Virginia Greyhound Adoption Program's Article On Muzzling

[melzawelza]

I have a friend in America who was asking me for breed suggestions - I suggested a Grey as it was obvious one would be perfect for her situation. She was thrilled as she loved them and looked into it straight away.

She found her local Ex-Racing Grey adoption program and asked my opinion on an article on their website RE: Muzzling.

Now while I think muzzles are a great tool and think that people shouldn't be afraid to muzzle their dogs if needed, can't help but feel that this article is a little excessive. I know that the various state GAP's in Australia have all worked or are working very hard to lift laws of compulsory muzzling, this article seems to go against that idea a fair bit.

It also seems to me that they suggest muzzling for an answer for many TRAINING issues. Foraging in pot plants, eating grass, eating their own poo, eating insects etc etc ...... it seems to me that they are essentially suggesting that your new greyhound should be muzzled 24/7!! A muzzle isn't the automatic answer to these problems - training is.

I'd love the opinions on others on here - especially as we have so many people directly involved in GAP or other greyhound adoption associations - what do you think of this article? Is it fair, or excessive?

http://virginiagreyhounds.org/artmuzzle.htm

[Rebanne]

a bit over the top

[CBL]

wow

[anniek]

Firstly, pet greyhound ownership in the states seems to be very different to Oz - based on some of the US forums I frequent. For example over there the majority of greys seem to be crated during the day if the family works, and also crated overnight. Here, they are mostly free range night and day. In the US they don't seem to even let them out into the backyard unsupervised, here, they often have inside/outside access all of the time.

Now to the muzzle - in the US it seems that many many adopted greys have a high prey drive, where as here, "real" greyhound adoption groups ensure that high prey drive greys do not get out into the community.

I agree with you that a lot of the muzzling in the article - eating grass etc sounds very stupid, and lazy on the part of the owners.

The muzzle however, can be your best friend.

We encounter all sorts of things on our walks, off lead dogs, koala's, cats, and I muzzle my two when I walk them together. Not when walking one at a time. I an have difficulty controlling two if bounced on by an off lead lab for example. As their skin can tear very easily I do not want them nipping each other by accident in the midst of a third dog in the mix. It is interesting that according to the law, "effective control" can be 4 unmuzzled greyhounds.

If we have a foster, my grumpy old bloke gets muzzled along with the foster if they are put in the back yard together. My bloke did $1,200 of damage to a foster in about 5 seconds (OH never listens and let them out together, well he listens now...lol). And in the house it is either muzzled or seperated. But that's just him.

Again the thin skin is the issue, for me, any two or more greyhounds running together should be muzzled.

There are plenty of people that think because their greyhound does not legally need to be muzzled when out walking, that the muzzle does not apply to them in any circumstances. I have heard many stories, and seen many injuries of greyhounds "ripped apart" due to running together without muzzles. A quick bitey nip or wayward tooth when playing, can quite easily leave a 6 inch tear!

The muzzle is also a great alternative to an elizabethan collar.

[Greytmate]

Given that its written for the US market, it is fair enough.

In the US muzzles are not enforced by law. So the wearing of a muzzle carries a stigma, only 'dangerous dogs' need to wear them. With most people having no idea about drives, DA or HA, many assume that a dog is muzzled because it is dangerous to all. People are reluctant to muzzle when they should muzzle.

Ex-racing greyhounds do need to be kept muzzled until it can be ascertained that there is an acceptable risk in unmuzzling them. They have been trained to chase things, and tend not to have not been socialised with small animals.

In Australia, the dogs that can pass a test to show that they will be low risk in the community are allowed to be identified and unmuzzled. Most pass, but not all greyhounds will pass this test.

From what I have heard, there are a large number of ex-racers in the US do not undergo testing or rehab before being placed in people's homes. These dogs really should be muzzled while they are being introduced to small animals, and some will always need to be muzzled around them.

All greyhound owners can and should use muzzles when appropriate.

The author is writing to an audience of greyhound fans, many of whom will have a pack of hounds rather than one or two. If the dogs have not been matched carefully, or even if they have, there is a potential for a fight. Greyhounds have such thin skin they are more easily injured than other dogs. When a pack of greyhounds live together, an owner should be very open to the idea of using muzzles for management of some dogs at some times. There are owners that understand, read and train dogs well that still use muzzles in certain circumstances. There are also plenty of people that are not so good with dogs or who tend to anthropomorphise them, who really need to overcome an aversion to muzzling.

I would imagine there have been some tragic events that would not have happened if certain dogs had been muzzled, and that has inspired the article. However many of the points could easily apply to any breed of dog and not just greyhounds. I don't think it really advocates muzzling instead of training, but encourages people to consider using a muzzle as a tool in the same ways as they would a lead, collar or crate.

There are many racing people that routinely muzzle all the time, many that over use it to compensate for bad management of their dogs. The author may have come from that background. But the dogs are all safe and happy, even if they do look scary.

[CBL]

You have both made great points - I didn't realise how different greyhound adoption was over there

Struck me as very over the top and that a muzzle was the answer for everything!

[anniek]

I didn't realise how different greyhound adoption was over there

It is not uncommon for people to have 6 - 8 - even 10 pet greyhounds

And of course if there are a couple in the pack who do not get along too well, then they are all muzzled most of the time. You cannot safely just muzzle one or two, it has to be all or none.

[Maddy]

I'd love the opinions on others on here - especially as we have so many people directly involved in GAP or other greyhound adoption associations - what do you think of this article? Is it fair, or excessive?

The only thing that really stood out for me was the issue of poisonous plants or products in yards.

If you knew you had things in your yard that could kill your dog if ingested, why wouldn't you just remove them?

I wouldn't be relying on a muzzle (especially given wire muzzles are more commonly used here than the plastic) to stop my dog from eating anything smaller than a cat- mine manages to eat wallaby and possum poo when we're out walking (he sort of lowers his head and scoops it up quickly as he's walking past it) and if he can fit that through the wire, plants and mulch would go through easily.

There are some things that just come down to common sense. If it's poisonous, don't leave it there, regardless of muzzle.

[CrazyCresties]

With regards to using a muzzle to prevent poop eating - it doesn't work! All you end up with is still one happy greyhound with cat poo breath but also a stinky muzzle to clean

[Greytmate]

With regards to using a muzzle to prevent poop eating - it doesn't work! All you end up with is still one happy greyhound with cat poo breath but also a stinky muzzle to clean

Americans use yard muzzles, some of which are fitted with 'stool guards'. They are very different from many other muzzles in that they are designed to be left on unattended dogs.

[melzawelza]

Thanks for the interesting comments guys - I thought they may have been a bit more lax as to what dogs pass their temperament testing when I read the comment about muzzling around small dogs. I knew that GAP are quite thorough when it comes to testing and only rehoming dogs that do not react to small dogs.

Seems that the approach is quite different to here.

Would you recommend my friend source a dog from these people? They seem very ethical, however the slightly more lax temperament testing has me a little concerned. Should she maybe specifically state she wants a temperament tested dog that does not have it's prey drive triggered by swf?

[Rebanne]

Should she maybe specifically state she wants a temperament tested dog that does not have it's prey drive triggered by swf?

yes, for sure.

[Parkeyre]

Um, It's a bit OTT.

[Greytmate]

Should she maybe specifically state she wants a temperament tested dog that does not have it's prey drive triggered by swf?

yes, for sure.

Yes.

To get the best dog for her, she should probably disregard colour and even sex, and find a group that tests the dogs, does some preparation work with them, and will be supportive afterwards. A group that thoroughly interviews the adopters too, to find out what they need.

She should allow them the time it takes to get the right dog ready, and not be rushed into taking a dog that is still a bit unknown.

Then when she gets her dog, she should have a muzzle on hand, just in case its needed at certain times.

;)