Canines First - Remote collar desensitization
INSTRUCTIONS FOR REMOTE COLLAR DESENSITIZATION
1. Have some treats handy. Make your dog come to you and sit-stay for the collar to be placed on her. Fasten the collar at the top of the neck. Move her hair out of the way in order to achieve a very snug fit. You do not want the collar to move around her neck while she’s wearing it. It should remain in place during activity. As soon as you’ve fastened the collar, praise her, give her special treats and/or take her to do something fun.
2. Wear the remote around your neck or on your hip randomly when you’re around her. Sometimes the remote should be present. Sometimes it should not be. This will help eliminate any deductive reasoning on her part as to whether or not a correction only comes when you’re wearing the remote.
3. Leave the collar on your dog for up to 10 hours per day when people are home. If you slip out for dinner you don’t necessarily have to remove the collar, but if you’re at work for 8 hours she shouldn’t be wearing it. At times, Susan is asked if it’s uncomfortable for the dog to wear. Susan says it is as uncomfortable as wearing dress shoes all day. If you think of it, take the time to move the prongs to the other side of her trachea after several hours of wear.
4. Finally, there should be no pattern the dog can detect in regard to when the collar is worn or removed. Keep things as random as possible, and strive to be sure that having the collar placed on the dog is a fun and rewarding experience. Follow these instructions for 10 to 14 days before ever administering a correction.
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