[Baromaro]

I've only read a few pages in this forum, but I am surprised that no one mentions muzzles. It sounds like most people are putting their dogs in crates and rotating them from room to room, but there doesn't seem to be much talk about muzzles. No one is a fan of the light nylon muzzles?

[Sthjrderfida]

Muzzles for what exactly?

[Munccoughe]

Muzzles should never be left on an unsupervised dog.

Not only can dogs use their paws to get them off if they really wanted to, but muzzle punching another animal can hurt/kill it just as easily as teeth. Also, those soft nylon muzzles are normally only used for restraint in medical or grooming situations. They impede drinking, eating, etc. are are not meant to be left on for hours and hours. Wire, plastic, or rubber basket muzzles are much more appropriate for using on walks or other supervised risky situations.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Never leave animals loose unsupervised together. I don't understand the lack of common sense here.

[Baromaro]

For allowing dogs to be together when you're with them. For walking together, for hanging out in the same room, whatever.

[shashaffff]

yeah um, a muzzle aint going to stop two dogs from wanting to murder eachother. why put them through the stress?

[Munccoughe]

That just sounds like laziness. Its really not hard to rotate dogs. Hell I do it with my friendly non-bully dogs. Its important to get one on one time with their person even if they get along with their animal housemates.

---------- Post added at 01:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:17 PM ----------

yeah um, a muzzle aint going to stop two dogs from wanting to murder eachother. why put them through the stress?

Seriously, this guy has obviously never seen a bulldog get serious. Wouldn't be asking this if he/she had.

[Baromaro]

Don't care how "serious" your bulldog gets, he's not tearing open a muzzle. While bulldogs have incredible power closing their jaws, they have relative little opening it.

That's why people use muzzles.

[shashaffff]

never said he was going to tear up a muzzle. infact, hed much rather pull it off his head. again. why put the stress of two dogs wanting to go after eachother in the same room? seems as though you just want to troll around here.

[XiWm9O9S]

Don't care how "serious" your bulldog gets, he's not tearing open a muzzle. While bulldogs have incredible power closing their jaws, they have relative little opening it.

That's why people use muzzles.

They're not crocodiles. They have these things called feet, and dogs' feet are very efficient at getting a muzzle off if they don't want them on (source: 5 years in the veterinary field working with fractious animals).

Secondly, nylon muzzles should only be used in the very short-term. They are for acute control. Leaving them on leaves a dog without the inability to pant. It also causes many dogs great stress from a confined muzzle (I don't imagine most dogs are happy with their mouth being held shut against their will for prolonged periods of time).

I'm sorry, I fail to see the logic in your system. And you seriously have never been around dogs that really want to get at each other if you think nylon muzzles are going to stop them. They'll tear them off each other just to get to each other .

[ENGINESSQ]

yeah um, a muzzle aint going to stop two dogs from wanting to murder eachother. why put them through the stress?

This.

Even with a muzzle (and muzzle punches hurt like a bitch), two or more dogs who want to kill each other can STILL do damage to one another. Those hard pointy things at the ends of their paws aren't just for digging and painting up all pretty. And a determined dog can get a muzzle off if it really wants to or get the muzzle off the other dog.

Damn! LL beat me to it.

[shashaffff]

muzzle punches DO hurt like a bitch! thanks for reminding me of that crap lol

[PerfectCreditForYou]

Muzzles are temporary not long term restraints in some cases they can make the dogs uneasy and more defensive. Since they can't properly defend themselves when threatened. If a fight or something else does happen, with the muzzle on,.. good luck putting it on the dog any other time afterwards. That alone will only add even more stress to any situation.

If you can't supervise your dogs or keep them from fighting then separate them,.. and if that doesn't work some body has to go. On top of that people who can't or choose not too (especially with issues) shouldn't have any.

[cefunonge]

Years ago, my roommates had two female dogs that one day decided they hated each other (neither was a pitbull or mix, either). They did crate/separate/rotate them for years. Once, hoping that they would be OK together, they put basket muzzles on both dogs to see if they still wanted to kill each other. Closely supervised it was found that they did AND one of the dogs was able to get the other's ear through the muzzle.

Years later I know this was NOT a good idea. It does show that a determined dog will do anything to kill another if they decide they need to do so. Everyone else has pointed out the temporary use of muzzles. I've never been a big fan of them for just this reason.

[Sthjrderfida]

If you can't manage two dogs that hate each other at the same time, you should really consider crate and rotate, it is much safer for all parties involved and is much more logical.

[Baromaro]

I have four muzzles that I use regularly. Two are custom, two are manufactured. I understand the security of crate and rotate, but I am with my dogs 24 hours a day. I find muzzles to be very convenient. The fact is, while my dogs are aggressive at times, most of the time they're just fine with one another when I'm around. They're separated by walls or on the ends of chained harnesses when I have business to attend to.

On the other hand, I'm not suggesting bulldog owners new to the breed do this. I don't think it's a good option if you don't work from home or if your dogs aren't cut.

[shashaffff]

i wouldnt suggest any bulldog owner do it, new or otherwise. but everyone has their own opinions, and i have no right to tell you how to treat/properly contain your animals.

[Baromaro]

And I should probably agree there are some real garbage muzzles out there. Some are flimsy, others restrict breathing, some are too heavy and create sores... and I also rotate regularly. It's certainly not an all day, everyday tool.

[propolo]

On the other hand, I'm not suggesting bulldog owners new to the breed do this.

If the bulldog owner is experienced with the breed, they don't have a use for muzzles. Most of us know how to keep dogs separated. Muzzles aren't going to stop a truly DA dog from fighting, you're just going to end up with two dogs hell bent on killing each other that both happen to have muzzles on (and hopefully don't manage to get it off, or injure themselves through it)... What's the point?

[Sthjrderfida]

I would find a break stick a much more useful tool...

[Baromaro]

Prevent them from locking up in the first place. The entire point is to prevent dogs from biting one another. That's what a muzzle does. It does not matter if they butt heads or bump chests.

If you can't break up a fight between two muzzled dogs, you've got no business using a breaker.

Break sticks are very dangerous, very hard on teeth. If you screw up, you break teeth. Half broken teeth are alot more dangerous to a dog's health than some holes or tears.

You really have to be a calm individual to use a breaker correctly, really know how to handle a game dog.