Did you know that around 20% of dog bites happen when dogs are grabbed by the collar?
Around 6,000 people need inpatient hospital treatment for dog bites in the UK each year – and anything up to 250,000 people attend minor injuries and emergency units as a result of dog-related injuries (these include incidents involving trips and slips caused by pets too).
So anything we can do to reduce the likelihood of a dog bite is very worthwhile.
Today’s training Tip 3 is: Teach your dog to love being grabbed by the collar.
It’s easy to do.
- Grab a handful of treats (his food – you have ditched that bowl, haven’t you?).
- Sit with your dog by you.
- Hold one treat in one hand and with the other hand reach under your dog’s chin and take hold of his collar.
- Tell him how wonderful he is and give him the treat. As he’s eating the treat, let go of the collar.
- Repeat until all the food has been eaten.
You can extend this training by grabbing the collar and shaking it gently; by holding onto it for longer, or by gently moving your dog around through gentle pressure on the collar.
It’s important to reach under your dog’s chin at first – dogs don’t much like hands coming over their heads – but once he’s used to the game, you can grab it round the sides of his neck then eventually by reaching over his head.
Just make sure you’re both having fun!
Keep training,
Carol