Why is my puppy aggressive when I remove her collar? Is it necessary?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. This is undesired behavior and it is ideal to correct now while she is young and small. I would recommend leash training her and using treats as positive reinforcement for good behavior. If she stops biting you when you say "off" or "no" then you should reward her with a treat. Another training method is negative reinforcement. When she does the undesired behavior, a spray bottle filled with water is used to spritz her in the face while saying "off" or "no". If training is unsuccessful you might want to consider contacting a trainer for advice and for puppy training classes. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Maggie may be acting protective, she could be anxious or fearful, leading to her acting aggressive, or she may be displaying territorial behaviour. It is very important that you seek the advice of a veterinary behaviorist to help curb this behavior. If left untreated, Maggie may learn to think it is ok to act this way towards humans and animals in general, and could then potentially bite and injure someone. Please work with a veterinary behaviourist immediately. Hopefully she will improve with training and learn what is and is not acceptable behaviour. I would advise keeping her on a leash and away from other animals and people until you have the chance to work with a behaviourist. If you do not see signs of improvement, see a veterinarian to rule out medical causes, and to see if medical therapy is indicated for her behaviour. It is also essential to make sure she is up to date on her vaccinations, particularly her rabies vaccine. Visit https://www.dacvb.org/ and www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/behavioral-help-your-pet for information on how to find behaviour help near you.

Be incredibly careful, and if you don't think you can safely do it stop and call a professional to help catch the dog. Leave the dog alone until it is settled, then give it some treats and talk to it enthusiastic. Be patient, if the dog comes start to pet it. Try and slip a lead over its head to give some control. Then you will have to try and muzzle the dog. You can try slipping it over the nose gently, but if the dog starts moving you can get someone else to hold it tight until you put it on. Keep the muzzle on whilst you bathe the dog, put the collar on, then remove muzzle.

While I always think a trainer is a good idea, I think you might be able to get Piper used to the collar by putting it on her at meal time or when she is playing with a favorite toy. Use it for short periods of time multiple times a day and take it off is she seems very upset. She’ll figure it out with time.

Food aggression or toy aggression is a common behavioral concern that can often be worked through. I would recommend hand feeding Sadie for each meal and teach her to “wait for it” before allowing her to eat. Once she is sitting and listening then allow her to eat. Start with a small amount in your hand, then put some in her bowl from your hand, then desensitize her to your hand in her bowl. I would also train her to “wait for it” for any toys she may love. If she is food motivated then she will associate this training with lots of reward and will learn not to “guard” her food or toys. If she is fully vaccinated then she is at a great age to begin puppy kindergarten. These classes are a great way to bond with her, establish boundries, and strengthen your relationship.

Sounds like the collar may still be pretty scary for your pup! Some puppies may also just be very excited and become wiggly or nip/chew on you in excitement. Here are a few things you can do: Leave the collar/harness on the floor and let your puppy approach it first on his own. Toss a treat and give lots of praise any time he shows interest in it or sniffs it. Practice handling your puppy around the neck and shoulders by petting, playing with, cuddling, etc and giving a favorite treat and praise every time you do this so he begins to associate it with a positive experience. Practice snapping a collar/harness closed next to your pup but not on him, offering a treat and praise every time he is curious about it. Practice sitting while placing the collar or harness on, and giving a treat every time you do. If puppy becomes too wiggly or excited, take a break and try again in a few minutes. Offer extra treas and lots of praise when he successfully puts on and wear the collar, even if it's only for a few minutes.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like you are doing everything right. Normally, if you are able to fit 2 fingers then yes that should be ok. You can try to give her a treat when you put the collar on so that she starts associating the collar with something positive. They do get used to it relatively quickly within days to weeks. It may just take a bit longer for her. Good luck!