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DenyMcKusker

Well-Known Member
I am rotating the dogs to ensure they don't run into 1 another. We have a cold front that has moved in. They are going out to go potty but that's it. They aren't dogs for the cold I just got the muzzle for the shepherd. I need to do some muzzle training. I am not feeling real confidant about these basket muzzles, are they gonna stay on while fur is flying. This whole situation totally SUCKS/ I am really sad.
 

DenyMcKusker

Well-Known Member
Can you show us what the muzzles look like? Maybe a link if you don't have a picture?

OK I am going try to attach. I don't do real well on computers. Let's see......OK this isn't working. Jeff is working in town this week. He will help me when he gets in. Thank you Boxergirl!!!!!!!!
 

DenyMcKusker

Well-Known Member
OK I am going try to attach. I don't do real well on computers. Let's see......OK this isn't working. Jeff is working in town this week. He will help me when he gets in. Thank you Boxergirl!!!!!!!!
OK I think I have these committed to the computer. Let me know if it would help to show a different angle. You can see my fingers holding the strap up . 1 strap goes behind the ears and one goes up his snoot, between his eyes and up the forehead. We have already figured the nylon 1 is useless.
 

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Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
If you fit those basket muzzles properly, they should stay on. You have to make sure that the strap that goes over the top of the head is secure. You're right about the nylon muzzle. It's good, at best, for use at the vet for a short amount of time and for a dog that doesn't really intend to bite. How's the muzzle training going?
 

DenyMcKusker

Well-Known Member
If you fit those basket muzzles properly, they should stay on. You have to make sure that the strap that goes over the top of the head is secure. You're right about the nylon muzzle. It's good, at best, for use at the vet for a short amount of time and for a dog that doesn't really intend to bite. How's the muzzle training going?
My husband is resisting a little. I have told him we will only need to use when we have Yogi and Max in the same space and maybe they will learn to love 1 another again. I know that is a hopeful thing. Jeff took Yogi and I had Max. We are serving treats in them. Max's is pretty snug on. It is an XXL. It is all the lip that needs to fit. I will get a pic as soon as I leave it on for a while. I really hate this. So does Jeff! It is what it is! uuuggghhh
 

DennasMom

Well-Known Member
Hopefully your Max is young enough to 'give up' on the whole fighting thing soon
Glad you're using muzzles to keep interactions safer.

A long time ago, we adopted a 1yr old bulldog/boxer mix as a new friend for our 6yr old Dane/Lab mix. It didn't go well as the new kid got acclimated to the new house... and it definitely was ME that he found worth fighting for. Our older dog did not start fights, but he did defend himself when attacked.

They were fine home alone together. It was when I was around things got ugly. :(
I found that when the glares started, and hackles started going up, that if I left the room, things deescalated. I was never able to 'cure' the new kid from attacking the old man, though, so we did find him a new home (after 3 years of things getting 'better' but never really relaxed around the house). Everyone was happier when those two were not living together.
 

DenyMcKusker

Well-Known Member
Hopefully your Max is young enough to 'give up' on the whole fighting thing soon
Glad you're using muzzles to keep interactions safer.

A long time ago, we adopted a 1yr old bulldog/boxer mix as a new friend for our 6yr old Dane/Lab mix. It didn't go well as the new kid got acclimated to the new house... and it definitely was ME that he found worth fighting for. Our older dog did not start fights, but he did defend himself when attacked.

They were fine home alone together. It was when I was around things got ugly. :(
I found that when the glares started, and hackles started going up, that if I left the room, things deescalated. I was never able to 'cure' the new kid from attacking the old man, though, so we did find him a new home (after 3 years of things getting 'better' but never really relaxed around the house). Everyone was happier when those two were not living together.
Thank you so much for sharing!!! I knew how the story was going to end. We know that we may have to face that same conclusion. We are going to do what ever we can to mend this. Max just turned 1. Yogi is the Baby. Well he is the Baby to us. He has been treated like a Baby. It is pretty amazing when he pulls his BadAss out. Jeff is having a bit of a time with Yogi. I heard him in the bedroom with Yogi and the muzzle and I had to laugh. Max is doing good. He even sits there and lets me stuff all that fur and loose skin under his chin into the muzzle. This will be a work in progress. A tough journey. Again thanks.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
Thank you so much for sharing!!! I knew how the story was going to end. We know that we may have to face that same conclusion. We are going to do what ever we can to mend this. Max just turned 1. Yogi is the Baby. Well he is the Baby to us. He has been treated like a Baby. It is pretty amazing when he pulls his BadAss out. Jeff is having a bit of a time with Yogi. I heard him in the bedroom with Yogi and the muzzle and I had to laugh. Max is doing good. He even sits there and lets me stuff all that fur and loose skin under his chin into the muzzle. This will be a work in progress. A tough journey. Again thanks.

Many people do successfully rotate their dogs without affecting the dogs quality of life. It's not easy, but it's doable.
 

DenyMcKusker

Well-Known Member
Jeff & I agreed that we would put the muzzles on and take them for a walk this weekend. I think Yogi is going to be the problem. I took a couple of pics this am. I don't know how to get the pics from my phone to here. Jeff will do it when he gets home. The dogs were on opposite sides of the fence. It is a high security 4" X 2" mesh. They were laying there snoot to snoot. I wasn't sure how this was going to end. I watched for about 30 minutes. Then Yogi jumped up and gave him a short warning growl and walked in. This is killing me. If Max did get a hold of Yogi he would smush him. I am currently filing out a form for a behaviorist I found in Austin. She is known for rehabilitating street Pitties that have been fighting all their life. This is a work in progress. Thank you for checking on us!!!!! I will post the pics as soon as I am able so you can see what I am talking about. Take Care, Deny
 

DenyMcKusker

Well-Known Member
Training by Tara in Austin is who I am filling out the paperwork for. Do you know of someone I should be working with? I have to have someone with Mega experience with Bully Breed Dog fighting. She is the best I have found so far. The last 1 I hired was useless. I have seen Tara in action on many occasions working adoption days. She is fearless. I am SO open to any suggestions!
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
I did a search of several databases and I don't see that Tara has any credentials that certify her as a behaviorist. Just putting that out there. It does take years of specialty work to get certified and while I like to see people working with someone with credentials, experience counts for a lot as well. And perhaps I missed her credentials. With that being said, I did do some snooping around her website. I think everyone here knows what kind of trainer I am, and the word dominance doesn't enter into my training philosophy. I was gratified to read this from her blog.

https://www.k9workingmind.net/single-post/2014/12/19/Dominance-theory-training-No-thanks

I also read quite a few other blog posts and I liked what I saw. I did see that she doesn't seem to be a fan of muzzles. Personally, I think all dogs should be muzzle trained but that's just my opinion and everyone has one of those, lol. I was hoping that you weren't going with the Sit Means Sit trainers as I've seen bad fallout from that with friends dogs. Please let us know how the consultation goes and also keep us updated on progress.
 

DenyMcKusker

Well-Known Member
I did a search of several databases and I don't see that Tara has any credentials that certify her as a behaviorist. Just putting that out there. It does take years of specialty work to get certified and while I like to see people working with someone with credentials, experience counts for a lot as well. And perhaps I missed her credentials. With that being said, I did do some snooping around her website. I think everyone here knows what kind of trainer I am, and the word dominance doesn't enter into my training philosophy. I was gratified to read this from her blog.

https://www.k9workingmind.net/single-post/2014/12/19/Dominance-theory-training-No-thanks

I also read quite a few other blog posts and I liked what I saw. I did see that she doesn't seem to be a fan of muzzles. Personally, I think all dogs should be muzzle trained but that's just my opinion and everyone has one of those, lol. I was hoping that you weren't going with the Sit Means Sit trainers as I've seen bad fallout from that with friends dogs. Please let us know how the consultation goes and also keep us updated on progress.
I didn't realize you were a Trainer. Your advice falls right in to that. I value that. Thank you. Can you share with me who you thought was good in your search. Right now my husband and I are the blind leading the blind. With my husbands crazy schedule he wants to be a part of everything with Max. They have a very special Dude relationship. I will absolutely keep you posted. This weekend will tell us alot about these muzzles I guess.
Just as a side note.....we have a cute little guest house on the property. You are welcome to it. This is the time of year to visit Austin :):):)
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
I didn't realize you were a Trainer. Your advice falls right in to that. I value that. Thank you. Can you share with me who you thought was good in your search. Right now my husband and I are the blind leading the blind. With my husbands crazy schedule he wants to be a part of everything with Max. They have a very special Dude relationship. I will absolutely keep you posted. This weekend will tell us alot about these muzzles I guess.
Just as a side note.....we have a cute little guest house on the property. You are welcome to it. This is the time of year to visit Austin :):):)

Oh no, I'm not a professional trainer. I'm a dog/training nerd. My only experience is having trained a ton of my own dogs and foster dogs. Lol. My daughter did just get her training certification and is working on her behavior specialty and her focus is going to be on reactivity. I think that the trainer you're in contact with looks like she has experience and doesn't use dominance training techniques. I would do a consult with her if I was in your position. I think that using a muzzle has been a safety measure for you right now. As she discussed muzzle use in her blog post, it was not the way you are using it, so I'm curious as to what she thinks of your using one. You want to make this work, so you'll make it work. One way or another.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
Oh! What kind of guest do you have? My husband just LOVES when I bring home new animals that I've found.
 

DenyMcKusker

Well-Known Member
Oh! What kind of guest do you have? My husband just LOVES when I bring home new animals that I've found.
Well, I can assure you that all the guests are furry. Too funny! OK, I will have a sit down with her and just see how it goes. Scheduling might be a challenge initially as my husband wants in on this. I am glad he does. He handles Max much better than I do. Well hell, we are talking about a 200 lb. man. Looks like I am at a disadvantage :) OK, I will keep you posted. Than you again! Deny
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
Well, I can assure you that all the guests are furry. Too funny! OK, I will have a sit down with her and just see how it goes. Scheduling might be a challenge initially as my husband wants in on this. I am glad he does. He handles Max much better than I do. Well hell, we are talking about a 200 lb. man. Looks like I am at a disadvantage :) OK, I will keep you posted. Than you again! Deny

You absolutely are NOT at a disadvantage. This isn't about muscle or size. Sure a larger person may have a better chance at holding a dog back, but you're looking at changing behavior so you don't have to do that. If you spend more time with the dogs then you'll be the one dealing with them most of the time. Be confident!
 

Nik

Well-Known Member
You absolutely are NOT at a disadvantage. This isn't about muscle or size. Sure a larger person may have a better chance at holding a dog back, but you're looking at changing behavior so you don't have to do that. If you spend more time with the dogs then you'll be the one dealing with them most of the time. Be confident!

This is absolutely true. My husband is twice my size but the dogs are more obedient with me. When he finally got back here to live permanently with us after the move the dogs weren't obeying a thing he said and I would do the hand gestures behind his back to get them to do it. He caught me and made me stop so he could get them used to obeying him also again. He was definitely in the right on that since they need to listen to him also and not just me. But I am with them 24/7 so I definitely have the advantage with them. He was telling me when I go run errands or go to the gym and leave him alone and get back that it is like a magic switch and suddenly the are behaving themselves whereas it was chaos prior to my return.