Hi everybody
As you may know I have a 15 wk old chi called Barni, well today I tried putting on collar for first time and he got really anxious and snacked at me. Very out of character as he is usually laid back and never fazed by anything. Needless to say he has not got collar on!
Any advice,tips or stories on how you managed with your babies would be appreciated, also should I have made a fuss over snacking incident or just put it down to him being scared.
Just read this back and I sound a right dum-dum, but what the heck I'm posting it anyway.
sue

Hi, I would put it on and leave it there no matter what he does. when you put collars on for the first time all dogs hate them, they scratch and kick up a fuss and when they realise they can't get it off they sulk. But after a while they lose interest in it and eventually forget about it. I am going to appear a dum dum now because I don't know what you mean by snacking. Something you shouldn't do between meals I thought :D If you mean he snapped at you, see what he does this time round. If he does it again, don't let him have his way and take the collar off again, tell him off and leave it on. If he learns he can have his way by snapping he may use it again. Sorry, I may be going OTT here, I am used to dealing with malamutes but dominance can come in all sizes:)

Everyone always says introduce the collar slowly - well to be honest I can't be bothered with that. I bought little cat collars for my puppies and stuck them on and left them on. They spent a day or so scratching at them and messing with them and complaining. After about day three they forget they're there.

Wendy

Wendy, hadn't thought of it that way, but its an unlooked for advantage of big litters of same coloured pups. Mine get 'collars' of knicker elastic coloured with food dye at birth for easy identification, and graduate to different coloured cat collars when they start coming out of the whelping box. I suppose its not surprising that none of them ever objects to their first proper dog collar :-).

Ahh - I see how that sounded. I didn't mean I had a litter of puppies (though that would be a great way of telling them apart). I meant puppies when I got them (ie 8 and 12 weeks old).

We got the cat collars with the stretchy bit that if it catches they can get out of it. Also have little bells on them to hear what the critters are getting into LOL. And come in bright colours (as pointed out by my breeder) so you can see them at a distance in the garden:)

Wendy

Gotcha now Wendy :-).

Hi Sue, agree with Jayne. Barni snapped and got what he wanted. Best not to let it happen again imo.

Thanks everyone for your help,yes I did mean snapping not snacking!! no problem with snacking he can't get enough of them. Will put collar on again today and leave it on, I knew he would kick up a fuss but not that much. Will show him who is boss today (famous last words)
Will let you know how we got on - if he lets me!!
sue

I always started by putting it on at mealtimes but never had any trouble so usually just left it afterwards
Anne

We put Hollys collar on her in the car on the way home from collecting her. She accepted it straight away and has never been bothered by it.

Fiona
x x x

Hello Sooti,

Just a little observation here - your first Post referred to 'babies' - it is psycologically interesting why people think this way, afterall would you refer to a human baby as a 'puppy'!! (I am not being rude to you, just making an interesting observation).

Secondly, you automatically asked whether you should consider there was a 'justifiable' reason for your puppy to 'snap' at you - there is NEVER any acceptable reason for this, let him know it is NOT ACCEPTABLE!

Lastly, you state you will now "Show him who's boss", then in the next breath state "If he lets me" - You are already CONSIDERING DEFEAT!!

I hope you will accept this response with the light-hearted manner it was intended, BUT with a serious MORAL! - You are the boss, end of arguement! That puppy will soon be an adult, so guide, encourage and praise the puppy into the behaviour that you require, say "NO" (and mean it, when necessary). Indicate your displeasure when appropriate. However, the moment the puppy responds correctly to you or stops an unwanted behaviour - praise him with a loving voice.

With regards to you both,
Denise.

Hi Denise, Im quoting you here." There is NEVER an acceptable reson for a puppy to snap at you" Oh no? Extreme pain. extreme fear, are two examples that come to mind straight away. Never ..is a very long time.
Most of us refer to pups as our babies, because that is what they are, baby dogs!

Just to say I agree with phillippa, puppies are baby dogs and can react negatively to new and/or extreme experiences

Theresa