When talking to dog owners about obedience training springer spaniels as well as other breeds, one point that is often asked is if muzzles for dogs are a good idea or not. Is is cruel to muzzle a dog? Is a muzzle completely necessary? And can good obedience training cancel out the need of a muzzle? In this article we will examine these questions and give some common-sense answers for anyone facing this dilemma.
If you have the opportunity to train a dog from a very young puppy, you can create preventative measures against aggression or excessive aggression as the dog grows. This would take the form of making sure that you socialise your dog properly and regularly as well as firmly establishing your authority as pack leader.
In some cases, though, there are dogs which get into a frenzy of excitement too great to heed a command from the pack leader. It is not that the do not hear or understand, more it is an inability to control the adrenalin rush and act accordingly. If this happens frequently it is often agood idea to have the dog neutered (as it tends to be more of a problem with male dogs). When a dog has a overly high amount of testosterone in it’s bloodstream it can then have a problem controlling itself in these circumstances. When testosterone levels have diminished – which in older dogs can take a year or more – the dog will tend not to display these aggressive attributes.
There are also breeds of dogs, like spaniels and pit bull terriers, which have a genetic predisposition a phenomenon called ‘rage disorder’. A dog can be completely normal one moment and then, as quick as a flash, turn into an aggressive, dangerous animal without any notice. Owners of dogs which display these behaviour disorders have to take responsibility to ensure that their dog does not harm anybody or any other
pets.
The immediate action to take is to make the dog wear a muzzle. Are dog muzzles cruel? No, providing that the owner ensures that the muzzle is the correct fit for the dog and is aware of what the dog can and cannot do whilst wearing it. In fact, in some countries, certain breeds have to be muzzled in public by law.
There are various muzzles available but they tend to fall into two types; rigid muzzles which completely enclose the dog’s snout and soft, elasticated muzzles. The former are usually made from thick leather, metal or plastic and completely prevent the dog from biting anything. In addition, however, the dog can not eat or drink while the muzzle is attached so care has to be taken over the length of time a dog is wearing one. The latter, elasticated muzzles bind the upper and lower jaws. With these, it is possible for the dog to open its mouth so can drink and eat but the pressure from the elastic makes opening the mouth wide enough to cause serious injury impossible.
An owner needs to use some intelligence to decide when a dog is muzzled. definitely if children or strangers are coming to the house or when out for walks are sensible .
occasions to put it on the dog. Also putting a muzzle on a dog when going out into the garden is a good plan so that the dog gets used to the idea that the muzzle is one or he doesn’t get let out or do what he wants to do. I once had a very obedient dog, for example, who would get aggressive about coming back inside when called. A muzzle meant that any amount of aggression at this point was negated, making it easier for me to train him that I was pack leader at these times.
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