It had to come.... muzzles for a small terrier....🙄

9

{97702}

...
Joined
9 July 2012
Messages
14,849
Visit site
George is secured with a harness on a walk now but still barks hysterically at any dog he sees, and I really don’t trust some numpty dog owner not to let their dog run up to him. Sadly he would have no qualms about attacking it, and I cannot always be 100% sure that I will be able to pick him up first.

So I’m looking for a basket muzzle for a terrier - like the ones greyhounds wear but smaller - so he can still pant & drink with it on (and yap no doubt!) but to protect other dogs

Are the Baskerville ones any good? I’ve seen some wire basket nuzzles but they seem to be made abroad so I wasn’t sure about the quality
 
If a dog was to run up to him when he’s already snarling and barking, I’d guess it was after confrontation, rather than to play. It seems a bit harsh to muzzle him so he then can’t defend himself, possibly making his issues worse. I’m sorry if I’ve misunderstood what he does but my sisters dog isn’t good with others and will go quite hysterical When he sees them. Most dogs generally just keep a wide berth as you’d expect. She generally makes sure they aren’t in the situation of being too close so that her dog would be able to attack an innocent dog. She’s had some success with a chirpy “this way” and just matter of factor changing direction so they aren’t heading straight toward a dog.
 
The first time George’s behaviour showed itself was when we met other dogs coming the other way and he was off the lead. The other owner put his two dogs into ‘sit’ at the side of the path behind him, they didn’t utter a sound and didn’t even make eye contact with my dogs, they were looking up at their owner (spaniel and a collie type).

Before I could catch him, George dashed off down the path towards them and launched himself at both dogs, trying to attack and bite them. They didn’t retaliate in any way, luckily their owner did with a few sharp boots to explain to George that this was not required behaviour.

I was absolutely mortified, I have never ever had a dog behave like that in my life, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Thankfully the other owner was lovely and said laconically ‘I cant be doing with biting’ - his dogs weren’t injured thank goodness, and I apologised profusely to him of course. naturally George has never, and will never, been off the lead in public again!

I just can’t trust him with any dog apart from my own - my 6 stone greyhound would give him short shrift if George tried it on with him - but I won’t take the risk of him biting someone else’s dog ☹️

Other than that he is absolutely adorable and a joy to live with! So if it takes a lead and a muzzle, so be it 😊
 
Our terrier is exactly the same and I would definitely equip George with a small Baskerville muzzle. Ollie also launched himself at a happy innocent harmless dog minding his own business once and we cannot rely on many dogs' lack of self preservation instinct to keep them away or on their owners common sense. I have had labradors run into my on lead lurchers' faces when they were busy yelling 'keep away or I am going to kill you' so damage limitation is a good idea.
 
I bought my snappy terrier a whippet muzzle, loads of room and he never did find out he couldn't nip, he would launch at their necks and just get shoved out of the way.
 
Levrier said:
George is secured with a harness on a walk now but still barks hysterically at any dog he sees, and I really don’t trust some numpty dog owner not to let their dog run up to him. Sadly he would have no qualms about attacking it, and I cannot always be 100% sure that I will be able to pick him up first.

So I’m looking for a basket muzzle for a terrier - like the ones greyhounds wear but smaller - so he can still pant & drink with it on (and yap no doubt!) but to protect other dogs

Are the Baskerville ones any good? I’ve seen some wire basket nuzzles but they seem to be made abroad so I wasn’t sure about the quality
Click to expand...
Ideally best not to muzzle him if possible.They will be too busy barking at each other for yours to attack and you will have him under control anyway.But if another dog comes up quietly to say hello and yours lunges to bite, a muzzle might be best option.I have been down that route with my terrier in the past.It makes you nervous and almost predicting your dog will bite which makes things worse. A plastic basket muzzle is best . I would use it when he was at the vet and good knowing you can relax without him taking a nip.He would have to get used to it indoors for a while first and will probably try to tear it off.Its distresssing for them and made mine nervous outside wearing so I gave up as my dog was a bit timid anyway.He only tried to go for other dogs after he had been badly attacked by a couple of boxers and I think he thought if he gets in first attitude would work best when meeting other dogs. However if he is like one terrier I know a dominant dog that burst out of its harness to attack mine then a muzzle is the best thing.Once your dog gets used to it he will be fine and you can relax.
 
I find it quite worrying that people don’t seem to think that he needs a muzzle.... as someone who has had their dog attacked by another dog so badly that she nearly died, better safe than sorry!! Wearing a muzzle won’t hurt him, it’s just being responsible...
 
NinjaPony said:
I find it quite worrying that people don’t seem to think that he needs a muzzle.... as someone who has had their dog attacked by another dog so badly that she nearly died, better safe than sorry!! Wearing a muzzle won’t hurt him, it’s just being responsible...
Click to expand...

I feel the same TBH - I was so horrified when he attacked the other dogs out of the blue I nearly had him PTS ☹️ There is no way I’d ever trust him with a strange dog now ☹️
 
you're quite right Lev. sometimes with terriers its the only way. mine was a little b****r with other dogs so never went off lead. Plus her recall was very much 'if I fancy coming back" Little s**t! but I loved er anyway and I knew the issue so worked round it. Mainly people understood only the occasional grumpy one who didn't. Funnily enough it was only dogs in ones or twos she had a problem with. take her to a county show with literally thousands of dogs and she didn't bat an eyelid.

Goerge will still have a wonderful life with you in any case so on the lead and muzzled is a small thing for him.
 
Baskerville muzzles are good. They can drink and pant with them on.
I used one for my old shepherd girl who could be unpredictable with strangers. I found I was more relaxed knowing she couldn't bite and that made her more relaxed. Also it made people give us a side birth.
 
To be honest all the others are muzzled now (except Amy who is old & wise!) after someone else’s dog came over on a walk and wound mine up so much that my two boys had a fight! They obviously couldn’t get near the dog that was off the lead, out of control and shouting in their faces, so Ace pasted Marty as the nearest dog to him to vent his frustration ☹️
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top