Let Me Show You Why They Give Us Those Muzzles

[Guest LoveSeniorGreys]

When you adopt a grey your rep should tell you all about the potential dangers....when and why to muzzle. Please take their advice, these stories are testiment.

 

[Guest Winterwish]

Judi,I'm so sorry that happened! This is the first time seeing this.

Poor Bookie. I hope she's on her way to full healing.

 

 

Get well soon Bookie.

I hope everyone is on their way to feeling better.

Edited September 22, 2008 by Winterwish

[Plymgreys]

I voted other because Lottie is always muzzled when we are out on a walk. I'm not bothered about her snapping at anything but when she gets excited about cats/squirrels/dogs etc. she attacks her leash. So much so that I worry she'll chew right through it one day. If we take them to somewhere they can run they both get muzzled. In the yard it's so rare that they run around that we don't usually bother and to be honest they are in and out all day. They are not muzzled in the house or car.

[Guest JudiK]

Another Bookie update - while I was at Dewey, Bookie was at home scratching her wound. She tore most of the scab off (with her back claws) - I watched her finish it off after I got home. I was horrified and took her to the vet. They cleaned away all the "necrotic" tissue and gave me an enzymatic wash, a topical spray and another week worth of anti-biotics. It looks like raw meat again, but the vet says that it is healing nicely. We will never go without muzzles again! Oh, and we officially adopted her yesterday - she wasn't a real foster for more than a couple of hours, there was no way they were getting her back after the first time that she went strolling through the yard looking up into our eyes (she doesn't watch the ground, she watches her people) with her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth.

[Guest Winterwish]

Oh my gosh,poor baby. It's so hard to keep them away from a wound,isn't it? That's really good news that the vet said it's healing well. Sending hugs to your newest 'baby'.

Bookie has many happy years ahead of her with you guys,Congratulations on adopting her!!!

[Guest OreoandNeba]

I didn't used to muzzle, but starting today I do, but only when Oreo is in the living room, Neba is in the kitchen and we are going somewhere. If I don't muzzle him, I'll have a huge mess to clean up when I get back.

[Guest rememberingSadi]

We use muzzles at all times, the dog park, any fenced in areas, in the car. Basically we use them any time we think they might get excited or cranky. I've seen my most docile boy Kipp get excited while running next to another dog and nip at the flank areas. I've also known that Griff or Leah can get upset (rightfully so) if someone steps on a paw or tail, etc. in the car. So, while of course we don't muzzle at home, we do always muzzle during a 'higher risk' period.

Edited October 10, 2006 by rememberingSadi

[Guest journeywoman]

It does tend to be worse when the weather is cooler and as it gets darker. I never really thought about why (anyone know?), but I've definitely observed it to be true.

Weird. I await responses to this as well.

 

I'm a new greyhound parent of 3 years...and my 6 y/0 male does get a bit fiestier in the fall and winter...don't know why, perhaps it's because the warmer, more humid weather is very uncomfortable for them...

 

BTW I have just made the decision to muzzle my guy during walks...he goes after anything that moves lately, joggers, furry friends, other dogs. He weighs 90 lbs and I weigh 125 and I have MS. He is very hard to control when he has his "nutties" as my DH call them.

 

Does anyone think I might actually have success calming him down if I muzzle him? I appreciate any input.

 

Thanks!

[Guest JudiK]

Maybe not right away... he might think that if you're muzzling him he must be going to do something exciting, like RACE!!!!! But within a few days it might help. I hope someone with more experience with muzzling than I have (I'm very new at using the muzzles) sees your request and adds their 2 cents.

[Guest attila]

I saw this post just before heading to Dewey. If any of you were at the Open Dog Run on Saturday morning and you saw a girl wagging her finger at all of the non-muzzlers... that would be me!

[Guest luluaz]

Maybe not right away... he might think that if you're muzzling him he must be going to do something exciting, like RACE!!!!! But within a few days it might help. I hope someone with more experience with muzzling than I have (I'm very new at using the muzzles) sees your request and adds their 2 cents.

Well, I learned the hard way with Dyce....when he was my new foster and I had four greyts together, unmuzzled ALL day.

What was I thinking, you might ask? I had thought that because my Marie was the undisputed QUEEN BITCH, all would stay

in line. Wrong, when the new foster outweighs and is younger and wanting to establish. My smallest, Gypsy, got a serious warning bite to the throat, no broken skin, but huge edema that took FOREVER to go away, almost getting infected. I started muzzling and Dyce started to become less aggressive over time or maybe the pack dynamics jelled. I now have a new foster, Marie is at the bridge, so four is the magical number once again. MUZZLE WHEN IN DOUBT!

[Guest CindyMessmore]

We muzzle our dogs when they go out in the yard. We muzzle our dogs when they go to the Vet - dogs that don't feel well can be a little snippier than normal. And at least one of our dogs has space issues, so we muzzle her when we go to Greyhound events. I've been asked numerous times why my do wears a muzzle... or "that thing".... when the others don't. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

[Guest GreytfullDad]

I voted other. We don't muzzle inside while we are present, or for our general outside romps in the yard(always supervised)

 

We do muzzle at play groups or when a new dog is introduced to the pack, (either a foster situation or a new pack member)

 

When traveling with just my hounds in the van (Dodge coversion with lots of hound room) we do not muzzle, but if another dog is added we muzzle everyone)

 

Other than that muzzles are a tool which we utilize when we feel the need. This can be if the dogs will be unattended for a short period of time or if one of the hounds is having a "snarky" kind of day, usually my senior - Miss Tasha 11, we may muzzle one or several to midigate the situation.

 

Hope all the injured pups are healing well, We have had our share of stiches and encounters but luckily nothing that severe KOW

[Guest jfroggirl76]

I voted other. The only time I muzzle Wish is if he shows aggression towards another dog (not within our house). I took Sasha my boxer/pit mix and Wish to my grandmother’s house and she has a schipperke. Wish was growling at him from the time we got out of the car with a fence in-between the 2 of them. I let Wish sniff the schipperke and thought ok we can go in. Well not more than 5 minutes later Wish had the schipperke by the neck thrashing side to side like he was trying to break his neck. My fiancé yelled at Wish that at me for not muzzling him. Wish dropped the dog and we have never had another incident but that being said I do not take Wish to visit my grandmother any more. At the dog park wish has no interest in schipperkes, poodles or any other little dog. I believe that he just didn’t like my grandmother’s dog.

 

Now at home my 14year old dog rules the roost and he is the weakest of all of the dogs. He is extremely possessive of me and snaps at the other dogs if they come too close to me when we are having “our special time” together. Wish gets the hint and walk away but he will stay close enough to me for a little attention. Wish can be the alpha dog if permitted but I let everyone know that I am alpha and don’t play rough in the house no one owns a toy or bed. If they growl then they all loose it and I put it away until they forget about it usually about 15 minutes and back to usual.

 

Out in the yard is another thing Wish and Noah got outside together and Sasha and Noah but Wish and Sasha play rough and track in a tremendous amount of mud and one of them normally tracks poop thought the house if I let them play together. Wish normally has scrapes and cuts on him if I let him and Sasha play together as well, so I limit their outside interactions together.

[Saffron]

I muzzle in the yard -- and yes we do always supervise free runs. We had one tiny nick, and that was enough to have me muzzle them both. I have sometimes wondered if I am being over-cautious, because they do get on really well in the house, but those pics have convinced me that better safe than sorry!

 

I hope healing is going well, I'm so sorry,

 

Gillian

[Guest RubysMom]

I went last night to my parents to introduce Ruby to them (and their great fenced yard!). Ruby lost her footing coming up a hill an slammed into a rockwork bench. She yowled and cried, and I was grateful that I had brought the muzzle. I slipped it over her head first thing, as I don't know how she reacts when injured. Luckly, there is no obvious damage (although I think she is sore on her shoulder) and we are going to the vet tomorrow anyway, I am glad it was on hand. I'll also remember to muzzle for the greyt group walks we'll attend, too. Thanks everyone, for your stories and info- I'm sure dogs will be saved because of your warnings!

[JenniferS]

Forgive ime f I get these stories wrong, but I remember 2 disasters, one from FullMetalFrank's Iberia & Frankie, and the other from Sheila's X & Kiowa. I believe Iberia died from his brother's attack and I belive X had to be returned. Once again I apologize if I've gotten these stories wrong, but I do remember them from GT's past, and my heart has always gone out to them. Things can happen so quickly, you just never know...

[Guest mirthlesstroll]

I muzzle if I have more than 1 dog in the car, as Logan has space/"don't step on me" issues & Melody is clueless Melody gets muzzled in the yard b/c she is an avid consumer of "yard decorations" & loves to lick everyone!(EEEEWWWWWWWWW!) We have not been to a fun run or playgroup, but I plan on muzzling - and not participating if everyone else doesn't muzzle. I basically say "Oh, no, my dogs are greyt! But I spent $7.00 + $5.00 shipping on the muzzle, and stitches cost about $100.00 - $200.00 - Did the math & I muzzle."

[Guest MountainHounds]

I muzzle when I'm not home with them. Kamin is a sweet boy who has never ever shown aggression towards any animal in my house and Kavana is missing so many teeth that I'm not sure how much damage he could actually do, but I will never forget the story of FullMetalFrank coming home to find a dog fight had happened between her dogs. They may not like their muzzles that much, but they don't hurt them, they can eat and drink with them on, and it's either muzzles, or confining them in separate areas of the house which they would dislike even more. I won't leave them both loose and unmuzzled together. Ever.

 

I also muzzle in the car, but I don't when they go outside, there is too much snow for them to be able to do any sort of running or playing right now. In the past, I've muzzled when I've taken dogs to run, usually with fosters or playgroups.

[Guest ProudGreyMom]

Muzzled when home alone because Andy seriously attacked Jake while we were at work.

 

Not muzzled outside because jake doesn't play or run with Andy. When Andy really wants to run and play, I put Jake in the house. Or if Jake wants to run a bit, I hold Andy's collar so that he won't frighten Jake.

[fourofem]

I voted other. I normally don't muzzle at home with a few exceptions. One of my boys hates to have his nails done so the muzzle goes on. One of my girls goes through stages of poop eating (she's amazing - I scoop my yard every day and she can ALWAYS find the one pile I missed) so I will muzzle her for a couple of days until her yen for poop has passed. I muzzle all of them for play dates away from the house or if we have greyhound visitors at our house. Depending on what the vet has to do, I sometimes muzzle them for that. Looking at those pictures has made me think, though.

[Guest anneh]

I am really upset about all these posts. You see I am planning on adopting a greyhound and everything I read other than here indicated they are sweet natured, gentle dogs. In my long life I have owned several dogs at a time on rare occasions and never have they attacked each other! I know its possible with any breed, I am aware of that, but I am shocked at what I am learning here on the forum about greys regarding sleep aggression, space aggression and now this. Why would they attack each other so mercilessly? I don't mean to sound critical but just trying to find out all I can. anne

[turbotaina]

I am really upset about all these posts. You see I am planning on adopting a greyhound and everything I read other than here indicated they are sweet natured, gentle dogs. In my long life I have owned several dogs at a time on rare occasions and never have they attacked each other! I know its possible with any breed, I am aware of that, but I am shocked at what I am learning here on the forum about greys regarding sleep aggression, space aggression and now this. Why would they attack each other so mercilessly? I don't mean to sound critical but just trying to find out all I can. anne

 

Usually they are not "attacking" each other. All dogs like to nip when they play. Combine nipping with a 40mph run and thin skin and you end up with a huge tear in the dog's skin.

 

Otherwise, yes, greyhounds are dogs and they behave like dogs. Like any other breed dog, the pack mentality can kick in and you get a fight. Greyhounds are NOT unique in this. If you go to a dog park and there's a tussel, other dogs will come streaming in to check it out. I would say that by and large, greyhounds get on together BETTER than most non-greyhounds because they have been raised around other greyhounds (not taken from their dams at a young age and raised solely by humans) and understand dog language much better than non-greyhounds (or rather, dogs taken from their dams at a young age). I've been to probably hundreds of greyhound only playgroups and have never seen anything get out of control (tussels, yes, outright viciously attacking eachother? Absolutely not.)

 

Sleep/space aggression: US greyhounds are used to being crated and not used to sharing space/toys/beds, etc. Most greyhounds are NOT sleep/space aggressive, but it does exist due to their unique upbringing. Most of this type of "aggression" can be trained out with patience and desensitization.

 

Also, folks post in training and behavior when they are having problems with their dogs. Certainly not every member of this board posts here, so what you're looking at is ONLY problem behavior. I'll go out on a limb here and say that most folks have no aggression problems with their greyhounds at all.

 

Greyhounds are a gentle breed of dog, but they are dogs, and all that comes with that

Edited January 25, 2007 by turbotaina

[Guest JudiK]

Since I started this thread, I'd like to chime in here too. I agree with everything TurboTania said. I'd like to add that what happened to Bookie was NOT an attack! All four of my greys were playing in the yard, running fast; the two boys were growly-arguing about whose Frisbee it was and Bookie dove under them to steal the Frisbee away. Pere saw what she was doing and he bit her ONE TIME. He was as shocked as any of us when he saw what he had done. Greys have very thin skin - a nip results in a huge wound. If Pere had bit a Lab or Golden the same way I would probably not have needed a vet. Because greys are such laid-back dogs, we tend to give them too much freedom to do stupid things. My post was meant as a caution to remind others that they are dogs, not people, they get excited and hurt each other in play. It is the job of the human to take the necessary precautions to protect them.

As I write this, Bookie is curled up on the sofa next to me; Pere is asleep on the loveseat, Kixie & Devon are asleep on dog beds, as are both of my current fosters. Greys are indeed well-socialized, gentle creatures; but when you choose to be the "responsible adult" for a pack of greys you need to be an adult, not a kid who believes that your dogs would never (insert name of dog behavior here). If you choose to believe that it can't happen to you, your greys will probably pay the price.

[Guest bona60]

Sorry for these pups. Hope they all healed well. Monty has his own fenced yard and is leashed when off the property but I would be concerned about letting him run among unknown dogs in a dog park. -Sam-