Muzzles

[Selina27]

If you and Cassie are getting bored with working for time,

I don't think that we are bored, but I'm not sure how long to leave muzzle on once she stops licking and before she starts trying to rub it off. If you see what I mean
But I think we could probably start in the garden aswell.

 

[Joy]

@Selina27 I don't know if this is a sensible suggestion (because I haven't muzzle-trained a dog) but I wonder if you could walk Cassie to a spot where you are happy for her to hunt in the undergrowth and then put the muzzle on and send her to hunt. I know she finds hunting very rewarding so I'm wondering if having the muzzle put on could be a predictor of hunting? This may be a daft idea, so ignore it if it is!

 

[Selina27]

I know she finds hunting very rewarding so I'm wondering if having the muzzle put on could be a predictor of hunting?

Hmmm ... I don't think that would work really. I've sort of got the hunting thing sorted and that's a seperate issue really. As an aside, I got one of those flashing things that attaches to her collar for dusk time walks, the other day I foolishly walked through the field alongside the woods -- she went into the undergrowth under the fence and of course came out with out it on anymore

She thinks nothing of getting in the most dense cover, so I think muzzle would come off or cause problems for her.

BUT, what I am thinking along the lines of is building up the anticipation of the muzzle/squeezy when going across the orchard, but think I need a few more steps towards doing that

 

[SteffiS]

I’m struggling, OH is still a muzzle refuser .

 

[Selina27]

I’m struggling, OH is still a muzzle refuser

Ah!!

 

[Atemas]

Are the apples in one particular place e.g. an orchard or are there apple trees everywhere?

 

[snowbunny]

It's an interesting thought, though - hunting aside, if she enjoys using her nose, then it could be that you did some trailing type thing or some sort of nosework for a scent (eg catnip) with an active indication and the muzzle was twinned with that. It's not something she needs her mouth for, but she'll be doing something she enjoys and it's not just feeding her with it on. She'd get that time spent wearing it while busy (so not actively thinking/worrying about it) but with some independence.

Other than that, I'd just go out for a walk with it and put it on for a few seconds here and there. Pay heavily when it goes on, leave it on for a count of five while you walk, call her over and take it off (working on paying into your recall as well, extra bonus) and repeat, a lot.

 

[Atemas]

I'd just go out for a walk with it

That’s really what I was going to say. Just put it on when you go out. I know with Sky we just made the decision she needed to wear it and she did. Guess we were lucky that she was so compliant. She must have hated it (I certainly did) but it served it’s purpose