POSTOPERATIVE CARE BUSTER Original Collars Protective disposable dog collars for full body protection while recovering from surgery or minor injuries, in addition to restricting excessive licking, biting, or chewing. Introducing the E-collar to the pet The combination of pain, medication, and wearing an E-collar that involves limitations of senses and mobility can cause stress to the pet. To avoid unnecessary uncomfortable associations with the E-collar, we recommend that the pet owner accustoms the pet to the E-collar over time, prior to a planned surgery. In the famous experiments conducted by Ivan Pavlov with his dogs, he found that objects or events could trigger a conditioned response. He developed a learning procedure that involves pairing a stimulus with a conditioned response. The Pavlovian learning procedure Introduce the collar for the pet to freely investigate. Start adding a treat each time you present the collar to condition the pet to associate the collar with food and a feeling of pleasure (dopamine release). If the pet eats the treat, it is not fearful as it cannot eat and show fear simultaneously. 26 - 27 It is a useful indicator that the pet is ready to continue to the next step. Now use free operant conditioning by reinforcing any investigation of the collar (without showing fear), such as looking at, sniffing, or touching the collar. Next, reinforce any head movement into the wide opening of the collar. Eventually, place a treat inside the collar or hold a treat inside it. Turn the collar and repeat the previous step. Add duration gradually to the behaviour of having the head inside the collar. Open and close the collar with the pet next to it while behaving calmly. Repeat with the collar on the pet. Then practise calming well-known skills. In this way, you create known associations when wearing the collar. Finally, move around teaching the pet how to maneuver with the collar. Reinforce calm, controlled movements. Pass through doorways and around corners to acclimate the pet to different movements.
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