Last week we talked about how a collar is best used mainly as a source of identification rather than for control. But there are times when you may have to grab your dog quickly or restrain her either by her collar or scruff if she slips her collar (or prefers to go
au naturale).
Handling a dog around the collar area can be tricky; for many dogs the only experience they've had with collar/neck handling has been for punishment, uncomfortable procedures, or to end the fun. What a drag!
These negative experiences can teach your dog to become hand-shy or very difficult to catch. The best way to avoid this all too common problem is to
train your dog to looove collar grabs from the get go.
Is your dog already as slippery as a wet seal at the park or around bath or bedtime? Good news! It is never too late to change your dog's mind,
teach him to be comfortable and relaxed when being handled. Tip: Rather than playing chase with your dog which only teaches her to play keep away (and how is she supposed to know the difference between a game and an emergency?), why not play "catch" instead? Make collar grabbing and
chasing you your dog's favorite games for extra safety insurance and fun!
At first make it really easy by starting the game when your dog is not over-excited and is standing still near you. Use a *chase game* word or phrase such as "Can't Catch Me!" and move a few feet away from your dog in a playful way. It may help to take a running stance, play-run away, and to pretend to *fall* and collapse to the floor. You dog will surely approach (and probably starting licking you playfully), when she does gently grab her collar and then give her a morsel of her very favorite treat, kiss and play for a second, release her and repeat. Increase the difficultly by adding distance, duration, energy, and movement to your game in tiny increments with each round.
Keep the game short and sweet, just play for two minutes or so but do play often, once or twice a day. In just a few sessions you'll be running around your house and garden, or playing hide and seek. You'll have a dog you can catch at any time because she'll come running to *catch* you and get grabbed for her reward. You may use tug or fetch as the reward for collar grabs as well, especially as you progress in the game, and eventually the reward becomes the game itself!
If your dog really loves to be chased,
like Dune does, and you don't want to take that away from him be sure to intersperse your game with lots of short control exercises such as emergency sit/down or lightening fast recalls and use more chase
as the reward for stopping or coming when requested.
