Each Muzzle Monday post provides an opportunity to celebrate owners and their pets who use muzzles, share their "why we muzzle" stories as well as work to breakdown the stigma that "a muzzled dog is a bad dog".
We are honored to share Pickle's Muzzle Monday Story!
Pickle's story is one of advocacy, understanding, management and of coarse love.
Do you love this story? Please share your love for Pickle by sharing this post on Instagram and tagging @suns_out_paws_out_yyc and @picklelilypup to help breakdown the stigma of dog's who wear muzzles
Why does Pickle use a Muzzle?
Pickle's owner chooses to use a Muzzle with Pickle for an array of reasons such as scavenging, allergies and to create space between him and off leash dogs so he is not startled as he is bilaterally deaf. Below are some quotes from Pickle's owner in more detail about why they choose to muzzle (as well as some gorgeous photos curtesy of @picklelilypup)
Scavenging:
He is an avid scavenger, a behavior well practiced long before I adopted him, to the point that the act of scavenging alone is reinforcing and something hard to train out especially as I can't use a verbal interrupter as he was born bilaterally deaf.
Allergies:
He has many allergies and he likes to pick up dangerous items.
Space as he is bilaterally deaf:
He is also muzzled for in scenarios where off lead dogs with no recall run up behind him and startle him. We have leash sleeves asking for space and explaining he is deaf, but sometimes they don't help as people don't see them.
Peace of Mind:
We also use it vet visits, you never know when you may need it such as in an emergency.
It gives me peace of mind that he won't end up in the vets with an illness or foreign body related to something he has picked up and that he those around him are kept safe too. It makes our walks more enjoyable, I don't worry that he will find something dangerous to put in his mouth and he rarely even tries to do it with his muzzle since he started wearing it.
Importance of Management:
Muzzles are an excellent management tool whilst working on training, whether that be for a reactive or nervous dog, a scavenger, a dog who likes to chase wild life, for facilitating safe interactions, BSL, vet visits etc.
It's a safety net to keep everyone safe.
A muzzled dog isn't a bad dog, a muzzled dog is a loved dog living their best life in a safe way with a responsible owner.
Resource that has helped Pickle throughout their Muzzle Journey:
"Muzzle Up Pup" is a fantastic pro muzzle community on Facebook who support each other and can help with choosing the right fit and style muzzle to help meet your dog's needs.
Here is the link to the group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/muzzleuppup/
Thank you so much to Pickle and his owner for sharing their Muzzle Monday story! Without you sharing your story, we wouldn't be able to do any of this!
