# Won't wear collar!



## ItzaChichen (Nov 28, 2013)

Hi, again. Still a new Chi owner. My little girl is being very weird about wearing a collar. If you don't already know who I am, I have a 1-year-old rescue chi whose previous owners basically let her run wild. She had fleas, a skin infection, never been to a vet, the whole nine when I found her. She's very sweet, nonetheless, and I can't get enough of her! (btw she is recovering from the skin infection caused by the fleas and is now updated on shots and on heartworm meds, etc). 

She is, however, very accustomed to running around without a collar. I got her a cute collar (the emergency unsnap kind, for extra small dogs). But she keeps dipping her chin at it and almost immediately gets it caught in her mouth and luckily one night my husband noticed her moving around and we unstuck it. I tried again twice--no luck, stuck in her mouth again. Darn it! I just decided to forgo the collar until I figured out something else, and one day she found it on the couch and was playing with and chewing on it--she seems to want to crush the plastic pieces. I let her do it just because she was never socialized properly and doesn't show a lot of playful behavior; I didn't want to discourage her from playing.

So anyone else have this issue? Is there a magical collar or strategy I could use? I would just let it go, but even though I watch her when she's outside, I worry that she could run off and be found collar-less and without her ID tag.

THANKS!


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## coco_little_bear (May 30, 2012)

Maybe you could start by putting the collar on for short periods of time and give her treats/praise. As she gets more comfortable, increase the time you leave it on. 

If she tends to put it in her mouth and get stuck, it's probably best not to leave her unsupervised while wearing the collar, for now. I love putting collars on my chi once in a while mostly because it looks cute, but I never leave her alone wearing one and never leave it on at night. I have read too many horrible stories, it can be dangerous. She's microchipped though so if she got lost or stolen, she could still be identified without a collar and tag.


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## KrystalLeigh (Aug 17, 2011)

If you're only leaving it on her while supervised, you could try a leather or other hard material collar that has an actual buckle. I think that one of the main reasons the safety collars get stuck is that they can loosen so easily and they're usually stretchy. I wouldn't leave anything on her unsupervised. 


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## Zorana1125 (Oct 24, 2010)

I agree with Krystal, try a leather one. Mimi hates collars too and shes the only 1 out of my 4. She has ruined at least 3 collars by chewing through the leather if I left it on her unsupervised. 

So now she only wears them while we are watching her, the moment we leave the room, it comes off. She even ruined a Louis Dog collar, I almost cried!!!

Good luck!

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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

Also, I know it's going from only one strap wrapped around the neck to more straps, but maybe try a harness and configure a way to put a tag on that. It's harder to get out of a harness and I believe harder for them to choke themselves. This would work better only if you are only putting it on when you take her outside, but I personally would only put the collar on her for that reason anyway for choking purposes. Also, microchipping may be an idea if you worry about her running away or getting lost.


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

None of my chi's wear a collar. Same reason: they can get stuck in their mouths if they are too stretchy. You can get a leather collar, and put it on with only 1 finger's width when you close it. The other thing is, when they play together, they can get collars stuck in each other teeth, and then you have a real panicky mess!


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## cpaoline (Oct 9, 2012)

None of mine wear collars out of 4 only one doesn't seem to mind. The other 3 act as if they are chained to the floor I have tried everything and every collar on the market. I even tried just leaving it on till they got use to it...didn't work. Overnight and hours later they wouldn't move p poop or eat. I decided its not worth it. We use harnesses when we go out that they dont seem to mind


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## alib (Nov 26, 2013)

Mine doesn't wear a collar either. He was chewing on his tag and seemed so agitated with a collar on. He is chipped and I use a harness for walks.


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## Chihuahuasloveme (Jan 8, 2010)

Mine wear collars 24/7 no issues here. But beau chews the collars right off his neck he now never wears a collar he lives with my ex in an apartment so he uses a harness to take him out to use the potty.


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