Dear Dr. Diane,
Help! My puppy seems terrified when I put a collar or harness on her. She immediately stops playing, she cowers and won’t willingly go outside to go potty and even then she just huddles in a corner, shaking. For safety reasons we want to be able to put a leash on when outside. She is a 11-week-old rescue pug/mix. She is super energetic when the harness is not on.
First of all, thank you for adopting your rescue dog. I feel confident that once she feels completely safe and comfortable in her new environment she will calm down.
You don’t know the level of abuse or trauma she associates with wearing a collar or harness. She may have been pulled, jerked, verbally and/or physically abused and forced to go into areas and situations that frightened her. She may have been hit, kicked, forced to urinate or defecate each time the collar or harness was put on her in the past. Or, like many other puppies, she simply doesn’t LIKE the collar around her neck.
Initially I would show her the collar and stroke it softly and pet her before placing it around her neck. I would encourage her to sniff it and even play with it and then gently, soothingly hold it up to her face, let her sniff it, put it near you as you cuddle and play with her. The calmly, gently place it around her neck. Once it is around her neck, praise and reward her verbally and initially, even with a treat. Stay by her, and play with her.
Hopefully, eventually, she will associate the collar with “fun” and good times. Keep the collar on her for as long as possible as you go about your household activities and chores. Keep her by your side, and pet and praise her as often as possible. Get her accustomed to wearing the collar and leash inside your home first so that she does not associate them with anything negative or hurtful. Make a game of putting the collar and leash on her so that she associates them with fun. You may even wish to play with the collar with her, i.e. tug-of-war – then catch it around his neck and praise him, then take it off of him. Positive reinforcement and pleasant associations should help combat the issues you and she are currently experiencing.
You may also distract her with treats or toys – you can actually (until she gets used to and comfortable with it) play with it like a toy that she associates with fun and good times. You can put her near the collar and give her a treat. Then you can put the collar on and give her a treat. You can also massage her neck and praise her with a “Good girl”, when then collar is on.
It is extremely important that she wears a collar with id and rabies tags, and be walked on a leash when she is outside her home or backyard. I NEVER let me dogs off-leash when on a city street or in public for obvious safety reasons. I NEVER let my dogs leave home without wearing id & rabies tags either.
Be patient – she will get used to the collar in time. Once she accepts it, leave it on her. Just make sure that everything associated with wearing the collar is pleasant and positive.
Dr. Pomerance is an animal behavior specialist and an expert on topics such as deciding which puppy is best for your family, how to pick out a rescue, and on healing from the loss of a pet.
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