How to Keep Your Puppy From Biting When You Put the Collar On
Originally published January 2022. Updated May 2024.
As a professional dog trainer, I often see puppies bite when it’s time to put their collar, harness and/or leash on.
“Dressing” is something everyone has to do on a regular basis, and although the biting may not seem aggressive, it’s uncomfortable!
First, it does NOT have to be this way. You can dress your puppy’s without it becoming a bloodbath.
Second, although you can train some fancy-ish behaviors to fix this problem, there’s also a VERY easy hack for this, and it’s what I use most of the time!
Step By Step Instructions for a Harness
First, get your puppy’s head through the harness hole:*
Unbuckle the harness and hold it in your left hand
Take a handful of treats in the right hand and set another handful or two on a table close by (or in your treat bag!)
Kneel down and invite your puppy to come closer
Offer your puppy some treats by putting your right hand through the harnesses’ neck hole
Draw your puppy through the harness by pulling your right hand towards yourself. Keep your left hand still.
*This is one big reason I recommend an h-style harness instead of a step-in style.
Next, buckling the straps:
Drop the treats in your right hand onto the floor.
Holding the harness steady with your left hand, use your right hand to bring the girth straps up, one at a time, and fasten
Put more treats down as needed to distract your puppy
It’s simpler than it sounds! Watch me do it with Hudson.
For a Collar
You can also do something similar for the collar, you just have to be a little faster. Watch me with Tommy.
Meet the Puppy Trainer and Blog Author
Leighann founded Koinonia Dogs in 2014 and has been a Certified Professional Dog Trainer in the Austin, TX area since 2019.
She's a problem-solver by nature and loves creating cooperation through conflict-free communication so both ends of the leash enjoy life together.
