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Aussie puppy terrified

2 points · submitted Sep 2026 by u/PracticalLeopard1046

My Aussie puppy who’s almost 16 weeks is absolutely terrified of her collar. We’ve tried multiple times since we’ve gotten her given her treats and she just honestly freaks out. I put it on her tonight and she literally was frozen in fear. We could barely even get it off of her. It just seems so dramatic but I’m also a little worried because Aussies literally can get out so easily and she has to have a collar that has her information on it just in case any suggestions I really don’t know what to do. Not only does she freak out and become fearful, but she also kind of throws a little tantrum won’t go inside won’t catch a ball and gives us the stare down. My last Aussie had no issues at all, so I’m kind of at a loss.

13 comments · 100% upvoted · other discussions

comments

plantingflowers2022 6 points · Sep 2026

Use a harness instead of a collar. It’s also safer.

Eiglo 3 points · Sep 2026

Is there something that jangles on the collar or bangs against their food/water bowl? Maybe it's scary? The little tantrum is very Aussie haha. Mine is 8 years old and wears her collar fine but whenever it's time to put on a harness she runs away and hides. What reason? Who knows!

PracticalLeopard1046 [OP] 2 points · Sep 2026

The little tantrum and the stair downs, and the stubbornness was really funny to me, but then she started really freaking out. It has a tiny little charm, and when we tried taking it off, she fully freaked out.

LowerWillingness1971 1 points · Sep 2026

mine does the same! we literally only do fun things with his harness but he still hides under the coffee table when it comes out. silly little mite XD

Human-Ad262 2 points · Sep 2026

Try a different collar?

PracticalLeopard1046 [OP] 1 points · Sep 2026

It’s a super thin puppy collar. I honestly don’t think a different one will change anything. The only thing I’m thinking is maybe a cat collar if it’s even thinner.

Ok-Badger2311 1 points · Sep 2026

You could try higher value treats with getting it on. Ours hated being brushed, so we gave her a pizzle stick when brushing to make a better association with the thing she hated.
Also, start small. Hold the collar and if she even looks at it, treat. Comes toward it, treat, sniffs it, treat. Don't start with getting it on her. Neutralize it first, then work on putting it on with treats.

mustanggrl625 1 points · Sep 2026

Every Aussie seems to have their own quirks - my boy does not wear a collar - we put a harness on him when we are going anywhere - but not because he minds - our girl, who does wear a collar, freaks out at him having one - she can grab any collar he is wearing in a matter of seconds and will chew it off of him.

Even if we wait and put a collar on him when we take them both outside, she will go absolutely crazy and throw a fit until we take it off - yet she loves her own collar. We do put her in a harness when she is going to be leashed, but she also has to have her collar on - if we take it off, she will search everywhere for it...lol

MunkberryMoonDelite 1 points · Sep 2026

Just put it on and go about your business. She’ll stay frozen for about 5 minutes and then will realize that she’s still alive and quite well. Make sure you size it properly. Not too loose, not too tight, just enough to have two fingers under the collar. Drop some treats on the floor around her. She would need them when she comes about from all that terror.

PracticalLeopard1046 [OP] 1 points · 29d ago

Did all that and it in fact did not work the longer she had it on the more she freaked out.

MunkberryMoonDelite 1 points · 29d ago

Does she tolerate a harness? Guess not. Not sure how do you even get her on a walk. And socialization is extremely important at this age. She needs to meet new people, new dogs, experience new sights and sounds.
You need to get her over this. How they taught children to swim in the old age. Just throw them in the deep end of the pool and let them figure it out.

PracticalLeopard1046 [OP] 1 points · 27d ago

She’s fine with the harness

Cubsfantransplant 0 points · Sep 2026

Use a martingale collar, they cannot slip out of them. Don’t put anything on it. Put it on in the morning and leave it on all day (as long as she is supervised) and ignore her.