won't get dressed!

[Haus]

Lola's (6 months) is generally a well-behaved puppy, but when we try to put her sweater or collar on, she morphs into a little monster - biting, rolling around on the ground, trying to tear it off etc. We've tried giving her treats beforehand and during, so she associates the coat with something positive. When we do this, she stops being a little terror for as long as it takes her to eat the treat, and that's it. We've tried the "No biting!" and time outs too. We can't very well take her out without the collar (we take it off at home b/c she sleeps on a grate, and it's got stuck in there before), or a sweater because it's still really cold here (southern Ontario). Once she's got the sweater on, and we've started on our walk, she's her good little self again. Any suggestions on what else we can do? Is this just a puppy thing?

[luvnkitty]

Hi Haus ,
I now exactly what you are talking about.
Mia is 13 months now and she will still pull one of those crazes on me.evilicon Sometimes she just does not want to put her collar or sweater on. She will run around the house, leap at me, and start tumbling.
I find if I pretend I am going to leave without her she'll stop acting up .
I always say the same thing to her anytime I am leaving the house for work, the store etc ... "See ya later Mia".
So , I say "see ya later "Mia", open the door and what do you know .... the little stinker is now sitting by feet and ready to go out.
Sorry I don't know the proper way to train her. I am sure it involves some sort of reward. I think for Mia the reward is I didn't leave w/out her.:)

[ashley1135]

I think teaching a dog to be calm is the hardest and most time consuming trick of all! Sulley goes nuts for his jacket...any time I get it out he turns into a tazmanian devil. You have to start rewarding everytime he settles down and have him get used to being handled. This becomes so important at the vet's office. My trainer pointed out that each of us is much more tolerant of our own dogs than anyone else is going to be. It's a slow process. At my house, if he just won't jump on people, I don't care if he goes insane for his clothes. :) Maybe he just loves fashion.

[QuinnysMom]

Quinn freaks out when I try to put his harness on too. He'll run away, try and pull his head aside, roll around, etc.
My trick: I have him jump onto a chair. He has to work so hard balancing on the chair and not skidding off the other end when he jumps up that he doesn't notice me slipping on his harness. Plus, he's contained, so even if he throws his head around, he doesn't go running off into the far reaches of the apt.
Don't know if that'll help, but it saves me 10 to 15 minutes of fighting every morning (fighting = playing to Q).

[citygirl]

Maddie and Lexi love putting their collars on. To them it means that they're either going out for a walk or that they're going in the car. Either way, they are fully cooperative -- they come to me immediately when they see the collars in my hand and wait patiently for me to buckle them. I don't know why they do this -- I just got lucky. It certainly wasn't because I did any special training to get them to do it. They get walked three times a day (twice by me and once by a dog walker during the middle of the day). They just love it when I pick up the collars and leash -- they know fun times are just ahead, I guess. On the other hand, Maddie isn't as happy about being put in her harness in the car. No problems with Lexi -- she stands patiently and waits for me to get her into it -- that's why I usually strap her in first. Madison has started jumping into the front seat of the car and makes me go get her out and bring her to the back seat again and she puts up a little resistence to being put into the harness. She doesn't like being restrained in the backseat of the car, but settles down once she in it.