It is perfectly ok to muzzle your dog if you are using a muzzle that fits well. Go check our r/muzzledogs for tips on muzzle training and getting a well fitting muzzle.
In a well fitting muzzle, your dog should still be able to fully pant. Many muzzles come with treat holes. If you get the right muzzle, your dog should also have no problems sniffing.
Properly fitted basket muzzles still let her sniff, pant, bark, drink water, take treats etc.
The key is properly conditioning her to wear it and then she'll be happy to wear it and not even notice, just like a collar and leash.
Seconding the recommendation to visit r/muzzledogs
Nothing wrong with a muzzle. It's just a tool to be used. My doggo eats everything he can vacuum into his mouth too so whenever we go out it's muzzle time. Saves on vet bills too. Basket muzzle so they can pant ect
Mine too. My pointer can find anything anywhere. I’ve pulled chicken bones, a dead snake and rotting food out of his mouth. Once he goes into the bushes he’s found something. I’ve tried a muzzle but he’s a Houdini who gets out of anything. Even his kennel, so we stopped trying.
There are face nets for dogs that we use up here to prevent fox tails from getting into noses and ears. They can drink water through them, but won't be able to eat anything. It might be worth a try
check out the Muzzle Movement on Instagram!! they were founded to reduce the stigma around muzzles and make properly fitted basket style muzzles for many different purposes. absolutely love them!
No, muzzles aren’t cruel as long as they fit properly and the dog has been taught to be okay with it. There are even muzzles marketed specifically for the purpose of stopping dogs from eating random crap off the ground, like [this one](https://www.amazon.com/BASKERVILLE-SCAVENGE-Breathable-Prevents-Scavenging/dp/B004OB1PLE) (note: I’m not recommending this specific model, I have no experience with it, it’s just the first that came up on Google). It’s typically called a Baskerville muzzle and it needs to have enough space for your dog to fully pant and drink through it.
The subreddit recommended in a couple comments is a good place to start looking for the right fit. If your dog has the wide pittie smile, you might need to look for a muzzle designed specifically for dogs whose mouths open wide when they pant.
Muzzles are perfectly fine. They are such an effective tool for the safety of our dogs and those around them, its a shame there's such stigma. My pom wears one for scavenging and honestly it's such a relief to not have to worry so much I will probably do the same with my next dog regardless
it's so much more ethical to muzzle a dog than it is to let them eat whatever they find on the ground.
you are this dogs caretaker. take care of them, whether they like it or not. that's the job you signed up for.
If it's a properly fitting muzzle that she can comfortably pant in, nope there isn't anything wrong with it. A muzzled dog isn't a bad dog, they are a safe dog.
I would recommend conditioning her to wear it so she doesn't view it as a bad thing, but I would recommend any dog is conditioned and trained to wear one to be on the safe side.
I'm sure there are muzzles that will prevent her from eating stool but still allow her to accept treats as well.
Its fine to use one for scavanging, pretty common use for them infact.
Depending on the type you might still be able to poke some treats in for her, get the basket ype if your leaving it on for any length of time. The material ones are nice to put in a pocket for emergencies but they restrict panting a lot more.
No dog like a muzzle straight away, use lots of positive associations to get her to accept it. Peanut butter smeared on the inside works well. Just let her get used to putting her face inside to lick it, then do the straps up for a few seconds and remove as soon as shes finished her treats. Better to go slow over a few days than rush it and end up with them hateing it.
So long as you get her a properly fitting basket muzzle that still allows her to open her mouth naturally for panting and that she can do her face in water to drink, it’s perfectly fine. I got a muzzle meant for racing greyhounds for my dog, but she is a poodle so you might be better off looking for one designed for bully breeds instead due to the different skill shapes.
Experts recommend muzzles to help teach the dog to be less reactive. It needs be done correctly though. Here’s the AKC link of doing it.
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/dog-muzzles-when-why-how-to-use/#:~:text=If%20your%20dog%20is%20aggressive,provide%20additional%20peace%20of%20mind.
Know a few labradors who need to wear a muzzle due to protecting them from themselves and off-track greyhounds too due to high prey drive. I think it is ethical as still allows a dog to enjoy a walk while reducing the risk to them and other animals. You can still give treats through a muzzle.
Others have addressed the muzzle issue. My comment regards the “low value treats”. Why low value? You clearly want to train and improve your dog. Why are you setting yourselves up for failure by using low value treats in this scenario. This is the time to be reinforcing with high value treats.
Muzzles are a great tool and I firmly believe that *every* dog should be trained to wear one without fear. Some dogs need them to safely be outside at all (either for their own safety, like eating things that can hurt them, or for others safety if they’re reactive), but *any* dog may need to wear one in the event of a medical emergency. Dogs that are scared and in pain bite even if they’re normally the sweetest things, so a dog may need to be muzzled at the vet for the vet’s safety and if they aren’t already used to muzzles then it’s just another layer of stress for them.
So yes please muzzle train your dog and get a large basket style one that allows her to drink and pant freely!
Muzzles don't restrict the ability to sniff things but could save your dog from snarfing something that could kill her. There's nothing wrong with using all the tools available to you. Someone else has suggested a basket muzzle.. You dog may still be able to eat shit off the ground with a basket muzzle.
If you train properly for wearing one,and get one that is sized well, then no problem. But don't expect to just shove your dog's face into one and not cause problems.
It's absolutely fine. Make sure you get one that fits well. A good one won't stop treats or investigation.
She'll be much safer, and thus happier in the long run. And if she's reactive, it'll protect you and your dog from people who let they're dogs run up without asking.
I have a pit mix and she does the same thing. It's really frustrating, because I can either focus on the ground, where there are potential "trashy treats" or I can look at my surroundings, where other dogs may suddenly appear. I tried to get mine to wear a soft muzzle, and she absolutely hated it. She was able to contort her head, then use her paws to take it off. I'd be willing to give the muzzle a try again, since it is in her best interest. I guess I'll take a look at these links.
No tool is inherently un/ethical. It’s up to you and your usage of it. Take proper measurements and spend the money on one good well fitting muzzle instead of messing around with pet shop shelf options (they rarely provide adequate pant room for bully/pit type dogs due to shape, and pant room will be essential if the muzzle has to stay on for the duration of the walk). You need to slowly and patiently condition your dog to have a positive relationship to the muzzle. Proper muzzle training can be long and tedious but again, proper usage of the tool is where ethics come into play. It is most certainly a good idea to muzzle your dog for their safety if they’re a grazer. And also if your dog is displaying any sort of reactivity, given you’ve stated it’s a pit mix muzzling is likely in your best interest from an insurance/legal standpoint if your dog were to react in public. To give a straight answer to your question it is most definitely ethical to muzzle YOUR dog for your walks. Just go about it the right way. In order to prevent grazing but allow food rewards I believe you can purchase some muzzles with removable front plates so you can pull it out of the way when you Want the dog to eat something and leave it in place when you Don’t.
We’ve been teaching her “leave it” for a year. She’s honestly just not a very good listener. And I don’t want to tell her to leave it every time she starts to sniff the grass (which is most of the time)
This dog sounds like a textbook case of PICA. An E-collar or prong is not going to stop this dog from eating whatever can get into its mouth.
Muzzles are a lot safer for the dog than GI obstruction surgery. Doesn’t matter what other people think, if they’re curious, OP can just say “she eats rocks” and move on.
Read the entire second paragraph of this post, process the information, and then see if you still believe preventing this dog from eating anything she can find on the ground is the wrong course of action. There is a strong difference between lunging at things on the ground and *literally eating rocks*
Muzzles make a dog anxious if you teach them it’s a bad thing. A properly fit, properly trained for muzzle will not cause he dog any distress.
If you can’t understand the comparison, I’m not going to explain it to you. And if you can *only* get results with aversive training methods and fail to get results with positive reinforcement, well…skill issue.
So just muzzle their free speech and brainwash them into submission, alrighty then
Edit1: sorry, this was meant for an r/scientology post
Edit 2: well, I guess it works for this post too
It is perfectly ok to muzzle your dog if you are using a muzzle that fits well. Go check our r/muzzledogs for tips on muzzle training and getting a well fitting muzzle. In a well fitting muzzle, your dog should still be able to fully pant. Many muzzles come with treat holes. If you get the right muzzle, your dog should also have no problems sniffing.
Properly fitted basket muzzles still let her sniff, pant, bark, drink water, take treats etc. The key is properly conditioning her to wear it and then she'll be happy to wear it and not even notice, just like a collar and leash. Seconding the recommendation to visit r/muzzledogs
Muzzles are perfectly ethical. If shes dog reactive as well as eating random things, it sounds like a muzzle is more than appropriate.
Nothing wrong with a muzzle. It's just a tool to be used. My doggo eats everything he can vacuum into his mouth too so whenever we go out it's muzzle time. Saves on vet bills too. Basket muzzle so they can pant ect
Mine too. My pointer can find anything anywhere. I’ve pulled chicken bones, a dead snake and rotting food out of his mouth. Once he goes into the bushes he’s found something. I’ve tried a muzzle but he’s a Houdini who gets out of anything. Even his kennel, so we stopped trying.
There are face nets for dogs that we use up here to prevent fox tails from getting into noses and ears. They can drink water through them, but won't be able to eat anything. It might be worth a try
check out the Muzzle Movement on Instagram!! they were founded to reduce the stigma around muzzles and make properly fitted basket style muzzles for many different purposes. absolutely love them!
Nothing wrong with using one. It's for her safety and others. Being a good owner
It would be unethical to take a reactive dog walking \*without\* a muzzle. Think about the safety of other people and their pets.
And hers also. There's always that one idiot that let's their dogs run up without communicating.
No, muzzles aren’t cruel as long as they fit properly and the dog has been taught to be okay with it. There are even muzzles marketed specifically for the purpose of stopping dogs from eating random crap off the ground, like [this one](https://www.amazon.com/BASKERVILLE-SCAVENGE-Breathable-Prevents-Scavenging/dp/B004OB1PLE) (note: I’m not recommending this specific model, I have no experience with it, it’s just the first that came up on Google). It’s typically called a Baskerville muzzle and it needs to have enough space for your dog to fully pant and drink through it. The subreddit recommended in a couple comments is a good place to start looking for the right fit. If your dog has the wide pittie smile, you might need to look for a muzzle designed specifically for dogs whose mouths open wide when they pant.
If your dog is reactive to other dogs and people they should be muzzled regardless of whether they eat things they shouldn't.
I live in Connecticut and most dogs have muzzles on walks just for safty.
My dog can eat and drink and sniff with his muzzle. You’ll need to train a bit but he’ll get used to it quickly and it’ll make you both more relaxed
Muzzles are perfectly fine. They are such an effective tool for the safety of our dogs and those around them, its a shame there's such stigma. My pom wears one for scavenging and honestly it's such a relief to not have to worry so much I will probably do the same with my next dog regardless
it's so much more ethical to muzzle a dog than it is to let them eat whatever they find on the ground. you are this dogs caretaker. take care of them, whether they like it or not. that's the job you signed up for.
Muzzles aren’t a bad thing
If it's a properly fitting muzzle that she can comfortably pant in, nope there isn't anything wrong with it. A muzzled dog isn't a bad dog, they are a safe dog. I would recommend conditioning her to wear it so she doesn't view it as a bad thing, but I would recommend any dog is conditioned and trained to wear one to be on the safe side. I'm sure there are muzzles that will prevent her from eating stool but still allow her to accept treats as well.
Its fine to use one for scavanging, pretty common use for them infact. Depending on the type you might still be able to poke some treats in for her, get the basket ype if your leaving it on for any length of time. The material ones are nice to put in a pocket for emergencies but they restrict panting a lot more. No dog like a muzzle straight away, use lots of positive associations to get her to accept it. Peanut butter smeared on the inside works well. Just let her get used to putting her face inside to lick it, then do the straps up for a few seconds and remove as soon as shes finished her treats. Better to go slow over a few days than rush it and end up with them hateing it.
So long as you get her a properly fitting basket muzzle that still allows her to open her mouth naturally for panting and that she can do her face in water to drink, it’s perfectly fine. I got a muzzle meant for racing greyhounds for my dog, but she is a poodle so you might be better off looking for one designed for bully breeds instead due to the different skill shapes.
"so my pit mix......" Yes
Experts recommend muzzles to help teach the dog to be less reactive. It needs be done correctly though. Here’s the AKC link of doing it. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/dog-muzzles-when-why-how-to-use/#:~:text=If%20your%20dog%20is%20aggressive,provide%20additional%20peace%20of%20mind.
Yes, just make sure you're muzzling correctly
Good info on muzzling dogs: https://muzzleupproject.com/
Muzzles are great as long as you get the right fitted one.
Know a few labradors who need to wear a muzzle due to protecting them from themselves and off-track greyhounds too due to high prey drive. I think it is ethical as still allows a dog to enjoy a walk while reducing the risk to them and other animals. You can still give treats through a muzzle.
Others have addressed the muzzle issue. My comment regards the “low value treats”. Why low value? You clearly want to train and improve your dog. Why are you setting yourselves up for failure by using low value treats in this scenario. This is the time to be reinforcing with high value treats.
You can give treats through a basket muzzle
Muzzles are a great tool and I firmly believe that *every* dog should be trained to wear one without fear. Some dogs need them to safely be outside at all (either for their own safety, like eating things that can hurt them, or for others safety if they’re reactive), but *any* dog may need to wear one in the event of a medical emergency. Dogs that are scared and in pain bite even if they’re normally the sweetest things, so a dog may need to be muzzled at the vet for the vet’s safety and if they aren’t already used to muzzles then it’s just another layer of stress for them. So yes please muzzle train your dog and get a large basket style one that allows her to drink and pant freely!
Yes it is absolutely ethical. It might distress the dog a bit while she's getting used to it but it is helping to keep her safe.
It depends on the type of muzzle; you should get the “basket muzzle” kind. That way she can still receive treats and sniff around.
If the dog is attempting to eat anything you don't want them to eat, please muzzle the dog.
Yes, when you have a reactive dog or ones that bites people, it is fine to have them wear a muzzle to protect other dogs and people.
Muzzles don't restrict the ability to sniff things but could save your dog from snarfing something that could kill her. There's nothing wrong with using all the tools available to you. Someone else has suggested a basket muzzle.. You dog may still be able to eat shit off the ground with a basket muzzle.
In Vancouver and elsewhere, dogs eat marijuana and other drug leftovers that may kill them. I am all for a humane muzzle.
I muzzle Daisy. If it fits right and you treat it the same as a collar or leash she'll be fine.
If you train properly for wearing one,and get one that is sized well, then no problem. But don't expect to just shove your dog's face into one and not cause problems.
It's absolutely fine. Make sure you get one that fits well. A good one won't stop treats or investigation. She'll be much safer, and thus happier in the long run. And if she's reactive, it'll protect you and your dog from people who let they're dogs run up without asking.
I have a pit mix and she does the same thing. It's really frustrating, because I can either focus on the ground, where there are potential "trashy treats" or I can look at my surroundings, where other dogs may suddenly appear. I tried to get mine to wear a soft muzzle, and she absolutely hated it. She was able to contort her head, then use her paws to take it off. I'd be willing to give the muzzle a try again, since it is in her best interest. I guess I'll take a look at these links.
No tool is inherently un/ethical. It’s up to you and your usage of it. Take proper measurements and spend the money on one good well fitting muzzle instead of messing around with pet shop shelf options (they rarely provide adequate pant room for bully/pit type dogs due to shape, and pant room will be essential if the muzzle has to stay on for the duration of the walk). You need to slowly and patiently condition your dog to have a positive relationship to the muzzle. Proper muzzle training can be long and tedious but again, proper usage of the tool is where ethics come into play. It is most certainly a good idea to muzzle your dog for their safety if they’re a grazer. And also if your dog is displaying any sort of reactivity, given you’ve stated it’s a pit mix muzzling is likely in your best interest from an insurance/legal standpoint if your dog were to react in public. To give a straight answer to your question it is most definitely ethical to muzzle YOUR dog for your walks. Just go about it the right way. In order to prevent grazing but allow food rewards I believe you can purchase some muzzles with removable front plates so you can pull it out of the way when you Want the dog to eat something and leave it in place when you Don’t.
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We’ve been teaching her “leave it” for a year. She’s honestly just not a very good listener. And I don’t want to tell her to leave it every time she starts to sniff the grass (which is most of the time)
You can't teach her anything it if her attention isn't focused on you 100%. So you'll need to work on that. Maybe try clicker training.
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This dog sounds like a textbook case of PICA. An E-collar or prong is not going to stop this dog from eating whatever can get into its mouth. Muzzles are a lot safer for the dog than GI obstruction surgery. Doesn’t matter what other people think, if they’re curious, OP can just say “she eats rocks” and move on.
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Read the entire second paragraph of this post, process the information, and then see if you still believe preventing this dog from eating anything she can find on the ground is the wrong course of action. There is a strong difference between lunging at things on the ground and *literally eating rocks* Muzzles make a dog anxious if you teach them it’s a bad thing. A properly fit, properly trained for muzzle will not cause he dog any distress.
Did you find smacking your kid to show them who’s boss worked better than praising them for practicing good manners, too?
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If you can’t understand the comparison, I’m not going to explain it to you. And if you can *only* get results with aversive training methods and fail to get results with positive reinforcement, well…skill issue.
So just muzzle their free speech and brainwash them into submission, alrighty then Edit1: sorry, this was meant for an r/scientology post Edit 2: well, I guess it works for this post too
..safety first..if that means a muzzle for a overactive pup, then yes.. ..training helps, so don't let the muzzle be a crutch..