Collar
Grooming & Handling · 24 steps · by Push Drop Stick
Your Dog will learn to enjoy having a collar put on, taken off, and grabbed.
**Why train collar grabs?** Practicing a collar grab before you hand over a treat teaches Your Dog to come right up to you and feel comfortable being held. That way you can always secure Your Dog in a pinch, even when you do not have a treat in your hand.
**Why a collar?** A flat collar is the best place for Your Dog's ID tags, and it makes a handy backup attachment point for a dog who might wriggle out of a harness.
**Puppies:** Getting your puppy happy about wearing a collar and having it grabbed is wonderful socialization during the puppy window (around 4 to 16 weeks), when puppies learn what is safe and normal in their world. Because a young puppy usually has no fear to undo and soaks up new experiences fast, you can often run this plan in **proof mode** (proof levels 1 and 2, the harder review steps) so your puppy breezes through it faster than an adult dog might need. Keep every rep positive and let your puppy set the pace.
**Split:** If Your Dog is scared of their collar, start the plan on the first split. It can also help to start with a new collar that has no negative history attached to it.
Training steps
Pair the sight of the collar with treats at a distance
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
When Your Dog is not expecting it, show them the collar from a distance, then surprise them by tossing a generous handful of tasty treats so they can eat without getting close to the collar.
Success: Your Dog eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Pair the sight of the collar with treats
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
When Your Dog is not expecting it, show them the collar, then surprise them with a generous handful of tasty treats. Do not approach Your Dog with the collar. Stay where you are and let them choose to come get the treats, approaching the collar on their own terms. Between reps, sit with Your Dog without feeding them and keep the collar hidden. This contrast will have Your Dog thinking “where is that collar? I want to see it again because great things happen when it appears!”
Success: Your Dog approaches and eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Put the collar on the floor and sprinkle treats around it
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
When Your Dog is not expecting it, pick up the collar and place it on the floor, then sprinkle a generous handful of tasty treats onto and around it. Back away so Your Dog can approach and find the treats without any social pressure.
Success: Your Dog approaches and eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Lure toward the hole
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Hold out the collar as if you are about to put it over Your Dog's head, but instead put your hand through the opening and feed Your Dog treats continuously for 5 seconds before pulling it away.
Success: Your Dog approaches your hand and eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Lure nose into the hole
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Size the collar so it is large enough to slip over Your Dog's head. Hold it out as if you are about to put it on, but instead put your hand through the opening and lure their nose into it. Feed treats continuously for 5 seconds before pulling it away.
Success: Your Dog puts their nose into the collar.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Lure head into the head hole
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Lure Your Dog's head into the hole and feed treats continuously for 5 seconds before pulling it away.
Success: Your Dog puts their head into the collar.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Lure head through the head hole
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Lure Your Dog's head through the hole and feed treats continuously for 5 seconds before pulling it away.
Success: Your Dog puts their head through the collar.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Put nose into collar
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Hold out the collar as if you are about to put it on, then wait and see if Your Dog approaches and puts their nose through the opening on their own. Feed through the collar opening from your other hand.
Success: Your Dog puts their nose through the collar.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Fade the lure
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Hold out the collar and wait to see if Your Dog approaches and puts their head through on their own, without seeing food first. Feed through the collar from your other hand.
Success: Your Dog puts their head through the collar.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Pretend to clip the collar on
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Unclip the collar and hold it out in a U shape. Wait for Your Dog to approach and put their head into the U, then touch the clips together without actually clipping them, remove the collar, and feed a treat.
Success: Your Dog approaches and allows the collar to be put on.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Put the collar on loose using the clip
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Unclip the collar and hold it out in a U shape. Wait for Your Dog to approach and put their head into the U, then clip it on and feed treats for 5 seconds before taking it off.
Success: Your Dog approaches and allows the collar to be put on.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Put the collar on with a proper fit
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Resize the collar to fit properly, then clip it on or slip it over Your Dog's head. Feed treats for 5 seconds, then take it off.
Success: Your Dog approaches and allows the collar to be put on.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Walk around with it on, feed every 2 steps
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Put the collar on and then walk around your house, feeding every 2 steps.
Success: Your Dog is relaxed in the collar.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Walk around with it on, feed every 4 steps
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Put the collar on and then walk around your house, feeding every 4 steps.
Success: Your Dog is relaxed in the collar.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Walk around with it on, feed every 6 steps
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Put the collar on and then walk around your house, feeding every 6 steps.
Success: Your Dog is relaxed in the collar.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Reach for collar up to 1 foot away
Setup: Your Dog is standing around or lying down and not expecting anything.
Randomly, without saying anything, approach Your Dog and reach toward their collar but stop 1 foot short, then quickly give them 1 treat from your pocket.
Success: Your Dog stays still.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch collar for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is standing around or lying down and not expecting anything.
Build a positive association with collar handling by randomly approaching Your Dog, without saying anything, and touching their collar for 1 second. Quickly give them a treat from your pocket.
Success: Your Dog stays still.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch collar for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is standing around or lying down and not expecting anything.
Randomly, without saying anything, approach Your Dog and touch their collar for 3 seconds. Quickly give them 1 to 2 treats from your pocket.
Success: Your Dog stays still.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Grab collar for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is standing around or lying down and not expecting anything.
Randomly, without saying anything, approach Your Dog and gently grab their collar for 1 second. Quickly give them a treat from your pocket.
Success: Your Dog stays still.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Grab collar for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is standing around or lying down and not expecting anything.
Randomly, without saying anything, approach Your Dog and gently grab their collar for 3 seconds. Feed 2 to 3 treats while you are holding it.
Success: Your Dog stays still.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Lure Your Dog to take a step while you're holding it
Setup: Your Dog is standing around or lying down and not expecting anything.
Gently grab Your Dog's collar and then use a treat lure in your other hand to prompt them to walk 1 step with you while you are holding it.
Success: Your Dog stays still.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Lure Your Dog to walk 3 steps while you're holding it
Setup: Your Dog is standing around or lying down and not expecting anything.
Gently grab Your Dog's collar and then use a treat lure in your other hand to prompt them to walk 3 steps with you while you are holding it. Feed the treat on the last step.
Success: Your Dog stays still.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Grab collar and walk 1 step
Setup: Your Dog is standing around or lying down and not expecting anything.
Gently grab Your Dog's collar and then use your voice and other hand to prompt them to walk 1 step with you while you are holding it. Feed a treat from your pocket on the last step.
Success: Your Dog stays still.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Grab collar and walk 3 steps
Setup: Your Dog is standing around or lying down and not expecting anything.
Gently grab Your Dog's collar and then use your voice and other hand to prompt them to walk 3 steps with you while you are holding it. Feed a treat from your pocket on the last step.
Success: Your Dog stays still.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Congratulations! You now have a dog who loves their collar.
Use plenty of high-value treats on the first few real-life collar grabs and keep the positive association strong by giving Your Dog a treat every time they put it on for a few weeks.
If Your Dog starts avoiding their collar, that's completely okay! Simply Drop back to a step they're comfortable with and work through the plan again or restart the plan with proof steps. Go at Your Dog's pace and do as much training as they need.