I find that "muzzle-training" a police dog, routinely and consistently, is far superior to the traditional (non-muzzle) process-especially in the area of the criminal apprehension exercises.Īlthough for police dogs in North America the use of the muzzle has grown over the past 10 years, I still meet a great many handlers who are not familiar with the basic concepts, or who are misinformed. Since then, I've used it extensively and each time out, whether conducting a training class or training a dog on my own, I seem to realize another new benefit. Prior to that time-like most police K9 people (even today)-I knew a little about it, had used it, had even encountered police dogs that had run along beside a real bad guy looking for the training sleeve, but was far from recognizing its tremendous value. Something as simple as 'Muzzle' will work, and it is optional, but can make the process of putting a muzzle on smoother.It was almost 10 years ago that, while attending a course at the police dog school in Stukenbrock, Germany (West Germany then), I first became acquainted with the formal use of the agitation muzzle. Once your dog is confident putting on the muzzle, you can introduce a command word to tell your dog to put their face in the muzzle. You may choose to combine your muzzle training with a command. Once your dog is comfortable wearing the muzzle and not trying to take it off, they are generally considered muzzle trained, but keep practising to maintain the positive association with the muzzle. As these are positive experiences that your dog enjoys, wearing a muzzle while doing them will further improve your dog's positive association with the muzzle. So practise at home when your dog is relaxing and during play or training sessions. If you only use the muzzle in stressful or unfamiliar situations, your dog will learn to build a negative association with the muzzle being worn. Make sure you reward them before you remove the muzzle, otherwise they will associate the muzzle coming off with being a good thing. You can slowly increase the amount of time the muzzle stays clipped on for, rewarding your dog for their calm behaviour while the muzzle is on and fastened. Repeat this until your dog is comfortable, then start clipping the buckle and releasing it again. Start by placing the clips together and releasing them. Introduce The ClipsĪs your dog becomes comfortable holding their face in the muzzle, you can start to introduce the idea that the muzzle will be fastened. This way they get used to their face being in the muzzle for an extended period of time and it will still be a pleasant experience. Once your dog is comfortable putting their face in the muzzle, you can increase the amount of time their face is in the muzzle before they get the treat. You can also try using circled hands, empty and cleaned yoghurt containers or paper cups initially to get your dog used to the idea of putting their face into an enclosed space. Alternatively, you can put a paste treat, such as peanut butter, on the inside of the muzzle so that your dog has to put their head in to lick the paste off.įor some dogs, you may need to start with the treats at the opening of the muzzle and slowly move them further into the muzzle. For this, you can place the muzzle in the palm of your hand and hold treats accessible through the gaps in the muzzle. You want your dog to feel comfortable putting the muzzle on. Teach Them To Put Their Head in the Muzzle Every time they approach or interact with the muzzle in a calm manner reward them. Let them sniff it, interact with it, nuzzle it. If your dog has no prior experience with a muzzle, then they won't know what it is or what it does. A similar training technique can also be used for muzzle based training tools like a head harnesses. Just like collars and leads, your dog will need to be trained to wear a muzzle. It is not normal for dogs to have something around their face or muzzle, so placing anything around here can be irritating - especially if it is restrictive.
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