the new material he is expected to learn that stresses him out, so he scratches at his collar.


----------

