Collar phobia

labgirl

labgirl

Forums Sage
Merlin has never liked his collar being held, mostly I can work around it and it isn't a problem, but with agility it's causing an issue because sometimes I need to hold him. If I take his collar as soon as let go he runs off and refuses to continue.

I need to work on this but not entirely sure how?

My first thought was to hold his collar and give him treats to associate a nice thing with his collar being held?

My second thought was to hold his collar, wait until he relaxed and then click reward? But I think the first method may be the way to go, what do you reckon?
 
I'd go with the first option - it's called pairing. It creates a link between something considered unpleasant and something considered very pleasant. Use high value rewards, keep your training sessions short, and do it when he's in a good mood and relaxed. You also need to ask yourself why he doesn't like his collar being held - dogs usually have a reason for acting the way they do, and there's a good chance he's associating something unpleasant with having his collar touched.
 
I think he feels holding his collar restricts his freedom, but he has hated it since he was 8 weeks old. We have made progress because he used to scream when his collar was touched and when he is sitting still he doesn't mind a finger in his collar. But he doesn't like being moved his collar is held.
 
I was also going to suggest a tab, if you can use that.

And if not, then option 1 is best. I believe the way we did it was to call dog over, touch collar (enough that they know we're touching/holding it), release. Click/treat when you release.

Other things you want to associate with the collar grab.
1. That even if they know you're going to grab their collar, they still come to you.
2. When you release the collar, they don't run off.

I think this was part of the Really Reliable Recall. Does anyone have the training steps to that?
 
Interesting. Tully actually runs from the house when I get out a harness, this is despite the fact she only wears a harness when she is going to flyball or bush walking. Both extremely high value activities. I really do think they just don't like the idea of extra restriction - I know Tully soons forget she even has the harness on.

Could it also be that in grabbing his collar you may also be grabbing some of his ruff so he is equating it with having his hair pulled sometimes?

Have you tried a slip lead or choker lead? I use one in agility for Tully - saves me wrestling with trying to find her collar and clip the lead back on. I use these mountain choker leads http://www.callicoma.com.au/leads1.htm#Mountain_choker_leads. I'm not advocating them for normal walking but they are used a lot here for agility.

We also sell snub leads at the club for off lead work. They are basically just really short leads with a knot at one end to make it easier to grab your dog. You could easily make one yourself using an old lead. http://www.petalia.com.au/templates/prodsublist.cfm?group_no=6711
 
Same problem with Lexi. She would duck every time I tried to get her by the collar. I think I grabbed her hair with her collar. I can't blame her, that had to hurt. So, I just attached one of her baby collars to her collar and it gave me something to grab without getting hair.....worked so great the whole class does the same thing now! Make sure the grab collar isn't too big, or they can get their feet caught in the loop.
 
Thanks all.

I have ordered an agility harness. Merlin had a smaller size when he first started agility and he had no problems with me grabbing that, and then all that fur came in and it wouldn't fit. I know the harness works and he actually seems calmer in it, but I would still like to be able to hold his collar in an emergency.

I tried the slip lead idea Caro, I thought that would be perfect. He loves his normal lead and comes to me to have it clipped on because it means 'walkies', but the slip he absolutely despised. I would put it on and he would refuse to budge unless I dragged him, not sure why he didn't like it.

Thing is he never bothers about having his lead clipped on and always comes to me, its just if he has his collar held.

The shortened lead I have also tried, but he really hates anything hanging off him and refuses to do certain objects. So I think the harness may have to be the solution.

Gosh Merlin is fussy!

The one positive is because I know he doesn't like his collar held I have worked very hard on off-lead manners and getting him to come to me/stick by me during class. His 'here' command, meaning come to heel, is very good and means I can pull him away from doing the wrong obstacle on a course and have him turn on a sixpence if he goes wrong, which is an advantage as I am way too slow for him!
 
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