# Muzzle Training



## we4elves (May 11, 2010)

So I was wondering if anyone thought that we should train our dogs to be comfortable with muzzles? I don't know that I need to use one, but does it really freak a dog out when they have one on for the first time? Should that be something we also "train" them to get use to....just in case one day they need to wear one?


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## ZAYDA (Apr 22, 2010)

Maybe we should all go and buy prescription glasses so when we need them we will be use to them. hey


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## we4elves (May 11, 2010)

Thanks for your intelligent insight!


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## ZAYDA (Apr 22, 2010)

we4elves said:


> Thanks for your intelligent insight!


 LOL, Sorry I just don't see the point for putting my dog through what I feel is a bit uncomfortable if there is no reason to do it. I have had 6 GSD's over the last 30 years and only 1 of them ever needed a mussel and that was with the vets office only.


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## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

I have a basket muzzle that I train/condition certain of my dogs to wear. If they need it (say at the vet's) and are used to it already, it makes the visit that much less stressful.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

ZAYDA said:


> LOL, Sorry I just don't see the point for putting my dog through what I feel is a bit uncomfortable if there is no reason to do it. I have had 6 GSD's over the last 30 years and only 1 of them ever needed a *mussel* and that was with the vets office only.


How about a clam? Heh! Heh!


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## ShenzisMom (Apr 27, 2010)

IMO all dogs should be muzzle trained. After seizures, sudden sickness, accidents, etc you do NOT want to be handling a previously well behaved dog who is now in alot of pain/scared out of his mind/whatever without a muzzle. I want to know that if I have to throw my dog onto a towel/blanket (or carry it)and drag it out of whereever we are I can do it safely for both of us. Think ahead, a muzzle could mean the difference between 10 minutes to the clinic and an hour because the dog won't let you near it.

Edit: I would like to add that yes, I carry a muzzle with me. It is in my 'working' bag, that contains treats, harness, long line, tugs galore, etc. 90% of walks this bag comes with me. 90% of the time, I have a muzzle with me. I have had enough curves in my life to know that you cannot plan for everything, but you can prepare for it. I have never had to use my muzzle on walks or working with her, and I do not find comfort having it with me. It is simply there should I need it.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

I feel that muzzle training your dog can prove to be invaluable. I'm training Frag on the muzzle right now because he is having some fear issues with the vet. 

I'd rather get him comfortable with the muzzle and take him there in a muzzle than have the vet get bit because he wasn't or scare the crap out of him being muzzled at the vet.


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## ShenzisMom (Apr 27, 2010)




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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

There is no circumstance where my dog would need to where one so I don't see any point. On the other hand, there are a vast number of dogs out there that should be familiar with wearing one as they think nothing of turning into Cujo at the vet or when asked to do something they don't want to do or when hurt.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

Elaine said:


> There is no circumstance where my dog would need to where one so I don't see any point. On the other hand, there are a vast number of dogs out there that should be familiar with wearing one as they think nothing of turning into Cujo at the vet or when asked to do something they don't want to do or when hurt.


You may think there isn't one now, but on the random day when your dog decides the vet is lunch, you may wish your dog was familiar with a muzzle. 

After over a year of happy times with the vet, my GSD decided to randomly snap and growl at the vet. First time I had every heard him growl. There's a first time for everything.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Why in the world would my dog ever think the vet was lunch? Don't be ridiculous. 

Dogs don't just randomly snap and growl. The ones that people say have done this have been giving warning things were getting out of control for some time, but they were clueless.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

Elaine said:


> Why in the world would my dog ever think the vet was lunch? Don't be ridiculous.
> 
> Dogs don't just randomly snap and growl. The ones that people say have done this have been giving warning things were getting out of control for some time, but they were clueless.


The warning sign is a growl. For absolutely no reason, Frag did not like the vet on his last visit. She was doing nothing that he's uncomfortable with or strange and all, yet he started growling at her from across the room and snapped while she was checking his ears. He's been to the vet at least 20x in the past doing the same things and never had this reaction. 

I know I wasn't clueless and everything was fine until he randomly started growling and wouldn't stop.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Well, let's see. You let your dog get away with growling at the vet so he felt comfortable with snapping without provocation. That's your problem, not mine. Your dog should be muzzled then for the vet's safety. 

I am not your average dog owner and this sort of nonsense is not possible with my dogs.


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## High Impact (Jul 16, 2010)

I am very interested in hearing everyone's thoughts. Please don't hijack this thread the wrong way with petty arguments. Thank you


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## King&Skylar (Jun 3, 2010)

I'm muzzle training Skylar. King is used to his. I think it'll be better if anything happens to Skylar that she's muzzle trained before anything happens- so we don't add more fear to the situation. I'm mostly thinking of if she's in an accident or whatever, She has a fearful personality and I don't know what she'd do if she was stressed out and i couldn't calm her down, or especially if i wasn't there. better to be prepared 

ETA: by muzzle trained, i mean used to the muzzle =)


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## CaseysGSD (Oct 15, 2010)

codmaster said:


> How about a clam? Heh! Heh!


Hahahahahahahahaha...... Good one!


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

Elaine said:


> Well, let's see. You let your dog get away with growling at the vet so he felt comfortable with snapping without provocation. That's your problem, not mine. Your dog should be muzzled then for the vet's safety.
> 
> I am not your average dog owner and this sort of nonsense is not possible with my dogs.


*sigh*

And people think _I'M_ up on a high horse?

I'm not an average dog owner either. I've managed his issue and it's resolved, it only happened once, but it only takes once. My dog IS now muzzled for the vets safety and we haven't had another issue yet. 

I would like to know what you would recommend for a growling dog? A correction to tell them they shouldn't growl and go straight to a bite? I did not "let" him get away with anything. Your post speaks high to your knowledge on the subject. 

Your dogs are not impervious to failure, unfortunately.

Guh, I'm done.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

The sad thing is you still think the problem started with your dog growling at the vet. The problem most likely started long before that with little inappropriate things that you either excused or ignored until, OMG!, the dog just suddenly went off at the vet. It's much easier to prevent this problem by getting on it at a very early stage.

I absolutely will correct a dog for inappropriate aggression. Maybe that's why I don't ever have a problem.


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## ba1614 (Feb 17, 2010)

High Impact said:


> I am very interested in hearing everyone's thoughts. Please don't hijack this thread the wrong way with petty arguments. Thank you


I have always had my dogs accustomed to a muzzle for a just in case situation. I've never needed to use it, but if I ever did, I won't be fighting it then.
Just a little piece of mind if you and/or you're dog aren't perfect.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I muzzle Onyx at the vet because she has fear aggression issues and after she was spayed, vet visits were traumatic for her. We did counter conditioning, changed vets and she is better now, but the muzzle still goes on regardless. 
Elaine, a dog with fear issues will not overcome them easily...have you ever had a FA dog??


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

High Impact said:


> I am very interested in hearing everyone's thoughts. Please don't hijack this thread the wrong way with petty arguments. Thank you


I think a please and thank you deserves to be listened to!

I think it's great to habituate dogs to all sorts of new things, whether they need them or not. Or will ever need them. 

I have a dog who had to wear boots on her feet from a zinc deficiency - thankfully she was great about it - but it helps to get a dog used to socks, etc, in case they have something up with their feet. 

Handling their heads, teeth, feet, tails, looking under, around - all these things are important. 

Tossing a muzzle on just goes right along with the t-shirt, e-cone, etc. The more things I can get them used to, the less traumatic it becomes if they ever need them. Because if they are in a situation where they need cones, shirts, muzzles, they are already not in a good place, so why make that place worse with something new and weird. 

I don't do these things in the context of basic care, but in fun stuff - there isn't a big serious someday you could bloat and you may need to wear a cone - it's just let's put on this cone/donut and eat treats and get praised. 

HEAVEN FORBID one of my dogs are in enough pain to act out of character - and need a muzzle - but if they are, I want it to be just another thing to them. 

Teaching opportunity:


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

Masi is petrified of my vet Happened after an overnite stay, boom, she's petrified.
She's fine in the office and in the exam room, soon as she walks in, things go downhill, she doesn't growl or try to bite, but she's obviously afraid. with that, I have muzzle trained her, and have her wear one in the exam room just in case.

She actually seems more relaxed with the vet with a muzzle on, maybe takes the control away from her? don't know..

Now if the vet comes to my home (we are friends), masi is all over like a BFF go figure..


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Yes - Kramer (GSD-Chow) loved the muzzle - he would sit and wait for them to put it on and then prance around like it was truly a party hat. But it took the choice away from him. 

This was when I first got him - we did a whole system with him - he needed to be mildly sedated (pill) and muzzled, then just muzzled, then was able to be seen without it, but it took time. 

When he was 15 and needed an ultrasound we had to muzzle him again because he was going to be on his back. No one puts baby on his back, right! As soon as we took it off, he dirty hit all of us - snappa, snappa, snap right around the group. 

I miss him so much. :wub:


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

onyx'girl;1945830
Elaine said:


> None of my own dogs, but I deal with it a lot with the fosters. In fact, the foster puppy I had this summer was very FA and I loved her so much I almost kept her. I still have visitation rights to her. She got an early intervention and learned to deal with her problem in a more acceptable way.
> 
> My current foster is the older fatter version of that dog and I get a huge kick out of her naughty personality. She didn't get the benefit of an early intervention so I'm having to manage her a bit differently.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

So what was the "early intervention"?
I would love to hear how you managed to turn her around.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

My greyhounds were old pros at wearing their muzzles and thought nothing of wearing them when I took them coursing. The other breeds at coursing didn't have the benefit of early training to the muzzle and many of them would stop, drop, and roll, to remove it, so were unable to run.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

onyx'girl said:


> So what was the "early intervention"?
> I would love to hear how you managed to turn her around.


I really don't think you would, so what's the point?


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

I see those JRT wearing muzzles all the time. I think it should be mandatory for them.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Elaine, I am serious. If you could share your methods it may help others so they don't have to muzzle their dogs. Experiences shared are very helpful.

Jean, WE all miss Kramer!! :wub:


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## we4elves (May 11, 2010)

Thank you to everyone that gave helpful information...I will definitely start to work with her on this....

I personally just ignore the people that think they are perfect owners or dogs...or the people that try to ruin forums with hatefulness...after all I believe this is suppose to be a positive informative experience for all...


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> I see those JRT wearing muzzles all the time. I think it should be mandatory for them.


I'm all for all of the ankle biters having to wear them. LOL!


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## EchoGSD (Mar 12, 2010)

That's like saying my dog will never leave my side so I'll never put a collar or leash on her...good grief! My GSD and my Rottie are both comfortable wearing a muzzle...not because either of them has EVER demonstrated any aggression to people, but because someday they might be in a situation without me, and someone might put a muzzle on them simply because of their breed. Example: we are traveling and get in a car accident. I am incapacitated, and the local shelter picks up my dogs. The meter reader leaves the gate open and my dogs go for a stroll and get picked up by the local animal control...again, not unheard of for someone to automatically muzzle a GSD or a Rottie "just in case". Think back to car accident or the lost dog scenario: what if the dog(s) were injured, and I was not there? Better to have them used to wearing a muzzle so that if someone puts one on them it does not create more trauma and stress because they were never taught about muzzles. I'd much rather teach them to accept it (and a properly fitted muzzle DOES NOT HURT THE DOG) rather than know they were terrified by a stranger putting an unusual restraint on them should that someday become necessary.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

EchoGSD said:


> I'd much rather teach them to accept it (and a properly fitted muzzle DOES NOT HURT THE DOG)* rather than know they were terrified by a stranger putting an unusual restraint on them* should that someday become necessary.


OR have them bite said person and be PTS as a result of the fear. I think that is what I'm most cautious about. Yes, I would hate my dog to be stressed out and so afraid, but I would hate losing him for trivial reasons much more.


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

I trained Molly to accept wearing a muzzle from when she was only about 4-5 months old. She has never needed to wear one at any time but I am pleased that if in the unlikely event she had to have one on (other than training her to be used to it), it would not stress her out.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I do not do muzzle training, but I don't think it's a bad thing. Nikon has been muzzled before for a sedative injection given by someone not at the regular vet. Otherwise I've never had the vet ask to have him muzzled, he loves going to the vet. If the vet wanted to muzzle him then I am fine with it but they've never even mentioned it. He doesn't panic b/c the muzzle goes on either. I don't think the training is a requirement for every dog, as long as the dog will accept the muzzle. Some dogs not only don't ever need one but when someone less comfortable with the dog asks for one, the dog is fine with it without "training" for it. Sort of like some dogs take months to crate train and others are just naturally happy to be in their crate. I don't have any dogs that are aggressive or fearful for vetting or grooming (quite the opposite, often I take a dog along to the vet to accompany another dog b/c they like the field trip). If I did, I'd do the muzzle training if the dog didn't naturally accept the muzzle, but right now of four dogs only one has been asked to be muzzled once and we simply put it on him and that was that. I have a muzzle somewhere, I don't even know where it ended up b/c I've never used it.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

How does one know how their dog will react? And what is the best muzzle to use? If need be at the vet, do they use it or do we the owner have to have one? Sorry for the hijack. Never even thought of training Jake to a muzzle, got me thinking.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I use a nylon muzzle for the vet. The dog cannot pant or drink and can overheat easier.
Also I've seen it cut into the muzzle because it is pretty tight. A wire basket muzzle would be the best one, so the dog can pant, drink and take treats. Those are bulkier and a bit harder for the dog to get use to.
As far as reacting, the dog will paw at it to get it off, causing more stress.


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

It was suggested in puppy class to get your dog used to you handling their muzzle and build up to be able to wrap both hands around the muzzle and hold for a while. This was in case you needed to use a muzzle in case of an emergency. I even went as far as wrapping a long sock around her muzzle.

Then I had to use one with the behaviorist when we went on off leash hikes. I never had a problem getting her used to it, but I did introduce it slowly and with food. Used it twice but I still put it on her in the house just to keep her used to it so she realizes it is not a big deal.

Since you are wondering if you should do this, I would. Go buy a inexpensive plastic muzzle, I think they are ten dollars. I bought a wire one and it was fifty dollar and very hard to find here. I'm not sure about the mesh ones. The advantage of them is that they will fit nicely in a pocket or purse.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

If you are thinking of it's potential for use by emergency responders or in vet offices as the primary reason to try it out, find out what they use. I see the ones at the vet office I go to are the mesh ones.


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