Teaching A Grey What A Muzzle Is

[Guest TeddysMom]

Teddy has been with us since the end of August. He came out of a shelter, has no tatoos so I am assuming that he was not raised on a farm or at a kennel. He is about 2 years old and sometimes gets grouchy when any of the other dogs touches him when he is laying down, I really want to protect everyone and figured it might be a good idea to have the option available. I have a muzzle that came with Spice so I am trying to get him use to wearing it and he is not co-operating at all. He is the biggest food hog I have ever seen but even really good food gets no results. I did manage to get in on once and imediately tried giving him chunks of cook turkey but he was insane trying to get it off and couldn't care less about the food. I tried putting PB on the inside of the muzzle and although it smells good and he wants the PB, he fights and flings his head around when I try to slip the muzzle on, I don't want to freak him out so I just keep trying a couple of times a day. Any suggestions or hints that might help?

[greysmom]

Do it in smaller steps. Just leave it out where he can see it and has to deal with it. Don't refer to it unless he does and then only if it's a positive interaction, give him a treat. Once he's used to seeing, start handling it when you pet him, give him a treat for laying or standing quietly when you have it near him. Touch him lightly with it. more treats. You want him to associate being calm and getting a good reward for being near the muzzle. Once he's OK with that, try unbuckling it so it looks more like a cup and put the treat inside for him to get. Let him control putting his nose in there and you just hold it quietly and praise him. The PB smear would work well here. Next step is to slip the straps loosely over his head. Treats treats treats!!!

 

FYI, most people leave the straps buckled and just slip them over the ears in one motion. If you're not comfortable doing it, practice on your other grey.

[Guest mcsheltie]

I'd put some PB in it and leave it on the floor for him to mess with. He'll start licking the PB out of it and get used to putting his own muzzle in there. Pretend it's a Kong.

[Guest Snazzy_Chloe]

So when are you going to use it and how long are you going to leave him in the muzzle - and will your other dogs have one on at the same time? When they all see each other muzzled, I think they realize that we are not picking on them...but if they have never worn one it will be a fight for awhile. They will be rubbing their nose on everything to get it off, so I would just do it for short periods of time until they get used to it. Make sure the nose piece is padded a bit so the fur doesn't get rubbed off on their nose.

[Guest TeddysMom]

So when are you going to use it and how long are you going to leave him in the muzzle - and will your other dogs have one on at the same time?

 

I really only want to teach him it is not a bad thing and if we ever have a problem with the him and the little dogs, I want to be able to let him wear the muzzle only when we are here and he is with the little dogs. I am careful who the dogs go out with and never very many at a time, they take turns in the yard. The pugs and Teddy are only out when I am with them and the pugs don't run around so it has never been an issue. I have never had greyhounds before and have never muzzled so if I ever use the muzzle on him it would only be because he is getting snappy with the little dogs and the other big dogs would be crated. I also have made contact with a couple of grey owners around the Springfield area and would love to meet for a play date but he would have to be able to be muzzled. That is why I ask for advise, I have never used a muzzle or tried to teach a dog to wear one so I have no clue. Spice is a doll and doesn't have a problem with wearing one but I only put it on her to keep her use to it.

[cleptogrey]

felix was never at the track so i basically did all the muzzle conditioning myself. the first time i used it we were in a car w/ another male grey. i just popped it on and that was it. after that i always shoved a piece of dehydrated liver in to reward him when he wore it. on and off at the vet's office- he went thru a stage of not liking my vet, on and off when we do his nails, on when we have other dogs here for a run. i do get goosed by the muzzle, but they get used to everything if YOU give it a chance.