Doggy Lama Blog

Muzzles

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Muzzles are management tools and do not take the place of training. However, some people have dogs that are not safe out in the world without one and do not have the time (or skills) to train their dog themselves or the money to hire a trainer to do so. In that case, a muzzle can be an useful tool. Some dogs may get more affection and positive reinforcement when they are wearing a muzzle than not. Dogs can get used to wearing a muzzle and come to think of it as a positive thing, especially if reinforced with getting treats, praise, and adventures. (Other management tools are the Easy Walk or SENSE-ation harnesses, Gentle Leader head-collars, and prong collars or choke chains. We often use the first three items; we don’t like to use prong collars and we do not use choke chains.)

It’s very important for the dog to be wearing the correct type of muzzle—we only use “box” muzzles, (like the one pictured here,) that allow the dog to breathe naturally, drink water, and take treats. We would never walk a dog with a tight vinyl grooming-style muzzle that keeps the dog’s muzzle closed. The dog would overheat quickly. They told us at the Dog Walking Academy that those muzzles should only be used for five minutes at a time (long enough to trim a dog’s nails, for example).

I tell clients that while we reinforce good trail manners, we are not trainers. We do reinforce good trail manners, and I often give clients the contact information for trainers I respect.

Bingo is wearing a box muzzle that has two straps that meet with a little plastic clip behind his head.

This is another kind of box muzzle that has a third strap that goes up between the dog’s eyes and over his head—it is more difficult for the dog to get off than the one above.

We live as we dream, alone. (Poem)

Friday, February 16, 2007

You brought my stuff back last night
Books, a belt, a pair of crutches
You forgot my CD
Stupidly, I asked you in
You were so boyish in the front door light
I wanted to brush your hair off your face
Take your sweater off
Push you back on the bed
Straddle you and grind and hear us groan
Our animals straining together
The very thing that got us here I guess
But instead in my nervousness I did a kind of show-and-tell
Showing you some things from work
And asking about your family and friends
We drank sherry in fancy little glasses
I’d just bought
Amazing that awkwardness between us
The worst ever
It was almost a relief that it was so bad
It gave me hope that in two weeks
There will scabs on my heart
Still I hear what’s been haunting me since we first met
Was it from Conrad or the punk song I heard it first?
We live as we dream, alone.
I knew it was a warning
All the time.

Inny (Poem)

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Lying on my bed
Listening to my breath
Playing with my breasts
Daydreaming
No radio on–no music–for once
Almost midnight
Feeling my buzz wind down
Savoring sensations in a slightly drunken way
Observing shadows on the wall
Spider webs moving gently… with what breeze?
Completely unproductive
Contemplating my navel (an inny)
My breast (an outie)
My hips (gently rolling hills)
Thinking of Eskimos and northern lights
Endless days or endless nights
Igloos and sealskins and fur-covered boats
Couples who couple through slits in their clothes
42 words for snow
—and numeric systems based on 5
—instead of 10
—since it’s too cold to take out 10 fingers
—at once