개 입마개: 알아야 할 모든 것과 입마개 훈련 방법 #153

from my back brain, the lizard brain. The emotions are saying, you can't get out of here, be prepared. Bam, bam, bam. And that's where people get bit. So, we're going to avoid all that. We're going to avoid the possibility of it. Plus, you and I, we're going to learn a really fun game. Okay. I'm not learning it. I'm actually teaching it. I'm going to teach you a really, really fun game that I promise you. It's going to be a great investment of your time. And if nothing else, you're going to set up a situation where we're deepening your dog's understanding of consent in training. Now, I've spoke about consent in training in podcast episode 106. I also more recently spoke about it in podcast episode 107, where I was talking about trimming your dog's nails and getting consent from your dog, getting buy-in because that kind of training deepens your trust. And quite honestly, I've built that consent into everything that I do with my dogs. I have what I call a game-on position. If the dog doesn't adopt this game-on position, they're telling me, I really don't, I'm not digging this game. So, I don't move forward with that. So, by playing what I've got for you today, even if you say, I'm never going to put a muzzle on my dog ever, you deepen your dog's understanding that they have the opt-out button always available. All right. But let's get back to why would you want to use a muzzle? So, first one, as I said, any dog, even the most stable dog, when they're fearful could bite. Swagger, my dog Swagger, stable dog, but he was in pain. He got his arm caught in an X-pen one day and he bit me. So, fear is number one. Number two, some countries in Europe, it's the law that you have to put a muzzle on your dog to walk down the street. So, if you, and you, Susan, I'm never going to Europe. Okay. Maybe this doesn't apply to you, but stick with me. I've got more. So, if you do live in one of those countries or you plan on visiting one of those countries, what if you just got there and they say, Hey, you can't take your dog down the street without a muzzle on. And now you've got to slap this muzzle on your dog. And then it's like, Oh crap, the dog's freaking out. I didn't know I had to do this. This is just awful. So, fear, it's the law. Or your dog might bite at the veterinarians or the groomers or the chiropractor simply because of their age. Like a geriatric dog, they're not in the right frame of mind all the time, or they might be going blind and not see what's going on. And they might just snap out of fear. So, age definitely could provoke the poor response from the dog. And just general

pain. Any dog in pain will use their mouth inappropriately and it isn't a conscious thought. So, it could be like catastrophic pain, you know, something horrible happened to the dog. Nothing like that's happening to any of our listeners. Or it could be something as simple like your dog broke a nail and that nail's hanging off and the veterinarian has to get in there and cut it off. Yikes! It would be so much safer for everybody involved, the veterinarian, the hospital team, everybody, including you. If we had a cue that when you said that word, your dog is going to go, wham, yes, I want in. So, today I'm going to share with you not only the three stages, the process that I use to condition a muzzle. I'm also going to share an idea of what muzzle you might want to choose, which ones you might want to avoid. And finally, I'm going to share a very unique cue that you might want to use to teach your dog to put a muzzle on. If you already have a dog that will muzzle up, you might even want to change your cue. Stick with me. I think you'll like it. Okay. Types of muzzles. There's all kinds of muzzles. Most veterinarians would use something that's pretty simple like this. It's just a nylon muzzle. Now, honestly, a dog can get incisor bites with this on, you know, depending on how tight it is, they might not be able to open their mouth. But most veterinarian clinics, they'll put something like that on the dog. And you could go and use one of these. The challenge I have with these as a normal muzzle is that the dog can't get their mouth open if they wanted to take a drink. You can't reinforce them while they're wearing the muzzle. So, that makes it really, really difficult to create a conditioned emotional response to wearing it because, I mean, it's not impossible, but it makes it really, really difficult. So, I wouldn't start with this and actually, you know, if the veterinarian puts it on once they've been used to wearing these, it'll probably be a go-okay. But that's not where I'd start. Okay. Next up, we have these plastic muzzles. And you can get these for like $20 off of Amazon. They come with this strap that goes between the eyes. Now, I would take that off depending on why you have a muzzle on your dog. It will help keep it on better. So, if there's a chance your dog might get jumped or might do some jumping, let's work on that. Let's work on that separately. But you should keep that on. All right. So, you can see this is a muzzle that has been used around here quite a bit. And we've put mole skin in there. So, one of my student's dogs, it's their muzzle. And

that kind of protects his nose because he wears it when he's out running with my dogs. All right. And he's not a huge threat, but it's just an insurance thing. And you can see she's actually got her husband to cut the bar out from here. So, he could do incisor bites if he wanted to, but this isn't like, this is a real threat. I also want you to consider, I love the clips, these metal clips where it takes a little bit more time to thread that through and securely hook up the muzzle. This is another type of clip here where it's got a clip, a clip, which, you know, something else you have to condition. And also, I mean, I can't break that apart, but there's a chance that could come apart far, far safer. Okay. Another option is these metal basket muzzles. I love these muzzles, but I don't recommend them for what we're going to do today. I don't recommend them for visits to the veterinarian. Why do I love them? The dogs can pant, they can stick that right in the water and drink. They could probably, you know, even eat their kibble through that. They're really, really functional. The problem I don't like for these four is if the dog panics and starts thrashing, this will really hurt if you got hit with it. It's metal, it's heavy. The dog's big melon is going to swing around there. Yes, it's not as injurious as a dog biting, but you know, time and place, you make the decision. Okay. You can also get some really fancy posh custom-made ones. You could spend like $200 or $300 for those, or I think Etsy, you can, there's some custom-made neoprene ones there. So, those are your options for buying the muzzle. Now, let's talk about how to condition it. There's three stages. The first stage is just foundation games. Now, if you are in our membership, WAG Nation, you're going to recognize some of these games that we've played to condition a head halter. If you're not in WAG Nation and you'd like to learn more about it, I will leave a link to the show notes and a special offer for you to join because, you know, it's kind of a cool place to be. Okay. So, the first stage is the foundation games. The second stage is building the value or your dog's positive conditioned emotional response. The third stage is testing the value or testing the positive CER. So, the foundation. Here's some of the things you're going to need. You're going to need a dog bowl. And if you're listening to this, I'd recommend you come on over to YouTube because I'm going to put some actual dog training with actual dogs here so that you can see the demos. So, you need a dog bowl that's got a nice deep lip.

Okay. So, this one is, I don't know, I don't know, two or three inches tall. So, that's one thing you're going to need. Some super high value rewards, like exciting rewards. Also some rewards that will fit through the muzzle that you have selected. Okay. So, you have to consider the type of rewards you're going to use. For example, something small, when you're feeding through a muzzle, those cookies fall and it frustrates the dog. So, things that are longer, like a piece of string cheese that you can stick in there and the dog can grab it and pull it in. Things that are bigger, like a big piece of liver, I like to stick those in. So, consider the rewards that you're using when you're working at conditioning the dog's acceptance of this and conditioning the consent that the dog is going to give you because we have to be able to get the cookies, eventually get them through the muzzle. Okay. So, we need bowl. Also, you'll need a canning funnel. So, this is what is a canning funnel. I don't can, but I use this for dog training. Actually, we use this in the kitchen quite a bit. So, you know, you pour things in there and if we're going in stuff and going to a jar, I use this a lot for dog training though, believe it or not. Cue the suspenseful music. You're going to see exactly what I do with that today. Okay. High value rewards. You're also going to potentially need a marker word, a clicker would do. Also, you may want to just work on a dog's chin rest or some way for them to communicate and consent to you. That isn't necessary. What we're going to do is going to be super clear to your dog that they are buying in. But if you've got that, that's a great prerequisite for today. But it can't be called a prerequisite. It could be called a optional requisite. Is that a word? We're making it up right now. Okay. All right. So, here's what we're going to do. We have a bowl. We're going to put a cookie in the bowl and we're just going to put it on the ground, high value reward. Ask your dog to sit, put the cookie on the ground, release them, break. Okay. Whatever your release word is. Dog dives, gets a cookie. Do that two or three times. And then what we're going to do is we're going to put the canning funnel in the dog bowl and you're going to put a cookie back in the dog bowl. Step one, the dog eats out of the bowl. Step two, just wait until the dog looks in the bowl like they think there's a cookie in there. You're going to give the release word. They put their head in, then you mark it. Good. And drop the cookie in the bowl. So, now here

on step two, the dog has to put their head in the bowl before we mark it and drop the cookie. So, we don't want them going in part way. So, you know, they've got to go put their head in eventually. If your dog has been shaped, they're going to figure this game out. Target the bottom of the bowl, hold it for a second. That's what we want to grow up to. And that's all step two is. Step three, bring in your canning funnel, put the canning funnel into your dog bowl, drop a cookie in, same drill. The dog just eats the cookie out of the canning funnel inside the dog bowl. Then what we're going to do is we're going to lift that. Now you can say, you can ask your dog to sit in between every time or not, depending on how coordinated you are with all of this. By asking for the sit and the release gives you a little bit of time to organize your thoughts and all of your equipment. So, now that the canning funnel is going to be in the air, slightly above the bowl. When the dog puts their face in, you are going to not put the cookie in the bowl. You're going to just put the cookie in your hand and the dog can eat it from your hand. Eventually we're getting this funnel away from the bowl until it's no longer horizontal, it's vertical. So, the dog just runs in, puts their face into the funnel. This is in Wag Nation. We call it the place your face game. It's a foundation for teaching a dog to love a collar or a head halter. And so, we've got that. Ta-da! You are done all of your foundation. We're moving on to stage two, which is our value build. Okay. Stage two, value build or building your positive C-E-R. You're going to take your muzzle and we're going to do reverse muzzling. Here's what that looks like. You're going to take a cookie and you're going to feed your dog from the muzzle. So, the dog comes up and you're going to give him cookies from around the outside of this muzzle. All that we're doing is going, Hey, this is like a pinata of really good dog cookies. So, in and out, that's all you're going to do. You know, a lot of times when people are trying to create a positive C-E-R, they like to use successful approximations and that'll work. But this is just so easy. Pick it up and we're just reversing the direction of the cookies. Instead of your face being in here, what we want the dog to do is say, Hey, this is a good thing. I've never seen this thing before. And you know, you're going to spend time at each step and you're going to write down what your dog's temp looks like. Where are their ears? Up on their head,

their eyes are brought, their mouth is relaxed. The furrow between their eyes is nice, relaxed. The face, everything's relaxed about their posture. Their ears are relaxed. Maybe you get a little tail wag. They're excited. They're on the balls of their feet. Do they have balls on their feet? I'm not sure. So, they're up high. You can tell that they're having fun. I want you to mark those things down so that you know what your dog saying, I like this game looks like. All right. So, all that we're asking the dude is come in and eat through the muzzle holes. They're going to learn to be happy about this. You're not going to do this once and then move on to the next stage. You might do this every day, maybe two or three times a day before you to move to the next stage, which is going to be put the muzzle in the bowl. You're just going to put a cookie that sits up like a piece of cheese would be good. That sits up a little bit. And you're going to put that such that when the dog puts their face in the muzzle, the cookie is right there for them to eat. That's all we want. All right. And now you're just like placing your face with a canning jar, we're just growing. This is, you know, I would, I would undo this middle strap and actually undo all the strapping for this because it's hard for the dog to get their face in with the straps or on. If you're listening to this podcast, you don't need to know that, but I just made a big screw up when I was doing a demonstration. Okay. So, we want that open that the cookie is sticking up. The dog just has to put their face into this inviting hole where they can grab their cookie. And now we do the same thing we did with the canning funnel. We just gradually raise the height of the muzzle and the dog is just taking a cookie from our hand or you can stick it through the holes because we've got to get the dog used to, the cookies are coming through the holes to you. So, now evaluate your dog's temp. Are they still as happy as their body still as relaxed? You can go back and forth between the step where we're feeding through the muzzle for the dog and the step where the dog's putting their face in the muzzle and we're feeding them. We want to go back and forth for that on our mission. Remember we're in stage two, creating that positive C-E-R for the dog. Now, all I want the dog to do is go into a sit. I'm going to put this out and they're just going to put their face in there. I'm going to give cookies. I'm going to get them up. I'm not tying it up. I'm not snapping it. Nothing else is going on. I just want

you to place your face so I can feed you through the muzzle and then that's it. Place your face, feed you through the muzzle and then that's it. Again, you're going to do this a couple of times a day while you're watching TV, whatever it is that you do, put it in your drawer every time you sit down to go on the computer, pull it out, play a little game with your dog and the muzzle. They are going to start looking forward to this because we are creating a positive C-E-R for them. Okay. Now we've never connected this. So, what I want you to do now is if you're using one that's got this little snap, we need to condition the dog that this is a good thing. So, it's kind of like a clicker. So, I would put it so it's the snap is almost closed and I would just put it in front of the dog, snap it, feed the dog. Eventually this has got to go behind their head. And so, it's going to be loud behind their ears. We want them to be okay with that before we ever put it all together. All right. Now we've got a dog who loves to place their face in the muzzle that doesn't mind the snap. And so, what we're going to do finally is we're going to fasten that up. But guess what? That's no longer a value build. That is actually the first step of stage three. Stage three, we are going to be connecting the muzzle. So, it is a value test. We're testing our positive C-E-R. We're doing something that the dog may not like. So, is their body saying, I'm opting out. All right. Put on the muzzle, tie it up, give them some cookies, take it off. That's all we're doing. Honestly, most dogs are not going to have any issue with this because we're doing the same thing. We're just fastening the muzzle at the back. Put on the muzzle, feed the dog, take it off. Put on the muzzle, feed the dog, take it off. Now we've got a dog that says, this is okay. It only stays on for a second or two. So, they see you pull it out of your desk drawer after you've just gone and looked at all my nice TikTok videos over there on TikTok. And they're like, yeah, I want that on. Now we're in a place, we're going to give it a name. So, cueing this behavior of muzzle up as some people would say. So, what you call it is super important. Here's what I strongly suggest you call it. And I would like you to say it in a really excitable way like this. I want you to call it, Hey, can you? Hey, can you? That's what it is. You're going to put it behind your back. You're going to say, Hey, can you? And then bring it out and your dog's going to fly and put their face in it. Put it behind

your back. Hey, can you? Boom. Put your dog into a sit, bring it out. If they get out of the sit, put it back behind your back, ask them to sit again because you didn't release them. They are in the sit and then you can see the muzzle. You're going to then say, Hey, can you? And they're going to fly and put their face in and you're going to tie it up. Listen, to most of you, it's just a fun snappy cue. It's going to be very different than anything your dog has ever heard before. But for any of you who own a fearful, worried, or reactive dog where you may need to have to put your muzzle on in a hurry. Well, imagine this. Imagine you're out walking your dog. Then you see some dog coming over the crest of a hill and you've got to quickly get your dog's muzzle on. So, you pull it out and you say, Hey, can you come and get your dog? And your dog just thinks that means I get my muzzle and everything's good. But you're going to practice that a couple of times. It's going to be, Hey, and you're going to finish the sentence. Can you come and get your dog please? Right? So, if you say it in an excitable tone, Hey, can you? That is something that you are now creating a conditioned emotional response. So, even if your body is tense and stressed because you see a dog coming over a crest towards your dog, your dog has been triggered to something amazing and positive. Hey, can you? Boom, chakalaka. Where's my muzzle? I can't wait to get it on. Now what happens is people may or may not even have a cue for this, but they might just say like, muzzle up. And they see this dog coming over the crest and they're saying, muzzle up, muzzle up, and then they're saying, they're trying to yell, can you come get your dog? And if that happens to you often enough, your dog is going to cue in that, can you come get your dog? I mean, something horrific is potentially about to happen. A dog's going to come down, barreling down on you. Okay. So, just building an extra positive CER within this game. All right. So, now we have a dog that will happily put this on, on cue. We need to now work on the double D. So, typically when we're testing value, it's duration, distance, and distractions. Well, we're not, we don't really have to get any great distance away from our dog wearing this. So, we're really focusing on the duration that the dog wears it, which you're going to ping pong just five or 10 seconds at a time and gradually grow the distance. At first you're feeding a lot and then you're gradually going to slow down how frequently you're feeding. And now we have a dog who's happily

wearing this for a minute or two. Building that duration of how long they wear it. Eventually, I'd love to see your dog just chillaxing while you're watching TV and they're, they're wearing their muzzle for five or 10 minutes and you can throw cookies in their bed and they can eat from their muzzle. Now, the distractions. You're going to work on, first thing is moving. So, I would put your dog bowl back on the ground. I would take your dog bowl, put it upside down this time, put a big wad of cheese that the dog can grab through their muzzle, put it on the ground. And what you're going to do is walk in a circle and tell the dog to get it. All right. So, it's just maybe even a half circle, just a couple of steps, get it. Then start doing walking towards it. And then we're going to not load the bowl. It's just going to be down there as a target. You can walk in a circle around the room and the dog comes in and maybe targets it with their muzzle. Then you're going to give them cookie. Eventually you're just feeding the dog as you're walking, right? Growing the movement part of wearing a muzzle. Again, if the dog shows you that all of that good body language, they're communicating with their tail, their ears, their eyes, their mouth, their voice. If they're telling you at any time, I don't like this, then you have gone too far too fast. So, you need to take it off and go back to value build. So, I recommend every time you add a new distraction or a longer duration, then you go back and do something easy like eat through the outside of the muzzle, right? Value build back into it. Because value building is money in the bank. Testing value has the potential to be withdrawing money. So, we don't want to do that. The final thing, the final distraction that's important that we work on is you touching the dog. So, I'm assuming that you've built in positive CERs for touching your dog's paws and ears and lifting up their tail, maybe taking their temperature. And we're going to do all that while wearing a muzzle. You're going to keep doing this good work and then work up to doing it in different locations, not just in your home, your backyard, your front yard, at the park, at a friend's place. And then we want to work up to a friend doing it. So, you aren't the one touching the dog. So, eventually the dog can go with somebody else and they'll do all these good things. It's a slow process, but it's just a fun dog training exercise, right? It's an investment of your time. And honestly, I hope you never need to use a muzzle. But it's not just conditioning a dog to a

muzzle. It's conditioning a dog to know that they can opt out. It's conditioning you to recognize the signs that your dog is happy or not happy. It's just a great exercise to deepen that relationship with your dog. And trust me, it's an exercise that your veterinarian is going to be super happy that you did. I know this went on really long today. I hope you got to the very end. I'd love to hear from you. Have you worked on conditioning a muzzle for your dog? Will you do it now just as a fun training exercise? I'd love to hear back from you. See you next time right here at Shaped by Dog. Hi, it's me, Susan, just stepping in because I wanted to share with you, this message is really important. It came to light when a veterinarian pleaded publicly on social media because they were seeing so many reactive dogs in their clinic. And I said I would put together this resource. So, my team has gone above and beyond. They have a separate page just for this resource. You can see the whole video. There's a downloadable ebook that you can share with all of your clientele. So, if you're a veterinarian, if you're a board and trainer or a groomer, or you have any kind of business that interacts with dogs when they may be a little bit worried. So, we have all these resources on that page. Yes, you will have to leave your name and email address to get access to those resources. It really is just so that we know who's sharing this information. So, go ahead and click the link. You'll see on this page, anybody that has anything to do with dogs, you are more than welcome to use this video and the ebook that we put together to help dogs. I would love this to be spread far and wide so that people are safe and dogs are respected when they need that respect the absolute most. Thank you for your time. We'll see you next time. You're on Shaped by Dog.