Training To Wear A Muzzle?

[ButerflyGirl]

My DP and I like to go camping out in the bush, and would like to be able to take our Boof with us, but I know lots of farmers use 1080 baits (for feral foxes), so I would like for our Boof to be used to wearing a muzzle before he "needs" to wear one.

Is there anything particular to do to get dogs used to wearing them, or is it just a little at a time with lots of fun stuff while it is on to distract them from it.

Also I have seen wire ones and plastic ones, aswell as the nylon tube type ones which slips over their nose stopping their mouth from opening, what are the pros and cons of each?

Vanessa

[magicmine]

I think it will take time and praise. Keep it on for a little while then take it off with lots of praise. Gradually increase the time praising all the time your dog has it on. Ive heard greyhound muzzles are pretty i think the plastic ones. not sure which ones are best but would think the metal ones wouldnt protect much.

while your dog has it on give him/her little treats and tell them what a good boy/girl they are and just make a fuss over them while they have it on.

hope that helps.

[skip]

If you could treat the dog thru a muzzle why couldn't the dog also eat thru some types? Sorry, just wondering.

[Vickie]

no advice on a muzzle, but will you have permission to be on the properties? Any farmer baiting (or not) would probably also be willing to shoot a dog on sight that was on their property (and they're allowed to as well).

[J...]

Signs are supposed to be displayed wherever 1080 baits are laid, whether that be on private or public property.

Sometimes baits do end up getting carted outside the original target area.

[persephone]

My DP and I like to go camping out in the bush, and would like to be able to take our Boof with us, but I know lots of farmers use 1080 baits (for feral foxes), so I would like for our Boof to be used to wearing a muzzle before he "needs" to wear one.

Good planning-

unfortunately, sometimes a dog can still access a small bait

If you are muzzling your dog in the 'bush'..please do NOT let it offlead!(keeping it onlead is safer in all respects) If it comes across a feral dog, or a stroppy kangaroo, it will have no defence. If it pushes thru scrub or old wire, muzzles can get hooked up

If baits are done correctly ( which only happens sometmes ) they are buried and tagged... with uneaten ones collected and disposed of.

Unfortunately, so many folks just drive round their property scattering poisoned chicken wingtips or eggs will-nilly

Non- target species then collect the baits, and can transport them far from the intended area

Camping with dogs requires a lot of pre planning and thought.

Also I have seen wire ones and plastic ones, aswell as the nylon tube type ones which slips over their nose stopping their mouth from opening, what are the pros and cons of each?

Firstly - those nylon tube things are fine for dogs likely to bite whilst being vet treated or similar. for SHORT TERM use..as they do not allow a dog to pant and keep cool ;) Horrible things, IMO.

The wire ones- depending on type, can be excellent. ..allowing the dog to open their jaw, pant & drink...but can be very open mesh...I haven't any experience with these ...

The plastic 'basket' muzzle is one which I've used on my dogs.. soft. light, allows for good depth so as to let dog pant & drink... and , properly fitted, and with the extra slide in/out end piece, means no scrounging :p

[4 Paws]

Leerburg website has a very good clip on training a dog to wear a muzzle http://leerburg.com/muzzle.htm

[4Kelpies]

I have a "Werka" working dog muzzle from Vet-n-pet Direct. I've tried the plastic type but it didn't adjust enough to fit my Kelpies. What breed is Boof? There may be a type of muzzle recommended for his breed. The nylon muzzles are not suitable for walking a dog as he won't be able to pant. Some dogs accept muzzles easily others hate them. With one of my dogs I tried putting it on her for a few seconds then giving her a treat and taking it off (there is room to put a small treat in through the side.) She never got used to it and when I eventually tried to work her with it on, she totally ignored the sheep and kept pawing at it . She managed to get a dew claw caught and ripped it out with lots of blood and trauma to both of us. I haven't put a muzzle on her since.

With my other dogs who liked to bite sheep I only used the muzzle around sheep, put it on and went straight to work. They were both so focused on sheep that they didn't take any notice. Now when they see the muzzle they wag their tails knowing they are going to work sheep in the yards. I'm not sure how you would find a distraction as strong as sheep.

1080 is a real problem in country areas. While farmers are only allowed to use it on their own property, the baits are often carried by crows and foxes to nearby areas. My neighbour lost a lovely dog to 1080 poisoning several years ago. This dog used to run along with his owner on her horse. He never went into private property but she remembered him picking up something on the side of the road. He came to her as soon as she called him but must have eaten enough of the poison as she found him dead next morning.

Does Boof have a reliable recall? It would be dangerous to let him out of your sight or to let him run in thick bush. Muzzles get caught very easily and he could be trapped or suffer a neck injury if it catches on something when running. If you have wide tracks to walk on and he will stay close to you the muzzle could work and keep him safe.

[ButerflyGirl]

Thanks everyone for the informative replies.

At the moment it is really just forward planning, at the moment Boof is almost 12 weeks old, he is a Koolie x Rotti, and we have only had him for just over two weeks, so although he is learning things fairly quickly, this is not the sort of thing that we are planning on doing any time soon.

As for Private property, I am a firm believer of always having the owners permission each and every time you go there, that to me is just common courtesy.

The main places that I am thinking of is along the Oodnadatta Track, having worked up there on a few construction projects, there is signs on all the gates warning about 1080 baits being used, and I cant believe that they are guarenteed to stay on that property (like has been said with crows and foxes picking them up and dropping them somewhere else). It is something that DP and I would like to do as a holiday thing (not a work thing as I have done) but probably wont be for a while, a: untill Boof has grown up and is trained much better, and b: we are getting a new 4WD in the next few months, so when that is not so new because it definately wont be new after driving the Oodnadatta Track

Thank you again for the information

[Miranda]

Probably not what you want to hear, but there's no way I'd be taking any of my dogs to an area where there's even a remote chance that they'd pick up a bait, I wouldn't risk their lives and wouldn't rely on a muzzle to keep them safe. If your dog eats a bait it's dead, they have no chance and it's not a pleasant death. I would leave the dog at home.

[persephone]

A couple of our working dogs need a muzzle in the yards...they get a bit nippy

We say "come, put your helmet on"...and they are quite happy

Our dogs are like 4kelpie's..the sheep work is great distraction..we just pop the muzzle on..and off they go. There are a few half hearted attempts to rub off the nasty thing... but work is much more interesting !