Muzzles, Crates and Harnesses
Jan 18, 2021 Tracey Aston Training
Muzzles, crates and harnesses are important tools for both
your safety and the safety of your pet. These management safety training tools are
to be used in conjunction with training and can keep your pet safe while they
are learning. There are many benefits to
a well-trained pet, including safety and more freedom for your pet.
Muzzles
Many pet parents view muzzles as a tool only needed for dogs
with aggression issues but any pet can bite, especially when injured or
scared. An injured or sick pet may react
out of pain and bite their caretakers, groomer or health care provider. A frightened pet may feel they have to
protect themselves, even if that is not the case and someone is acting in their
best interest. Training a pet to wear a muzzle before they need it will help
them feel more confident if the need should arise. There are many different
types of muzzles, including basket and soft muzzles, which can be made from
nylon or leather. Brachycephalic dogs, or dogs with short snouts, should only
use mesh muzzles made especially for their facial structure. Using a regular
muzzle on a brachycephalic dog could cause them serious respiratory distress. The first step in muzzle training is to make
sure the muzzle is comfortable and properly fitted. Properly fitted means they can open their
mouth and pant freely and accept treats. An uncomfortable muzzle will start a dog
out on the wrong foot and it will be uphill battle from there. Secondly, don't introduce the muzzle when a
pet is already in a frightened state. Make sure your pet is relaxed and has a
chance to sniff and investigate the muzzle before putting it on. Get them
interested in the muzzle, but placing it on the floor and putting treats around
it. Second put some treats inside the muzzle, and start to put it over their
snout, without actually attaching it around their head. Praise them if they eat
the treats and don't react negatively. Slowly increase the time limit you hold the
muzzle around the dogs face and watch for any signs of fear. If the pet isn't showing signs of fear or
trying to paw at their face, you can snap the muzzle in place, feed a few
treats, praise and then unsnap the muzzle.
Patience will be essential, as it may take quite a while before your pet
feels completely comfortable. Start with
5 second intervals, then 8 seconds, 10 seconds and slowly work up to 30
seconds. At every stage, treat and praise and watch for signs the pet may be
getting fearful or uncomfortable. If at any time the pet starts to resist, go
back a step, this means the pet is uncomfortable and needs longer to
adjust. Ultimately, the pet should be
attempting to put their face into the muzzle on their own to get at the
treats. After your pet is comfortable
wearing the muzzle, you may start doing daily activities while wearing the
muzzle, such as walks. Make sure to continue to treat and praise while working
on walks, sits, stays or any type of training while the pet is wearing the
muzzle. In no time your pet will become accustomed to the muzzle and see it as
part of their routine equipment. For
more information on education and training with muzzles, visit The Muzzle Up Project.
Crates
Unfortunately, many see crates as tiny jails for their pets
but the truth is crates are about safety and security for your pet. A startling amount of pets are injured or even
killed by getting into poisonous substances, chewing wires, suffocating in bags,
choking on objects left lying around or rugs, carpets, couches and beds from
chewing them. Pets that door dash or run
out the door when it's open could possibly get lost or even worse, hit by a
passing vehicle. While pets are working on their door manners, they could
benefit from having a safe place when visitors are entering and exiting the
home, like holidays, repairmen, etc. In addition to safety, dogs benefit from
having a safe and private space of their own, whether to decompress when
anxious, stressed or tired, or as a retreat to just relax. Many dogs are fearful of storms or fireworks
and will retreat to the safety of their crate to feel protected and safe. Crates
should always be made a positive place for your pet and never used as a form of
punishment. Don't allow kids to interact with a pet while in their crate by
banging on the crate or poking the pet through the bars. Get your pet interested in their crate by
making it a cozy and calm place for them. Start by tossing in many treats and
allow your pet to enter without closing the door behind them. If possible, they can even be fed in their
crate with the door open. Bring the
crate into rooms where the family gathers and allow the pet to check it out on
their own without closing the door. As your pet slowly becomes more comfortable
with their crate, you can work on closing the door and increasing the time they
are in the crate by small increments. Remember to keep their crate a positive
place for them by feeding treats through the side or top of the crate while
praising the pet. The goal is to make a
pet feel safe and secure in their crate when they can't be actively supervised
or when they need to decompress. A great
way to create a positive association is by making a game of it! Have your pet
go to their bed or a certain place they have already associated with a word,
then say “crate” and bring them back to their crate, treat and praise, then
back to the original spot, etc. A pet
should never associate their crate with punishment but always fun, safety and
security.
Harness
Improperly fit harnesses can interfere with a pet's movement
and can cause injuries to a pet, and this has led many to believe that all
harnesses are dangerous for pets. That's an unfortunate rumor because properly
fitted harnesses can actually prevent injury. Harnesses are recommended for
pets that need a little work on their loose-leash walking. A harness will train
your dog to stay by your side without harming your pet. If a pet is pulling,
stop walking and the harness will redirect your pet back to you then you can
direct them to sit at your side until they are calmer and not pulling.
Front-attaching
harnesses are slipped over your pet's head and designed to clip under your
pet's chest area and don't come with the neck and throat risks, or
strangulation risks of more traditional collars. For pets that are masters at
contortion and somehow find a way to wiggle out of collars or other harnesses, attach
the leash to both the harness and a martingale no slip collar. Proper fit is essential for both safety and
comfort while using a harness. Similar to a regular collar, make sure you can
fit 2 fingers between the harness and the pet. The harness needs to be tight
enough to keep a pet safe, but not so tight that it can cause skin chafing. The harness shouldn't be laying in the arm
pit but a little further back from the arm pit, so the armpit and elbow aren't
chaffing and the elbow can't slip out.
When putting on the harness for the first time, praise your
pet, give them a treat or something they highly value and take it right back
off. Much like with the muzzle, work
slowly and create a positive experience.
Buckle the harness, treat the pet and take the harness back off. Start
at several second intervals and work up at longer intervals. Praise them and
speak calmly and gently while slipping on the harness. While they are wearing
the harness, make sure something wonderful happens for them, a walk, play time,
treats or praise, so they associate the harness with positive things. Again,
the end result will be a pet associating the harnesses with positive things
like treats and walks. In no time, they will look forward to wearing their
harness.
When introducing any new training tools, always allow the
pet to have time to investigate the tool prior to use. Part of training with these tools is for them
to be accepting of the tool. New things can be scary for everyone, and this is
true for pets too. Remember, patience and positive experience when working with
any new training tools. Your pet will
thank you later when they are safe, trained and comfortable.
