# Eliminated one problem, created another



## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Riley, my little knucklehead, is suddenly afraid of his collar.
After reading about what happened to Charlie and reading Lexi's story, I decided to keep the collars off when the boys are indoors. Problem is, I can't get Riley's collar back on him now! He seems terrified of it and I have no idea why. I try to put it on and he bolts through the house in a game of 'catch me if you can.' Which, of course, I can't! I tried to have mom hold him still just long enough for me to slip it on, but that didn't work. He wiggled and fought so bad, I told her to just let him go. I don't want to make this fear of his worse and I thought that forcing the issue might do just that. I tried bribing him with his favorite treats, too, and he wants no part of it. 
Has anyone else gone through this? Any suggestions?


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## lovealways_jami (Apr 17, 2007)

Kerosene is the same way... Diesel is that way sometimes also... I dont have any advice because I chase mine through the house until I have them cornered. I do know that part of the problem is he knows that if he runs, Ill chase him, almost like its a game.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Brady loves it when I put on his collars, I think it is because he knows he is going outside to play. Try giving lots of treats!


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## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

Sasha does the same thing but when you think about it, even though they wear it all the time, they can't *see* it so when you are holding it trying to put it back onto him it may seem like a frightening object to him.

Victoria Stilwell (_It's Me or the Dog _T.V. show) holds something tasty, such as chicken, in her fingers so that the dog has to put their head through the collar to get the chicken.


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## Charlie06 (Feb 10, 2007)

awe, poor Riley. I wonder why he's so afraid. Charlie, believe it or not comes running over to get his collar back on. Although, when we go for walks and I put on his harness, I do have to chase him a little, and he hides under the table. Maybe it's because it was on so long he didn't even think anything was there and now it seems like something totally new.....lol.....that really doesn't make much sense, what do I know. Hope everything works out.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

lovealways_jami said:


> Kerosene is the same way... Diesel is that way sometimes also... I dont have any advice because I chase mine through the house until I have them cornered. I do know that part of the problem is he knows that if he runs, Ill chase him, almost like its a game.


Oh, if only I could get him cornered! lol. You know what this little beast does? He heads for the living room and runs circles around either the coffee table or the one chair, knowing full well that I can't catch him if he does that. I imagine it would be sort of funny, if it weren't infuriating. It certainly wasn't funny at 5:00 this morning. I gave up because I was getting mad and figured that, too, would only make matters worse.


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## Old Gold Mum2001 (Feb 25, 2007)

I take the collars on and off all the time so mine are used to it. But my Barney would actually lick the collar until we put it back on, lol, like it was supposed to be a part of him and it should not be off


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

gold'nchocolate said:


> Sasha does the same thing but when you think about it, even though they wear it all the time, they can't *see* it so when you are holding it trying to put it back onto him it may seem like a frightening object to him.
> 
> Victoria Stilwell (_It's Me or the Dog _T.V. show) holds something tasty, such as chicken, in her fingers so that the dog has to put their head through the collar to get the chicken.


Maybe that's it. I can't think of any _other_ reason for his fear of it. He's never had a bad experience, or anything. Funny thing is, I've taken it off before, to periodically adjust it as he's grown and I've always gotten it back on him with no struggle at all. All of a sudden, he's freaking out. I remember Cooper going through a stage like this, when he was young, where he was suddenly afraid of _everything. _I wonder if Riley is going through the same thing...
I'll run out today and pick up some chicken. His favorite treats don't do the trick, but I'd be very surprised if this little chow-hound can resist meat. lol.


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## jak_sak (Jan 23, 2008)

Ummm, apply some chicket broth to the collar and make him smell it, maybe a lick it. You want to make him associate the collar with something nice.

Also the first time, let him come to you, smell the collar, give him a treat. Second time, let him lick it, give a treat. Third time, leave it on the floor beside him, give him a treat if he stays. You get the point. Baby steps at a time. Break down "putting the collar on" into 5-6 steps. Execute one at a time until he is comfy. Good luck.


Cheers..
-JI


Cheers..
-JI


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## LOVEisGOLDEN (Jan 4, 2008)

is he actually afraid of it (tail tucked, ears back, running away, hiding) or playing (tail wagging, perked ears, etc.)?

sounds like he is just playing a game to me


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## lovealways_jami (Apr 17, 2007)

LifeOfRiley said:


> Oh, if only I could get him cornered! lol. You know what this little beast does? He heads for the living room and runs circles around either the coffee table or the one chair, knowing full well that I can't catch him if he does that. I imagine it would be sort of funny, if it weren't infuriating. It certainly wasn't funny at 5:00 this morning. I gave up because I was getting mad and figured that, too, would only make matters worse.


Diesel is clumsy.. LOL.. he couldnt run circles around a table if he wanted to  I can see how it wouldnt be funny at 5:00am ... I guess thats why I would NEVER get up that early!


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

LOVEisGOLDEN said:


> is he actually afraid of it (tail tucked, ears back, running away, hiding) or playing (tail wagging, perked ears, etc.)?
> 
> sounds like he is just playing a game to me


No, it's definitely not a game. The poor little knucklehead is terrified by it.

I just took a few minutes, had it laying on the floor and put a little bite of my fake lunchmeat (soy ham) which he loves in the middle of it. It took him a good ten minutes to work up enough courage to get close enough to take the lunchmeat, but he finally did it. I let him repeat it four more times, made a big fuss over him and called it a success. Like jak said - baby steps! I'll leave it alone for a while and maybe later I'll try holding the collar up and see if I can get him to peek his nose through it. :crossfing


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Before you just hold the collar up with the treat, hang it around your wrist (of the hand you are holding treat in) and let him take the treat without the collar being in the way. Next step hold the collar up with the treat. Just one more step to try to desensitize him to the collar.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I dont have any advice because mine love their collars and Beau actually gets upset if he is not wearing it. He feels nakid I think. When I brush him and take it off he keeps trying to put it back on by putting his nose thru the circle. Hopefully working with the treats will help him get the courage and know that it is not a bad thing.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

mylissyk said:


> Before you just hold the collar up with the treat, hang it around your wrist (of the hand you are holding treat in) and let him take the treat without the collar being in the way. Next step hold the collar up with the treat. Just one more step to try to desensitize him to the collar.


That's what I ended up doing. I tried just holding it up in front of me, with the lunch"meat" in my other hand, behind it, so that he'd have to stick his nose through (because I hadn't been back here to read this first.) No go. He wasn't falling for that. So I hung it around my wrist and gradually worked up to just holding it out in front of me. It took a while, but he started doing it! We were playing in between tries, too, so he'd think it was all just a jolly good time. lol. We're at the point where he'll peek his nose through far enough to where the collar is even with the top of his head. I can't go any further or he starts to back away, so I think that's where we're going to stop for today. I'll work with him a little bit more tonight.

LOL - Gunner's loving this. He stands right there while I'm working with Riley, so he's getting treats for nothing. He probably thinks it's Christmas!


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Ditto the breaking it up into smaller steps, each one individually executed with the help of wonderful treats.

You can also pair reaching for him, over him, around him, etc. with food. One hand feeds while the other reaches for him. 

Could start fresh with a new collar - one that he has no reason to have a specific association with. (Dogs are master discriminators, so to them, not all collars may be created equal.)

Try draping something else around his neck while you feed.... a leash, etc.





jak_sak said:


> Ummm, apply some chicket broth to the collar and make him smell it, maybe a lick it. You want to make him associate the collar with something nice.
> 
> Also the first time, let him come to you, smell the collar, give him a treat. Second time, let him lick it, give a treat. Third time, leave it on the floor beside him, give him a treat if he stays. You get the point. Baby steps at a time. Break down "putting the collar on" into 5-6 steps. Execute one at a time until he is comfy. Good luck.
> 
> ...


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## Davey (Mar 29, 2008)

*Phobic??*

Unless he's playing it sounds irrational enough to be a phobia. Behavior modification is the most effective "permanent" solutions. You can find some relevant suggestions at the Yankee Golden Rescue website under fear of thunder and loud noises. The trick is a gradual exposure with advancing closeness or increasing exposure. I do like the chicken broth suggestion for the same reason. Maybe even start with a neutral(emotionally) strip of fabric soaked in broth and then get objects more and more resenbling the collar. Also I assume you are fastening around his neck instead of slipping it over his head as that may be a further complication or different perceived threat. 

There are numerous books on dog behavior that may help especially if is is a phobic avoidance. The good thing in treating phobias behaviorlyy is you never have to know what association started it all (dogs aren't overly good in psychoanalysis  ).

Goo luck let us know how it goes.

Dave


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