My female Great Dane constantly paws at her muzzle whenever we're out for a walk.
She even goes as far as lying down on the ground to try and get it off; I'm really worried she's going to hurt her nose on the pavement!
What's worse is that she's already nearly poked her eyes with her claws while trying to pull the muzzle away.
Please give me some advice, thanks!
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So that makes two of us in the same boat! I go to a training club and they're trying to help me sort this problem out. P.S. I've replied to your message.
Yeah @braindamage, I figured that about £85 a year is still cheaper than a behaviourist, plus you can often pay in instalments (it’s the same price where I am and you can pay in stages). I don’t know, maybe it’s the same where you are @dogal?
If you don’t get any results at a dog training club, I think you’ll have no choice but to see a behaviourist!!
Look into it and keep us posted....
I agree with you Tinker Bell, but a dog training club costs about £85 a year where I live. The first session is free in many places, so you could always give Dogal a try, unless you really don't trust him in any situation. In that case, I’d suggest speaking to a behaviourist, as Wolf mentioned.
Anyway, getting back to the point! There isn’t much you can do to get a dog to tolerate a muzzle, but maybe when you put it on her, give her something she really loves (cheese cubes or bits of frankfurter...). Maybe, as ninis said, a wire basket muzzle would be less of a nuisance for her.
You should sign up for a dog training club!!! Has she been like this since she was a puppy (about 8 weeks old)? How old was she when you rescued her? Is she doing this out of fear or aggression?
A dog club will help her socialise with other dogs and people, and there’ll be folk there to give you advice and a bit of help. How old is your Dogue? Often, a muzzle scares other people more than anything else.
Otherwise, something you could try is asking a friend to meet you somewhere when you’re out for a walk. Bring your dog over to them and let her have a sniff, but make sure your friend doesn't look her directly in the eye. If you see your dog is starting to feel more relaxed, they could even give her a treat so she understands they’re a friend and not a potential threat to you. You really need to try and stay calm yourself so your dog doesn’t pick up on your anxiety; she mustn’t sense that you’re afraid. These are just suggestions, mind, I’m not a professional. Keep the muzzle on her at first while you’re doing the exercise.
If you want to sort out these behavioural issues, you’re going to need a pro; you can’t do it all by yourself. A Great Dane is a powerful dog, and if you try to handle it alone and get it wrong, it’s a recipe for disaster—there’s a real risk she could end up biting.
Is your muzzle one of those nylon ones that’s open at the end? If so, dogs really don't like that kind of muzzle because it's too tight around their snout. You should get a basket muzzle instead.
