Do you think it’s cruel to muzzle?

J

jools1981

New member
I have a coworker who thinks it’s very traumatic to muzzle dogs. I feel like the whole grooming process is pretty traumatic to most dogs. It seems less traumatic to muzzle, get the job done quicker, and eliminate the risk of a bite.

What do you think? How quick are you to muzzle?
 
@jools1981 I always give it a shot without the muzzle first, not because I find it to be cruel but because a lot of the times dogs will associate the muzzle with something they dislike happening. Sometimes when you muzzle before giving it a shot you’re setting the precedent that something unpleasant is about to happen, and they will act out even if they wouldn’t have in the first place, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t.
 
@xxyn I mean yes, but that’s the owner’s job. We can’t muzzle train the dog, and the vast majority of dog owners won’t do it even if you educate them.
 
@xekuter Fair. Most owners don’t do their obedience homework, then they come back and tell you it didn’t work lol. I’m sure that’s true for what their groomers tell them as well.
 
@jools1981 Some dogs never grow out of the behavior (nail trimming aggression) so slapping it on for 3 minutes to safely clip nails and then taking it off and seeing they're right back to being happy again is always nice. If the dog needs it the whole groom, no I won't groom a dog like that.
 
@slappy1402 Can I ask why? Apparently my dog has been getting mouthy during brushing and I want to suggest they just use one. I don’t think he’d ever actually bite but he hates it and I want them to be safe. I don’t know what the alternative is.
 
@rls muzzling can stress dogs out if they've never worn one, i would look into muzzle training at home so they don’t associate it with a bad experience!
 
@rls Mouthy doesn't warrant a muzzle imo. I'll take a couple threat nips or just the mouth placed on my hand.

I only resort to muzzle usage if they ACTUALLY try to bite for real (not just a threat). If they're endangering me or themselves.

Muzzling too long with them struggling can make them stress and drool/pant. I don't need anyone having a heart attack because I made them struggle with their mouth closed for 30mins to an hour.

A few minutes is all I need to get that trouble spot.
 
@rls Also it’s the owners mainly and also groomer on top, to ensure they get the correct training to ensure they don’t respond to grooming like this
 
@rosina Yeah, I hear you. We’ve tried everything I can think of, the only thing that works is a constant stream of peanut butter while being held still and even then it doesn’t work all the time. We’ve tried since he was a puppy and he’s never had a traumatic experience, he just hates it. He also won’t let me do anything to his nails or ears either.

For the groomer he’s good for everything but brushing. I wonder if he just has really sensitive/tender skin.
 
@rls If your groomer thought it was necessary, they'd definetly use one! You can practice brushing at home to help though. Use a brush(even the backside of a brush) and gently go over him with it. If he is calm, praise and reward!
 
@rls Either your dog is a puppy and hasn’t been taught or there is a trust issue causing the mouthy. As an owner trust should be a high priority
 
@ftesseneer We’ve tried everything I can think of, the only thing that works is a constant stream of peanut butter while being held still and even then it doesn’t work all the time. We’ve tried since he was a puppy and he’s never had a traumatic experience, he just hates it. He also won’t let me do anything to his nails or ears either.

For the groomer he’s good for everything but brushing. I wonder if he just has really sensitive/tender skin.
 
@rls Something is missing here. I’ve taught MANY dogs of MANY breeds histories and ages to calmly enjoy being brushed and combed. Are you anxious about it?
 
@ftesseneer Not particularly but it’s an ordeal. I guess I’m not sure what we should be doing differently- he gets treats and positive reinforcement/praise, but we do have to restrict his movement or he’ll dive under the bed or fight us and he’s 70 lbs. we do this either by holding his collar or attaching his collar with a short leash to something big enough (he is always in a comfortable standing position). We’ll take breaks from actual brushing but I won’t unclip him or he’s gone.

He’s always hated baths and brushing at home. Maybe I gave up too many times when he was a puppy that he learned if he fought hard enough I’d stop. There was a single nail trim where I cut the quick but that’s the only time I’ve hurt him during grooming. He’s 5 now.
 
@rls Do you just sit with him on the floor quietly? Slowly gently start petting him in combing like motions. Soothing talk. After he starts liking this stage a soft brush and 2 combs and sit together. After a bit of petting do a few gentle strokes with the comb. Since he has learned to bite the comb let him hold it in his mouth to ease his stress and you quietly pick up the other one and continue combing. All the while talking nicely.
 
@ftesseneer We tried this last night and it worked okay, but as soon as I used the bristles he tried to get up and leave. I got him to hang out a while longer with pets and then let him go. We’ll keep working on it. Thanks for the advice!
 
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