MrToby Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Hey everyone, hope all is well... We have started to put Toby's collar and harness on him, trying to get him used to them so we are able to go for little walks... Have been putting it on him for the last 2 weeks i guess, and each time we put either the collar or the harness on him he freezes. He will just sit and not move at all, not even coaxing him with treats or toys moves him. He has walked a few steps with his harness on, but even then it was like he was off balance with his tiny rear legs.. Anyone have any suggestions, or knowledge of the above ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal House Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 I would make sure its only a lightweight collar and harness as well. Put it on him and just leave him be, he will eventually get up and move. Actually I would just try the collar first. Do it just before dinner time, or when you know he will be active. Then I would get up and just walk over the other side of the room or wherever and make like you are doing something interesting, and just ignore him. They get used to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 What caz said. You put it on.. and put his food down, or whatever. if he wants to stay frozen- let him. Don't try & cajole/bribe/force- just leave him be.It might take a half hour- but he WILL move- either to walk, or lie down... when he does, then QUIETLy praise him.. and remove the collar/harness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrToby Posted January 10, 2010 Author Share Posted January 10, 2010 It is as light as we could find. In fact in would fit the Guinea Pig without a drama it is that small..We have tried the ignore bit as well, he just continues to sit on the one spot. Might try the before dinner idea tonight thank you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal House Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 How long have you left it on him for? If he is still there an hour later, there might be a problem. A cat collar would probably be all he needs at this stage, even maybe try putting a piece of ribbon around his neck (under supervision of course) and see how he goes. He is such a tiny little thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrToby Posted January 10, 2010 Author Share Posted January 10, 2010 Maybe 30 minutes at this stage.. His collar and harness is crazy small, and would weigh a few grams at best.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Scrape the harness & just get him use to the collar. When we are training our babies(who never have collars) on we head outside & train there as its a fun place & they can venture on there own & follow.We dont do it inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrToby Posted January 10, 2010 Author Share Posted January 10, 2010 Put his collar on tonight before his dinner. He sat and did not move for about 30 minutes, then we went straight for his cuddle teddy and sooked there. Took the collar off after an hour, he stayed still for about 5 minutes, then straight for his dinner, and is moving around fine now.. We made sure he could see his dinner get put down and all.. Will keep this going for this coming week and hopefully he may progress.. The hardest bit is training ourselves to not give in to his little sooky look...He is good at that already.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 if it were me- no collar- no dinner ..... Now he has learnt that if he sooks for an hour- you WILL remove the collar- and he can then eat in peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 It's a collar not the end of the world. Put his collar on and ignore him, with the exception of taking him out and popping him on the lawn for his toilet stops. He'll get over it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Removing the collar when he is still worried about it compounds the problem. Put it on and leave it on- for a whole day and evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 I put on a light weight collar and lead and let the pup drag it around the house whenever I am home so they get used to it in a non threatening way, also associating these items with positive things like food. Don't pander the pup or take the collar or lead off unless you're ending on a positive note. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 (edited) Put the collar on and leave it on. He'll get used to it. An elastic cat collar would probably be big enough. That's what I used on my poodle pups. Edited January 12, 2010 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrToby Posted January 12, 2010 Author Share Posted January 12, 2010 We put it back on him tonight. Thought we would give him a little break after his shots and nose drops..But he seems a little better with it now, have left it on him and he is in bed now ( 10pm) See how he is in the morning but it will be staying on him.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narcissa Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 My Chi pup had a similiar reaction to the collar and harness, but he was definitely more adverse to the harness. Yes, I totally know how small these contraptions are for Chihuahua puppies! I had collars made for 5.5" necks so they fit fine, and one is velvet with elastic banding to allow for room to grow and comfort. Like what everyone said: Put it on, and leave it on. After ignoring him for a while, and him realising that nothing was being put on hold for him and his discomfort, he just joined right back into the activity. I did a great show of playing with his favourite toy though.. The harness was harder. We worked with the harness for 5 minutes the first day, then increasing the time by 5mins each time. As Maxey is totally not motivated by food or treats, and his toys weren't working, we figured his greatest lure was "Mommy" haha. Had the OH hold him on the harness while I call out to him a few feet away, patting my lap etc, and on the third day, he took his first steps in the harness. We then increased the distance he had to walk, and showered lots of praise and hugs when he walked into my lap. He now go for walks happily in the harness So keep working with Toby, and good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 These things are so quick and easy to deal with when you use a little desensitising. Look, puppy, the collar in my hand *food*, here it is *food*, puppy sniffs it *food*, puppy touches it *food*. You don't even have to get them to touch it for a while. Just present it, feed a treat, present it, feed a treat. It takes hardly any time at all and you don't have a puppy that is sad. I've overcome similar things in five minutes with a handful of ordinary treats. It's just so easy there's no need to make them endure something they don't like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodle proud Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Midnight is like this with her harness. She freezes when its put on. I don't think she is scared of it but I think she thinks it limits her movement. Once she gets walking she is fine. I do let her sniff it and make steps towards me before I put it on though so that it is not somethingI'm forcing on her. I saw this on Cesar Millan. Don't know if it helps. Now the life jacket. Thats another story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrToby Posted January 16, 2010 Author Share Posted January 16, 2010 We let him play with his collar for a little while, and put it back on him... Has been scratching at it a little bit, but he is getting used to it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PandaGirl Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 Put the collar on and leave it on. He'll get used to it. An elastic cat collar would probably be big enough. That's what I used on my poodle pups. I was starting to wonder if I was the only one who did that. I never got the 'collar training' stuff. Just stick it on and they'll get over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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