This dog cannot walk properly with a collar on.

[RATTER15]

I came across a dog a few days ago that, when he has a collar on, his back legs go wobbly and struggles to walk, when it tried to walk down a grassy slope it fell and rolled down the bank.

We have all seen very old dogs that go weak at the back and really sway from side to side and the rear end almost collapses, this dog was the same but this dog is less than 12 months old

once the collar is removed it walk perfectly normal.

I assumed that maybe the collar was too tight at first but no, the collar was quite loose and he wasn't on a lead

The owner of the dog says it is because the dog isn't used to wearing a collar. I cant think of anything that could cause this apart from the dog being unhappy about the collar being on him. I must admit I found it a little disturbing.

Any ideas?

[alexanderd]

I have had dogs for years and have never heard of this. What type of collar is it?

[NOX]

I actually don't know the answer to your question RATTER per se, but I have an old dog who has vestibular syndrome and when he's having and ' episode' my vet suggested I take his collar off as he said it can aggravate balance issues.

[seadogg]

I suppose you've tried the obvious one of putting a lightweight harness on him and letting him get used to it before putting the lead on.

[RATTER15]

This was just a very normal light weight collar, Ive had dogs all of my life and ive never heard of it either but I saw it, very real.

[RATTER15]

I can only think it is Psychosomatic maybe.

[welshlibranr]

shame, he's obviously not used to a collar or lead!.......but maybe with patience you can address this problem!....hope so!.......

[RATTER15]

Seadog, it isnt my dog, the dog does not object to having the collar on, it just has this really strange effect, it appeared to improve a little later in the day, as he got used to wearing the collar.

[RATTER15]

IT ISN'T MY DOG!!! :-)

My dogs always wear collars and are fine with them, they are also walked on leads 3 times a day.

[welshlibranr]

Ok RATTER, not your dog, but this dog needs to get used to wearing a collar, I think that it has not been used to one all the time, and so the owner should maybe leave a collar in him at all times, just so that he becomes used to wearing it!..

[RATTER15]

lol I agree welshlibranr xx

[wolf63]

I agree that the collar is the problem - but not because the dog is not used to wearing one. Maybe it is lying on a nerve on its neck/spine and this is causing weakness. If it was my dog I would have taken him to the vet to check out any potential problem.

I saw a young dog the other day that looked like an Irish Greyhound mixed with 'something else'. It was a really cute looking dog. It was only perhaps half the height of your babies but it was hard to age him. He still had the fluffy puppy look about him and was mega-cute. He was tied up outside Tesco and he obviously wasn't chuffed about this and was yapping to the point of being annoying.

[wolf63]

▲ ▲ ▲
ratter - Irish Greyhound should read Irish Wolfhound - duh!

[RATTER15]

Wolf, that was my first thought but this dog has quite a thick coat and the collar is barely heavy enough to compress the hairs flat let alone compress a nerve. However I do agree that he should be checked out at the vet, the owner concerned is a very experienced dog owner herself.

If it was a Wolfie x tied up I dont think he would be very happy about it, the poor thing, its not really accepted to do that to a Wolfie, it is also unusual for any Wolfie to bark,yap or to vocalise really but if its a cross..........

[lankeela]

My friend's dog recently started to cringe occasionally when on a walk, although she's never been hit, or even had her lead jerked. I suggested they get her checked by a Reiki healer or physio, in case she had got something trapped or put out and the action of the collar/lead was making her fearful that it would hurt. They took her and she had got a problem in her neck, which was put right with gentle manipulation. Could be the same, and as said above she could have a trapped nerve or something not obvious to the owner.

[lankeela]

Its also very dodgy to leave a dog tied up anywhere these days, so many are being stolen from outside shops and supermarkets.

[BIGDOGY]

Could be "Wobbler's Syndrome" which starts in
the neck. perhaps the collar makes it worse as its in the early stages.
should take it to the vet as will only get worse.

[islasmum]

I just googled Wobbler's Syndrome, Bigdogy, but it sounds like dogs affected with that are wobbly all the time. I'd think that the owner needs to get the dog used to wearing a collar all the time.