At this point, you’re probably well aware that we’ve big advocates for all dogs wearing a silicone dog collar and an ID tag. They help to keep your dog safe and healthy, which is definitely one of your main responsibilities as a pet owner. But, dogs have their own personalities. And, some of those personalities don’t seem to like dog collars very well. If you’ve got a pupper who refuses to wear his dog collar, you’re probably wondering what you can do. Here’s how to put a collar on a dog that hates wearing one! 1. Determine why your dog hates the collar. If you’ve adopted your dog from an animal shelter, find out from the shelter whether or not they rescued your dog from an abusive situation. There are lots of reasons that dogs might hate collars, but animal abuse is definitely one of them. The act of you approaching them with something to basically restrain them is enough to trigger their fight-or-flight response, and many dogs run and hide to avoid getting their collar put on. Determining why your dog hates the collar can help you figure out a good way to train them to put the collar on. Order a Silicone Dog Collar That's Comfortable for Your Pup 2. Enlist the help of your vet. Talk with your dog’s vet about what you can do to get your dog to wear their collar. Even if you get their collar on, some dogs will rub against things until it causes the breakaway feature to engage, popping their collar off. Domesticated pets can be tricky and cunning when they really don’t like something. The next thing you know, your dog goes running by you without their collar on! 3. Find out if the dog tag is an issue. Some dogs don’t like to wear their collars because the noise of the dog tags clanking together bothers them. Switch over to a silicone dog tag and learn how to put dog tags on collars properly so that your dog no longer gets freaked out while wearing their collar. Make sure their collar doesn’t have any bells or other small items on it that creates noise that distracts your dog and scares them. 4. Don’t chase your dog. Chasing your dog is probably scaring them even more than the collar does. Instead of chasing your dog around the room, pulling them out from under the bed or yelling at them when they run away from you, simply put the collar down and leave them alone. Eventually, they’ll calm down and come back from their hiding spot. It’s important that your dog learns to trust you and the collar rather than being afraid of it. 5. Hire a trainer. Sometimes, things are best left to a professional. Dog trainers are professionals who are knowledgeable about what they need to do to get your dog to be comfortable with their collar. They know a variety of practices and activities, and they also know when it’s probably time to talk with your dog’s vet about prescribing some calming medication so you can put their collar on without worrying about them attacking you. Training Your Dog Getting your dog to wear their collar requires a few things, but mainly a lot of patience. It’ll take a while, so make sure you carve out enough time out of your day to focus on their training. Here are some steps to training your dog to like their collar: Have Your Pup Match with a Dog Collar and Leash Set Give your dog a treat: Make sure to reward your dog throughout the process. First, place the collar down on the ground to encourage your dog to come sniff it on their own. Every time they nudge the collar with their nose, give them a treat. Continue to do this in different ways, from holding the collar up in the air with your hand to holding it far away. Eventually, your dog will stick their nose through the collar until their head is fully through it. Eventually, the dog will wear the collar without being worried about it. Then, you can take them out for walks with one of our dog collar and leash sets! Practice getting the collar off: You’ll need to remove their collar eventually, so practice taking the collar off. Whenever they try to duck away, stop removing the collar. Continue this until they allow you to take the collar off without trying to run away. Approach from the side: Rather than approaching your pup head-on, consider approaching from the side, almost like you’re giving them a hug. It’s a small trick, but it can help them feel less insecure and unsafe!