# Puppy doesn't like harness/collar



## Guster (Sep 8, 2009)

I have a 13-week old Pomeranian puppy. It's not that he doesn't mind wearing the collar or harness, he just doesn't like the process of them being put on or taken off.

When I try to put it on him, _sometimes_ he'll start to pull his head away and then he snarls his lips and snaps. I know that these are all warning signs for me to stop. However, I don't know that if I just let him snap and I stop, that just teaches him that when he snarls and snaps, he gets to stop tasks he doesn't want to do.

I've tried treating him while putting on and taking off the harness or collar. It's seems strange that it's only sometimes he gets like this. Sometimes he'll let me just slide it right on and other times he acts like it's the most terrible thing happening to him.

Any suggestions or thoughts?


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

I would make a game of it with treats. The object of the game is to put on and take off a collar. Start with a buckle collar and do not buckle it. Put it around his neck and immediately remove it. Use relaly good treats. 1/2 dime size bits of hot dog or steak or cheese or SPAM. 

I would also get this dog on a clicker. www.clickertraining.com

when you have charged the clicker, put the collar on the floor. If the dog looks at the collar, Click/Treat (C/T). If he moves toward it, C/T. If he pickes it up C/T. 

Move on to holding it in your hand.. C/T every time he looks at it or sniffs it or takes hold of it with his mouth. 

Repeat only move the collar toward him. If he stands his ground and does not bark etc. then C/T. Move in tiny steps to put the collar on and take it off.. C/T with each bit of progress. 

The object is associative. If the dog associates the collar with reward, he may be more accepting of it in the future. Once he is good with a buckle collar, move up to one you slip over his head... and repeat the process.

Same with the harness. 

Work in no more than 5 minute intervals with paly in between and work for no more than 20 minute blocks of time altogether (work and breaks). I would do this 2X a day and I would bet in a week when you take out that collar, your puppy will get all excited and happy to see it. 

After you put it on and take it off and he is happy about it.. leave it on and 15 minutes later attach the leash and go outside. Do not get the leash attaching and putting on the harness, collar etc. associated together. Keep them separate actions at this point. 

If attaching the leash and going out is the problem, because the puppy is afraid of the bid ol' world, then you want to separate all this into 3 acts.. 15 minutes apart. 

Put on collar. Leave on for 15 minutes. Put on leash. Allow puppy to drag leash around for 15 minutes. Pick up leash and go outside. 

I am not saying he is afraid.. you did not mention it so I am (in case someone else has that problem too).


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## Guster (Sep 8, 2009)

Thanks for the suggestions. I think that we'll definitely try it out.


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