My boy Marley is coming up on 15 weeks tomorrow. He's growing pretty fast right now and I like to take off his collar every couple of days and adjust it if necessary and just to let him run naked for a bit. The last several times I've done this, he's struggled like crazy to get away from me. So, I tried putting some food on the floor in front of him today to distract him but he wanted none of it and squirmed away. I'd like to get him fitted for a harness soon but I'm afraid that if he's being this bad about his collar, a harness will be impossible. I have been clicker training him with good success but don't have enough hands to use the clicker and handle food and get his collar on/off at the same time.... any advise for me?
My 13 week old is jumpy at times when trying to put his collar on but isn't too bad. I've been putting my fingers under his collar almost every time I pat him, when he gets a bit of food, during his meals etc . I don't take the collar on and off each him but just handle it. Good luck!
You mean you leave the collar on all the time? I used to but now it's only on for walks. Saves the neck hair and I think the association with a walk helped him view it in a favourable way, when he was a puppy.
Do you have someone who can help you? One of you can click and treat and the other one handles the collar. Treat this like any training issue - start with the smallest step, which is probably you reaching towards the collar but not touching. Click and treat if he allows that. Only very gradually build up to actually touching, then holding then taking the collar off. Click and treat every tiny step leading up to that end point.
Also if two of you are going to work together first agree on a plan so you can be co-ordinated and the click and treat is timed well
We put collars on pups for male times only at first - and when we go out with them. Some take longer to accept them than others. All new equipment is put on at meal times only for a week or so, to build up good associations ...
no helper for me unfortunately....the good news is we went to pet store today and got him a harness and he let the man in the store fit him for it with no problems, had to take on and off 3 times to get it to fit right. Hoping that's a good sign.
That's good I'd be using plenty of treats when you put the harness on, to keep him feeling happy about it. Just try putting a small handful of kibble on the floor for him while you put it on.
