Top 3 Halloween Pet Safety Tips

This blog post helps outline 10 important reasons why pet dental care is so very important for the health and long life of your pet.

Let's talk muzzles.  A muzzle is a device placed around a dog's snout to prevent biting or otherwise opening their mouth. Muzzles are actually a safety tool when used properly and can be quite helpful. There are situations when you should use a muzzle and there are definitely situations when you should not use one. Unfortunately society has placed a negative stereotype on a dog wearing a muzzle and it's unfair that a dog seen wearing one is deemed aggressive or dangerous because often times that is very far from the truth. Having worked in the dog world since I was 17, I've seen many situations where dogs who were nervous, or needed some space from other dogs found confidence after muzzle training and it benefited them greatly. From my personal point of view, when I see a dog wearing a muzzle, I appreciate the responsibility the owner has taken and feel reassured that they are keeping their own dog safe and caring for the safety of others. There are specific times you should NOT use a muzzle. Never use a muzzle to curb or attempt to fix a behavioral problem or use it as a punishment. Muzzles are not supposed to be used to stop your dog from barking, chewing, excessively licking, or play biting. Training is needed to fix these problems and there are many ways to address behavioral issues other than muzzling. It has been said that muzzles are cruel, but honestly they are only cruel when used improperly or for the wrong reasons. A poor fitting muzzle that is so tight the dog cannot pant is cruel. A muzzle should fit so that it is secure but still comfortable for your dog. If your dog hasn't been conditioned to wear one and it's something they aren't used to, it can be scary and upsetting to your dog if you just force a muzzle onto their face without preparing them. There are definitely times the use of a muzzle can be appropriate, if a dog is nervous or anxious around certain people or in certain situations a muzzle might be needed for everyone's safety. Muzzles allow a dog to succeed and feel more confident. If a dog needs some space because, just like people, dogs need space from others, or if they are reactive, a muzzle is the best tool to ensure everyone's safety. If a dog is recovering from an injury or if they were injured and first aid is needed muzzling is very appropriate. An injured animal that is scared and in pain may not react as you expect. Even if the dog is always extremely even tempered, they could still snap or bite when scared and in pain. In our pet first aid & CPR classes we talk about conditioning your dog to wear a muzzle so that if an emergency situation happens, applying a muzzle is not an additional cause of fear or stress. To be successful, muzzle conditioning must occur ahead of time and can be incorporated into a dog's daily/weekly routine. You need to teach your dog ahead of time that a muzzle is okay and you need to make it a positive experience for them. Many dogs can learn to love wearing a muzzle, we humans just have to teach them in the right way.

If this pandemic has taught us anything it’s that you never know what’s going to happen and how fast everything can all change. It has made us all take a step back to really think about what’s important and what’s not.