# another use for a muzzle (maybe)



## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

i think i have mentioned this before but since it has come up recently and i feel my comment was not understood i want to quickly explain myself a little better

- i have said many times i'm a big fan of muzzles and i use them a lot
- BUT - a lot of this use is NOT to prevent a dog from biting anyone 
...... repeat...has nothing to do with the DOG 

- i often muzzle the dog just so that PEOPLE will stay away from me and the dog
- as a visual deterrent to keep people away 
- i want to strictly control the environment around a dog if i am in public training with it, and that means i would prefer people NOT be constantly approaching me asking to meet it pet it or .... whatever
- i have found that "usually" (but not always) when i have a dog in a muzzle people tend to give me and the dog a lot more space because they see a muzzle and immediately think -- "there is a dog that will BITE me if i get close" --
- in many cases it even makes people not even look at the dog, which is great too 
- all this allows me to get the dog more focused on ME and more neutral to everything else

1. yes i do this for aggressive dogs, but i also do it with "regular" dogs as well as dogs who are insecure in public or easily distracted with "public OB"
2. yes i ALWAYS spend a lot of time conditioning the dog to actually like wearing it ... usually doesn't take that long, but not gonna waste time going into a muzzle conditioning "how tos" ... anyone here already knows how to do that 

anyway, that's about it...hope it makes it clearer if i wasn't, and if you already knew what i meant, sorry to waste your time reading it again


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

rick smith said:


> i think i have mentioned this before but since it has come up recently and i feel my comment was not understood i want to quickly explain myself a little better
> 
> - i have said many times i'm a big fan of muzzles and i use them a lot
> - BUT - a lot of this use is NOT to prevent a dog from biting anyone
> ...


great post..

but I am not above (or below) using a muzzle with a 'qualified' stranger to see what a dog intentions are...for safety purposes..


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

re: "but I am not above (or below) using a muzzle with a 'qualified' stranger to see what a dog intentions are...for safety purposes.."
.... for SURE !!.....i'm glad i live near a Navy base where i can find lots of volunteers to help me in the "stranger" category ...usually never costs me more than a beer or a big mac


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## Ashley Scott (Feb 9, 2012)

That's a great idea and one I may have to use every so often. All of my dogs are trained to a muzzle, if for nothing else, if they get hurt and have to be muzzled, it's something that they are used to. If I am out in public, I have also been known to use a service dog vest with "in training, please do not pet" on it. Most people are pretty respectful of that, and my dog doesn't get the jittery vibes from people walking past them that are afraid of dogs in muzzles. (*Note* I never try to go anywhere I shouldn't with my dog while in a service dog vest. I am just talking public parks, etc)


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