Muzzle

[Roos mom Deb]

I have a question :)
I have a 2year old unsocilized, untrained female. Ok so she's not so unsocilized now i have been working on that along with the training. BUT when i took her to the vets and she was muzzled she growled at every man she saw. I have had many men come and go at my house and she met everyone like a champ without growls or any postures.I went back the next day without the muzzle and she didn't growl. I had been working for 2 weeks on having her ware the muzzle while doing her OB, That way at the vets it wouldn't be new or done in the heat of battle { she had a bad experience at the vets with her last foster that is why i wanted the muzzle to be old hat this time around}. My question is what do i do about it?
Do i muzzle her up and take her to the park? I think finding people to pet a muzzled dog is going to be very hard :( Do i ignore it since it was only when muzzled at the vets?. I didn't ignore it this time around i gave her a pop and told her to knock it off which she did. I have some fresh brains to pick over here so i'm picking :)
What do you guys think?

[Judi W]

Well, go ahead and you should be putting the muzzel on at the time you put the collar on so she associates it with every outing. Even just going around the block, it is part of getting dressed for something positive.

Don't worry about trying to have people pet her. You are right, in that they will hesitate especially if she gives off body language. Strangers in the park aren't your best bet for training and they aren't interested anyway. Find some people from your training groups or dog friends and have them meet you. Also, take her to training (she doesn't need to be in a class), hang around before the working starts, and then leave. What you want is for people to come up and address you, ignoring her totally. Visit with them for a while then go on your way. Always use a happy voice when greeting people. As this progresses, then have them give her a pat on the head and depart. (quick and happy)

I believe it is always OK to correct a dog when it is wrong. How else are they to know? But you will also be desensitizine her by having people in close proximity without pressure on her.

The training will help because it will give her some rules of behavior and that builds confidence.

Anyway, I think you have the right idea. Get out the collar, leash and muzzel and tell her "whoopee do - we're going for a walk"... soon she'll see that muzzel as being part of her dress-up and go someplace outfit.

[Roos mom Deb]

Judi she has been in classes since the day i got her in, that is why i didn't understand the growling. we have a bunch of guys in class and she never once over reacted to them. The trainer is a friend of mine and lets me use her class to help build confidence in the foster dogs. I was worried about doing it at the park because i can't control that persons body launguage or eye contact. The class is a much better idea :) I'm sure Carol won't mind taking a little time before class to explain why she is muzzled and how they can help me get her over this hump. Thanks.

[Judi W]

She'll get there. Just put the muzzel on like other people add a bandana to their dog's going out dress.