My 6 month old pup is collar shy, in part due to having 3 seperate eye operations for cherry eye where she had to wear an elizabeth collar (lampshade) during her recuperation period.
So she hates having anything put around her neck. Once the collar is on, she's fine.
I have been trying to condition her by removing her nylon flat collar (snap-on type buckle) and rewarding w/ a treat when I put back on. I have just started doing this and so far the results aren't great. She will dodge my hands and if I hold her she will mouth me and struggle.
I want to condition her because I have just purchased a prong for walking purposes and I'd like to condition her to the prong for a week or two before using it.
Any suggestions other than what I am already doing?

Hi Lynne!

Well, this seems like one of those cases when you could be accidentally rewarding her (with the treat) for struggling and mouthing you.

If you'd like to try rewarding her for her good behavior while doing it, you could start with something that takes less time to put on and take off. Like, pantyhose already tied or something stretchy that you can pop on and off quickly, after giving her the "settle" command or whatever you use. That way you can "catch" her being good and reward for that before her wheels get turning too much. To make the reward even better, I'd take her outside right away for some fun, too.

She's 6 months old, so I wouldn't be afraid to firmly (but not angrily) say, "NO, settle." if she gets nutty. Mouthing you is bad pack behavior, after all.

I had a rescue who was very collar shy (he didn't mouth me...he would just roll on his back and tremble and pee)--and I finally made him overcome this by putting his collar (the pantyhose variety) on and off while he was eating (happy and distracted).

Now, bear in mind this dog was hyper-submissive and had zero food issues. I wouldn't do it with a dog who did. But it worked really well and the association became positive quickly and we graduated to a real collar and treats instead of a pantyhose one and meals. Just an idea, if you're dog isn't food aggressive.

The other thing to note is that some dogs will get over it just by doing it a lot. Even without the rewards. But I think it's better to take the small time it takes to do it the "nice" way! and also, she really shouldn't be allowed to mouth you for this and you don't want her really establishing that behavior in her mind at collar time.

Since it's obviously not a dominance issue, and she's not just being a little brat because of the past experiences I would do this 100% positive. If it were me, I would change the treats to the highest value treats you can find. Whatever she likes best. If it's her food, use that. Then, when she's hungry work on it. Keep marking putting on and taking off the collar with a treat just like you've been doing but refuse to struggle with her. She only eats when she sits and lets you put on a collar. If she keeps avoiding then calmly put the food up and try it again later. It will click very quickly that right now she has to let you put on a collar to eat. Stay happy and calm throughout this exercise (which is the hardest thing to do, because you just want to grab her and say "enough, put this on!").

 Quote: Amber Morgan

Hi Lynne!

Well, this seems like one of those cases when you could be accidentally rewarding her (with the treat) for struggling and mouthing you.

Definately a possibility!

I think I will combine suggestions from both you and John and try it at dinner time with her flat collar. She is very new to raw and LOVES it, and is very food motivated anyway, so I will up the ante and make her work for her dinner. Thanks for the advice...

Amber and John just wanted to report that it worked like a charm. I waited til dinner and placed her dish in sight. She sat like a lady with no mouthing and allowed the collar to be put on. She jumped a bit when the buckle clicked, but that was it. Thanks again!

YAY! You should get one of those Staples buttons: "That was easy!"

Seriously, glad things are seeing such a quick improvement.

Yay! glad this worked for you, great suggestions and comments you got. I just want to add that for continuing to condition her to the collar/make the collar possitive, hold it up already buckled/together so that it is a circle, and hold your hand with that high value treat reward inside the circle of the collar. I have done this with head shy horses who had trouble haltering and it has worked for head shy dogs too. This way hands+collar=good things. Putting the collar in the food bowl, around the egde of the food bowl also to help her see collar=good things.

Just a suggestion

 Quote: jennifer marshal

Yay! glad this worked for you, great suggestions and comments you got. I just want to add that for continuing to condition her to the collar/make the collar possitive, hold it up already buckled/together so that it is a circle, and hold your hand with that high value treat reward inside the circle of the collar. I have done this with head shy horses who had trouble haltering and it has worked for head shy dogs too. This way hands+collar=good things. Putting the collar in the food bowl, around the egde of the food bowl also to help her see collar=good things.

Just a suggestion

I have to say, EXCELLENT suggestions for very collar shy dogs! That's so funny because I have also done this with horses years ago, and wouldn't you think that I would have made the obvious switch over to dogs? {head smack} A "dur" moment. I am certainly going to add this to my arsenal with clients. Thanks, Jennifer.

thanks Amber! I have a tendency to incorporate training methods into a variety of species - from fish, to ferrets, to cats, to dogs, horses, and birds. People think I'm odd sometimes but working with different species gives me a wide array of options in training.

Yes, I have "trained" fish and I will say they don't sit or heel very well but they can go through a maze, swim circles, and jump out of the water to take food off a finger pretty nicely.

Now if only I could get the ferrets to cooperate I'd have me some PPFs... :-p

I'm not crazy.. I swear!

 Quote: Jennifer Marshal

I just want to add that for continuing to condition her to the collar/make the collar possitive, hold it up already buckled/together so that it is a circle, and hold your hand with that high value treat reward inside the circle of the collar. I have done this with head shy horses who had trouble haltering and it has worked for head shy dogs too. This way hands+collar=good things. Putting the collar in the food bowl, around the egde of the food bowl also to help her see collar=good things.

Yep, I'll be incorporating this techique also. She is getting kibble in the a.m., so I did the same thing that I did w/ the raw last night. No go! She did eventually allow the collar to go on, but obviously the kibble doesn't have a high enough value to get her to sit still.
Tomorrow morning I'll put the buckled collar around her food dish and keep at it!