Comparison of dogs' reactions to four different head collars
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abstract
Head collars are widely used in canine behavior modification programs. Owner compliance is crucial for success and depends in part on the dog's acceptance of the product. The responses of 12 dogs to four different head collars were compared in a crossover design over four 10 min sessions each spaced 2 weeks apart. All dogs were naive to head collars and were free of overt behavioral abnormalities. Dogs wore the collars only during testing sessions. Observed behaviors were divided into two groups. Group 1 included pawing, pawing nose, biting/pawing leash, opening mouth, rubbing face, and shaking head. Group 2 included rearing up, balking, rushing forward, and rolling on ground. No statistical difference was observed between dogs' reactions to the head collar types; although, there was a trend toward increased reactions to the Snoot Loop and Response collar during the first session. Dogs did show a marked reduction in overall reactions to the head collars over time. By Session 4 there was a significant decrease in behavioral scores as compared to Session 1. Based on this study, there does not appear to be an increased acceptance of one head collar type over another. 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
