Getting Used to a Collar

Hello fellow Corgi-ans,

We just picked up our wonderful Wyatt from the Breeder last Friday. He is 10 weeks old and as delightful as can be: he's responding well to our training, totally healthy, sleeping through the night in his crate, and going potty on his potty pads consistently (with a few near-miss accidents here and there). Anywho, I just started putting his collar on him to get him accustomed to it and he absolutely despises it. I expected some resistance at first, but the poor little guy got downright depressed and just laid down, pouted, and whined. I'm positive it wasn't too tight fitting--if anything it's too loose. I left it on him for about 45 minutes then removed it and he went back to being his spritely little self. Should I just put it on him a various intervals until he finally accepts it? How did you get your pups acquainted with their collars?

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Permalink Reply by Karen Dadisman on November 23, 2011 at 9:27pm

I'd just put it on him and ignore his fussing. He'll get over it. You just gave him what he wanted, the collar off. He won!

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Permalink Reply by Chelsea and Wyatt on November 23, 2011 at 9:29pm

Yeah, I think I've just fallen prey to the manipulative powers of the Corgi brain. Haha.

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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on November 23, 2011 at 9:35pm

Those powers are very strong in corgis!!

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Permalink Reply by Beth on November 23, 2011 at 11:15pm

I wouldn't leave it on that long. I'd put it in, let him lick some pb or cream cheese from a kong, and take it off. Put it on, play a quick game of tug, take it off. Put it and a leash on, take him out and bring him back in. And so on.

Also make sure it's a soft puppy collar and not too wide.

He will get used to it in no time if he learns that every time the collar goes on, something good happens. I can't remember clearly but I think I put Jack's on every time I fed him as a pup.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on November 24, 2011 at 9:07am

I just put them on a bit loose(1/2 inch looser) and leave them on. Yes, they want you to think they are being killed but I don't fool around with collars.

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Permalink Reply by Carry Mackenzie on November 24, 2011 at 9:31am

Our guy is a bit younger he never took much notice of his collar he just scratched a bit at it- it has no tags or anything that could catch on it just the collar...

He associates it with going on walks now he has been on 3- try to give it a good association:))) Happy Thanksgiving to you all:)))

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Permalink Reply by Jane on November 24, 2011 at 11:04am

I would just put it on and leave it on. He might be mopey for a day but he'll get over it quickly.

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Permalink Reply by Alison Prasavath on November 24, 2011 at 11:19am

We started out with a collar on Noodles, but he never got used to it. We probably only tried it for a couple weeks and then decided to use a harness on him. Other than a flea collar, he doesn't wear a collar and we only use a harness when he goes for walks.

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Permalink Reply by Beth on November 24, 2011 at 5:48pm

We don't leave collars on in the house, so our dogs associate collars with something happening. I think that even if you plan on leaving a collar on your adult dog 24/7, a puppy shouldn't wear one all the time if you are crate training. They are in and out of the crate/ pen so much, and a crated dog should never be left with a collar on. They can get caught and choke.