muzzle training your opnions please

[puppylover2007]

so i was looking over another site i have joined about turtles ( LOL cuz i have 5) and this poster said that you shoul muzzle train you dogs?!? WTH.. they said that for working breeds it protects them?!?

thoughts? advise??

IMO the only reason a dogs should be muzzled is if it poses a serious threat to a person, or has a history of biting, in which case they need to get serious training . to me muzzling a dog is cruel and unusual punishment, i understand that in certain circumstances that you should, but, why muzzle train for the safety of the dog, in this case the poster was saying specifically for German shep's so, all you GSD people i want to hear from your point of view... thanks

 

[DanL]

It has a place in certain protection type training, but in general, I can't see any point to it. If your dog is a fear biter or something, and it's for safety of people or animals around the dog, then I can see it being worthwhile.

 

[puppylover2007]

see that is what i thought to Dan, but, to put a muzzle on for the shear reason that it protects the dog?? come on now, if you raise you pup right and with love and affection the chances of it "turning on you" go down considerably. IMO. but, the way this poster said it made me mad because if you have a family pet, you want to make sure it is safe and secure.. now, i understand that if you have a dog that you are using as a service dog ( ie police SWAT and such) then it is totally understandable.

 

[AgilityPup]

I must say, due to Bella's issues, I did consider a muzzle. And I still am.

It's not because I think it's the best choice of training her out of it, but because I am scared she'll hurt someone or their dog..

So, I say, sometimes it works, for certian dogs, and sometimes it doesn't work.

*shrugs* I've never before used one, but because Bella is such a BIG dog, and I'm such a small handler, I think it may be useful, but I'm not sure if I'll use one.

 

[AgilityPup]

come on now, if you raise you pup right and with love and affection the chances of it "turning on you" go down considerably.

What about those of us who DIDN'T raise the puppy? You've got to remeber, a lot of people rescue aggressive dogs, or reactive dogs...

Like I said, it works for some, but not all.

 

[FoxyWench]

i see no problem in muzzling a reactive dog so it can still enjoy walking and being outdoors without risk to anyone else...
Or because its the law and its either that or they euthanize your dog.

but to muzzle your dog simply because?! i see no reason to it!

 

[Psyfalcon]

It might be useful, say for at the vets, or if you have a painful emergency out in the woods. It would keep the teeth off other people, while reducing the anxiety created by the muzzle in the first place.

Also, greyhounds with the notorious thin skin, but most of those come muzzle trained in the first place

 

[darkchild16]

yes greyhounds HAVE to muzzled the first few weeks in your home and when introduced to kids, small animals, and small dogs. and when being introduced to new dogs period especially greyhound to greyhound. Walker and Patches were muzzled for a short time almost 24/7 because they just got over the fighting stage and we were not sure if they would try again but wanted them to learn to live together.

 

[corgipower]

I could see training the dog to accept the muzzle, training him to wear it, in case some day you need it. Leo needed to be muzzled for some vet work, it was a life threatening situation, and we simply didn't want to take the time to soothe him, and we needed to make sure the staff wasn't going to get bitten. Had he felt a need to fight the muzzling, it would have caused even more problems. He was a friendly dog, but he was a protective GSD, and he didn't allow people outside his immediate family to handle him the way they needed to.

There are times when muzzles are used in protection training, and there are protection sports that require the dog wear a muzzle for the off leash obedience.

 

[SizzleDog]

I could see training the dog to accept the muzzle, training him to wear it, in case some day you need it.

My dogs are trained to accet a muzzle (I use greyhound muzzles) for this exact reason. As a groomer at one point, I had to deal with dogs that had never worn "formalwear"... flailing, screaming, hyperventilating, etc. In that case you have to remove the muzzle quickly and give it a rest... if the dog still freaks out it has to be sent home half finished. And you'd be surprised how many people got angry that we were unable to finish their dog.

There are a few counties on the way to my parents where if I was to let my dobes out potty, they'd have to be muzzled. It's the law. So I have trained th edogs to be calm with muzzles, *just in case*.

But do they wear them? Nope. I have not ben in a situation yet that has required them. BUT, I am ready if that day comes.

 

[elegy]

i know several multi-greyhound owners who routinely turn their dogs out wearing muzzles. the dogs certainly don't suffer for it. and there are plenty of places around the united states that have muzzle laws for certain breeds, regardless of whether those dogs are dangerous or not. those dogs don't suffer for being muzzled, either, though i think their owners do a bit.

 

[adojrts]

I agree, training a dog to be muzzled isn't a bad thing, it certainly would be less stressful to them if it was required or needed at such time as at a Vets.
My jrts also compete in Jrt Racing, all dogs racing must be muzzled with a proper racing muzzle. This is for the protection of all dogs racing and for the folks in the catch pen.

 

[Lizmo]

I agree, a muzzle is definitely not a bad thing. I don't personally use one, but Lizzie is trained to except one being on. I think, too, most dogs should be taught to wear one, even if you don't use it. You never know when your dog gets hurt and you are not there and someone might need to muzzle your dog to work/save your dog.

 

[FoxyWench]

again i personally have no problems getting a dog used a amuzzle to use as required by law/safteys sake..

i was more refering to the people who muzzle 24/7 many of which seem to forget the basic no bite training because they dont have to worry about it it their dogs muzzled...

for most PET dogs, i dont see a point in frequent muzzle wearing...

but then again growing up i was unfortunatly exposed to alot of "my dog is muzzled because i cant be bothered to properly train and socilize..."

 

[AgilityPup]

I agree, muzzles are okay for training and such, but when I see a dog that's muzzled all the time I just want to hit them...

But that's just me...

 

[Kayla]

In my city the only way you can ride the bus with your dog is to have him/her muzzle so Duke was muzzle trained early on in life for this reason. That and in a world thats trigger happy with BSL I think all owners of breeds often targeted ( yes this includes breeds other then just pitties) have a responsibility to muzzle train so that if the worst should happen your dog is already adjusted to wearing a muzzle.

Not to mention that all dogs in an emergancy situation are usually muzzled by vets as when in extreme pain many dogs will lash out, instead of adding stress to your dog in a time of fear, early training and positive association will also help for those worst case scenerios.

 

[Zoom]

Muzzle *training* I have no problem with, for the reasons mentioned above. Making a dog wear a muzzle 24/7 is stupid. Making a dog wear a muzzle to take a potty break at a rest stop is stupid.

 

[Paige]

I met a lovely Collie wearing a muzzle. Never seeing a muzzled dog before and because I was already chatting with the owner I asked about it. She said she only put it on her because little kids would come up running to her and scare her. With the muzzle on no kids came near the dog. She then laughed and scratched her dog behind the ear. That dog wasn't being harmed by it's muzzle at all. It actually had benefits to wearing it.

 

[Bahamutt99]

If wearing a muzzle meant my dogs could go anywhere with me, I would do it. If it were a normal thing in our society for normal, friendly dogs to wear muzzles, I wouldn't think so much about it. But I think because of BSL and being forced to do it, I just get a very sick feeling when I have to muzzle my dog. It offends me, and makes me feel like I'm violating her. My brain knows that's ridiculous, but my emotions tell me otherwise. I know people in other places have adapted to the muzzle, but it just makes me want to cry.

 

[Paige]

I understand what you are saying. If someone told me to muzzle my dog for no reason and I had to do it, I wasn't volunteering I'd feel offended too.