07/08/2022
Fab post from Swale Stray Dog Service
š A muzzle doesnāt mean trouble š
Why are muzzles so stigmatised? Time and time again we hear āthat dog should be muzzledā or āthat dog must be aggressive!ā but in reality, muzzles are excellent training tools and are worn for a plethora of reasons. What weāre trying to say, is that reactivity isnāt the sole purpose for their use. The dogs who wear them and the owners that utilise them shouldnāt be demonised for doing something that keeps everyone safe.
Fun fact, but did you know that within the UK, only a Secretary of State can issue an order requiring a dog to be muzzled?
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ā Why would you make your dog wear one if theyāre friendly? ā
This is an easy one. A dog could be in training; maybe the owner is working towards desensitising them to a muzzle. The dog could be a scavenger; prone to making themselves sick or needing surgery to remove foreign objects or maybe, the dog is reactive or nervous around strange people/dogs/environments/noises. Whatever the reason, never approach or allow your dog to approach a muzzled dog without consent from the owner.
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āļø I think theyāre cruel, you obviously havenāt trained your dog very well āļø
Theyāre only cruel if theyāre not used properly. They shouldnāt be worn 24/7 and should be fitted correctly to ensure your dog has appropriate pant room. Otherwise, theyāre perfectly safe and many dogs wear them regularly without issue. As above, not only āun-trainedā dogs wear a muzzle. They could be rescues or have suffered a traumatic experience making them unpredictable. Either way, muzzle doesnāt equal ābad dogā.
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āļø If your dog wears a muzzle, you shouldnāt be allowed to walk in green spaces āļø
Why? If your off lead dog approaches an on lead dog, regardless of them wearing a muzzle or not, youāre at fault. If more people took responsibility for their dogs behaviour, there wouldnāt be so many reports of dogs being dangerously out of control.
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āļø Not all muzzles are made the same āļø
When considering a muzzle, make sure they're appropriate for the task at hand. The softer type as pictured maybe great for scavengers, but please bear in mind that they're not bite proof. If you have a reactive dog or one which could be a bite risk, do look for something a bit more robust.
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Sadly, because of statements like the ones above, many people are too frightened to use muzzles, worried that they might be judged or look down upon. Remember, theyāre just another piece of equipment like leads, harnesses, doggles etc and you should never feel lesser than for using one.
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Our model today, the lovely Crumpet, wore a muzzle as she was reactive to dogs invading her personal space. We're aware that this specific model isn't bite proof, but rest assured Crumpet did eventually graduate to a Dean and Tyler wire muzzle. Despite this, she still loved exploring the countryside and giving squirrels a piece of her mind.
