Hi

If you haven't read my other post my westie robbie has just had a trichoblastoma tumour removed on his back and he has got to wear a collar, due to his skin problems we decided an elizabethan collar wasn't good as he has lip fold problems, i borrowed a bite not collar from my friend which goes round the neck then has a strap for the belly the only thing with this is that the neck is held tight so they cannot get to the wound and this means he cannot put his head right down on the floor to go to sleep, when we put this on last night before he went to bed he sleeps in a crate and has done so since a puppy and has always been fine just settled down and slept all night, last night he reared up and wouldn't go in the crate so 1 of us slept up all night with him but even out of the crate he just paced and whined all night with it on, as soon as it comes off to eat he is fine but whines when it goes back on.
He is just so tired bless him he keeps trying to go to sleep but where his head won't go right on the floor he then wakes up again he hasn't thought of laying on his side to go to sleep, i have ordered a comfy collar but this wont be here till saturday and i just wondered if anybody else had tried these collars and found there dogs were fine with them they have got a website they are made in san fransisco but available over here to buy.
We cannot sit up every night with him and he defo has to have some sort of collar on as he goes for the wound straight away on his back, but what collar to put on it another thing, i must admit this does restrict his neck but you can get 2 fingers up through the collar so not stopping him swallowing or anything just that his neck is restricted like i say for laying down.
I want to try and get him back in the crate again at night as he doesnt settle so well being lose as he has always known his crate and loved it, any ideas would be very grateful for

I'm not familiar with the type of collar you describe but I'd be cautious about any collar that distressed my dog. I have one that gets anxious about the bucket type collar and would stand rigid unless I helped him to lie down and stayed with him which rather defeats the point as I am then able to stop him biting or scratching

I'd try and find an alternative solution which allowed me to be with the dog through the night without disturbing too many routines.  However it's only for a few days so relatively easy to cope with less sleep.  Can you have Robbie in your room with you overnight?  Perhaps he could wear a t-shirt instead of his collar or maybe he'd be ok with his collar if he was in his crate next to your bed?

For a few days, and for the sake of a more restful recovery, you may just need to follow his lead.  Hope all goes well :)