Does not tolerate leashes/collars

[Jodi Rae]

Our 3 month old boxer named Baby Girl is having so many issues with her collar, needless to say leash. Even her trainer said she has never seen a dog this stubborn about it.

She will run around and be all personality...playing and whatnot... UNTIL you put her collar on her. Then she just lays down and I can't get her to get back up or do anything. I have tried leaving it on her just to see if she would get used to it but she wont even go to the bathroom outside when it is on her.

Then, when you try to put the leach on her, she has her butt planted to the ground and I cant get her to move...not even by bribing her with treats. Any ideas?

 

[Sansal]

I think I have to disagree with your trainer! I don't think Baby Girl is acting stubborn. I think she is probably just overwhelmed and possibly frightened.
I would stop forcing the collar on her and start from scratch. Let her sniff the collar, give her lots of praise and treats and only put it back on her when she is totally comfortable and calm. Don't expect too much too soon, it might take a while for her to get used to it.

 

[NateBazooka]

I agree with Sansal about using treats and praise to try and get her comfortable with the collar, as well as exercising patience and being realistic with your short term goals.


I'm also curious about what time frame you're talking about when you say you leave the collar on her and she doesn't do anything, just lays down.

I've been lucky to have a dog who has not been stubborn or fearful about almost anything, but that said, instances where he's resisted something like a collar, a leash, I've had pretty good luck by just taking an attitude of "tough noogies". Kevin (my pup) complained and tried to get his collar off for the first fifteen minutes that he had it on, and for an even longer period of time once it had a name and vaccination tag on it (when it started to jingle). But he eventually stopped, and now he doesn't care if it's on or if it's off.

Obviously, this is not a tact you want to take if your dog is thrashing around and may hurt himself. But, assuming that this is not what you meant when you said you've tried putting the collar on and leaving it, I'd say it might be worthwhile to put the collar and leash on inside, and just leaving it, for a long period of time. Try playing with the dog, offering treats, making a positive environment, but if the dog is just being a brick on the ground and not reacting, just let the dog lay there and work it out herself. See if she doesn't eventually get hungry, thirsty, or just tired of laying there, and get up. And then praise her when she's moving. Let her drag the leash around as she moves about the house. Treat this as a separate issue than the walk - just let her get used to having the collar and the leash on, and then later you can work on her walking with you as you hold the leash. Be extremely patient with this.


Best of luck!

 

[LILYLARUE]

My best advice is to start with the collar loosely on the neck around the house. Make it a fun event! Put it on, give a treat, then take it off. Repeat for 5 minutes then forget the collar and go right to playing. Then do the collar play for another 5 minutes. Do this a few times a day. After a day or two, start to increase the time the collar is one, but continue with collar then play. After a few more days, then leave the collar on during the play sessions. After a week, you should then have the collar on most of the time around the house and the pup should be ok with it by then. This is when you introduce the leash into the play just like you did with the collar. This time you want to spend a day or two just putting it on and taking it off, increasing the time it's on. After a few days, then leave on the leash for the play session. Each day, leave the leash on longer and even after the play sessions. Just let her drag it around behind her.

The idea of this is to desensetize her to the whole collar-to-leash process. That she can still go about her business without noticing the collar is on and that putting on the leash means happy times!

If it doesn't seem to work, then maybe a harness would be less confining to her. Some dogs just don't like collars and refuse to move with it on, but a harness seems to work wonders!

 

[Jodi Rae]

Sorry it has taken me so long to get back, I have been at a conference all week. Anyway, I worked on it with her a bit last night, we went to Petsmart and I got her a really thin, light collar that is almost foam like and she seems to be doing a little better at it. She still has her pouting moments when she will try to scratch it off and realized she can't so she will hide under the bed but it is not nearly as bad as it was. Thanks to all for your help!