Check us out on Facebook and YouTube
All Pets Education and Training
  • Home
    • About >
      • Qualifications, Continuing Education and Professional Development
      • Reviews
  • Contact
  • Courses/Classes & Private Tuition
    • Why choose Virtual training?
    • Skype or Zoom Consultations
    • Virtual Classes >
      • Separation Struggles - 12 week virtual course
      • Reactivitiy and Growing Disengagement from Distractions - 12 week course
      • Virtual - Cat training class
      • Virtual - Cooperative Care
      • Virtual - Growing Confidence Course
      • Virtual - Loose Lead Walking and Engagement Course
      • Virtual - Training with multiple dogs
      • Virtual - Tricks Course
      • Virtual - Puppy Pre-Primary School - dogs up to 6 months
    • Online Courses >
      • K9 manners online - info >
        • K9 Manners Online >
          • K9 Manners Period 1
          • K9 Manners Period 2
          • K9 Manners Period 3
          • K9 Manners Period 4
          • K9 Manners Period 5
          • K9 Manners Period 6
      • Cooperative Care Online - info >
        • Cooperative Care Online >
          • Cooperative Care Period 1
          • Cooperative Care Period 2
          • Cooperative Care Period 3
          • Cooperative Care Period 4
          • Cooperative Care Period 5
          • Cooperative Care Period 6
      • Building Confidence and Resilience Online - info >
        • Building Confidence and Resilience >
          • Building Confidence and Resilience - pre start
          • Building Confidence and Resilience - 1
          • Building Confidence and Resilience - 2
          • Building Confidence and Resilience - 3
          • Building Confidence and Resilience - 4
          • Building Confidence and Resilience - 5
          • Building Confidence and Resilience - 6
      • Tricks Course Online
    • Private Tuition >
      • Private Pricing
    • Polite Manners Challenge 2019 - 1 task each month
    • Selfie Challenge 2020 - 1 task per month
    • Fitness Conditioning Challenge 2018 - 1 task each month
    • Husbandry Challenge 2017 - 1 task each month
    • Trick Challenge 2016 - 1 trick each month
  • Enrichment
    • Dogs
    • Cats
    • Birds >
      • Homemade Bird Treats
    • Pocket Pets
    • Horses
  • Learning Theory
    • The Four D's of training
    • Consistency
    • Cues vs Commands
    • Resilience
    • Using food in training
    • Setting up for Success
  • Body Language
    • Canine Body Language
    • Feline Body Language
  • Kids & Dogs
    • Preparing Your Pooch For Baby's Arrival
    • Fun Games for Kids & Dogs
    • How Kids Should Interact with Dogs - Dr Sophia Yin
    • How Kids Shouldn't Interact with Dogs - Dr Sophia Yin
    • Family Paws Information sheets
  • Husbandry Behaviours
    • Muzzle Training
    • Elizabethan Collar
    • Sustained Target
  • Common Doggy Dilemmas
    • Adolescence - Sexual maturity and puppy licence expiration
    • Adrenaline Levels
    • Creating Calmness
    • Alone time is good
    • Separation Distress
    • OMG!! You've got a new puppy (or are thinking about one)... What next?
    • Buyers remorse
    • Adopting 2 Puppies
    • Dog Fights
    • Escaping Dogs
    • What's so good about rolling in poo & other stinky stuff?
    • My dog is Barking - Help!!
    • Growling is Good
    • Muzzle Training
    • Dog Vision
    • Firework Fear
    • Thunderstorms
    • Coprophagia - The act of Poo Eating
    • Managing Multiple Mutts
    • Puppy Socialisation and Fear Periods >
      • 30-day socialisation puppy challenge
    • Newly adopted rescue dog
    • Humping Hounds
    • Deference Training - Karen Overall protocol
    • Dog Parks. The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.
    • Dominance in Dog Training
    • Dog-Dog Play
    • Leash Reactivity in Dogs
    • Look At That (LAT)
    • Management IS Training
  • Boredom Busters
    • Recycled Enrichment
    • Crate Rest Crazies
    • Make your dog a TugToy >
      • Rules for TUG & GIVE
    • Bottle Bug Besties
    • Milk Bottle Bungee
    • Snuffle Mat Mayhem
    • Hot Weather Hints
    • Wet Weather Fun
    • Shaping Behaviour
    • The Bucket Game
    • Scent Work at Home
    • Proprioception
    • ACE Free work
    • Box Feeding
  • Special Needs Pets
    • Blind Dogs
    • Deaf Dogs
  • Helpful Hints & Ideas
    • Concept Training
    • Emotions and the affect on our pets
    • Choosing a Trainer
    • Resilience
    • Psychologist vs Psychiatrist
    • Relaxation Protocol
    • Consistency
    • Cues vs Commands
    • The Gut Microbiome
    • Sleep - why it is so important
    • The Collar Grab
    • Knowing when to say goodbye
    • Grief and Depression in pets
    • Preparing your dog for a vet visit
    • TTouch Wrap
    • Easter Dangers
    • Winter and Your Pet
    • Chooks As Pets
    • Making and Using a Longline
    • Tips for Taking Great Pet Pics
    • Keeping your pets safe this Christmas
    • Pill Pockets - an aid to giving your pet oral medication
    • Food Tubes
    • Trish's Training Treats
    • Increasing the value of dry food used for rewards
    • Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi
    • Car Safety and your pet
    • Moving House
  • Keeping Cats Happy - Helpful Tips
    • Feline Happiness
    • Keeping Cats Happy - Choosing a Litter Tray
    • Keeping cats Happy - Choosing a scratching post
    • Introducing Cats and Dogs
    • Introducing Cats
  • All Pets Ed Case Studies
  • Newsletters
  • What to do in an Emergency
    • CPR
    • Bloat or Gastric Dilation Volvulus
    • Tick Paralysis
    • Toad Toxicity
    • Snake!
    • Xylitol Toxicity
    • Common Toxins
    • Wildlife
  • Words of Wisdom & Inspiring Quotes
  • Recommended Reading
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Free Puppy Ebook
Picture
Unsplash - Tanner Vines

The importance of a  Collar Grab

The Collar Grab game is something that should be introduced as early as possible, however, it can be introduced at any time.

Your grabbing the collar of the dog should be the prediction of good things. 


It is important that we are able to handle our dogs collars – especially when putting leashes on, moving them out of harm’s way etc.


Unfortunately many dogs will develop averse feelings toward this, if the collar grab is followed by the loss of something they value or physical punishment.  Imagine from your dogs point of view – grab collar, put leash on, removed form the dog park where he way playing with his friends.  Grab collar, pull off couch = loss of comfy rest area.  Grab collar drag outside, prediction that you are leaving, dog is losing social human interactions.


We can prevent this, or change their feelings by simply pairing a simple touch of the collar, followed by a valued food reward/toy.


It is important that the reinforcement comes after the collar touch/gab – it must be the predictor of good things.


If your dog is already suspicious of collar grabs – simply touch or hold your hand near their neck and gradually build up criteria.


Overtime and only when your dog is comfortable we want to be able to physically able to grab the collar, followed by a small tug etc.


Practice holding the collar from both side and from the front and back of the dog.


Play this game is several locations and several times a day.  It should be something that you do at least 20 times per day. 


Even go as far as using out and about – at the park or the beach.  Call your dog, collar grab, pop leash on, reward, and release again.


Also note, if your dog does not wear a collar, use their harness, or simple gentle neck grab/scruff (must be gentle).


There is no need to use a reward marker/bridge/clicker in this game.  This game is based on classical conditioning – pairing collar grabs with good things, rather than operant conditioning – where we ask for a behaviour, and then reward.


All Material Copyright All Pets Education and Training 2024
​

I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land where I work and live. I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging. I celebrate the stories, culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders of all communities who also work and live on this land.