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Westie Biting...muzzle?

  • 15-11-2017 6:27pm
    #1
    paulers06
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 548 ✭✭✭


    Hi All

    My dad has a beautiful 18 month old male westie. He got him when he was 8 weeks old and we brought a trainer in straight away as we wanted to be sure that we were doing everything right. We took the advice on board and began socializing him at day care and the park, taking him to crowded places, teaching him to walk properly etc. It now appears that we left out one of key piece of advice, inviting people around to the house. We are now in a situation where the doorbell turns our loveable buddy into a monster dog. He goes insane and doesn't snap out of it - a bit like a tantrum child who can't calm down. If we know someone is calling around then we will wait for them in the driveway and will walk in together which helps but hasn't totally solved the issue. A couple of weeks ago we relatives over for dinner, waited in the driveway and went in together. A couple of hours passed without incident and then out of nowhere he nipped the back of one of their legs. It wasn't a bad bite but a bite all the same and can't be happening.

    We brought him to a behaviourist a few months ago who did doing some training with him - walking off lead, recall, sitting etc. He doesn't think that the dog has an aggression issue but that he is just extremely territorial and that it isn't uncommon for westies.

    One of our family friends has a cocker spaniel who is the same with visitors to the house and they have been using a muzzle and suggested that we try the same. He is generally a very easy going dog and I don't think that he would mind wearing one. I have been googling it a bit and there were a lot of bad comments jumping out about muzzles and how they destroy a dogs confidence. Does anyone have an opinion on muzzles and whether it would be a good option for us?


Comments

  • #2
    Bells21
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,053 ✭✭✭Bells21


    When the incident occurred,where was the dog, were people interacting with the dog or was someone leaving the room?


  • #3
    DBB
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,790 Mod ✭✭✭✭DBB


    paulers06 wrote: »
    We brought him to a behaviourist a few months ago who did doing some training with him - walking off lead, recall, sitting etc. He doesn't think that the dog has an aggression issue but that he is just extremely territorial and that it isn't uncommon for westies.

    How can a dog who has bitten someone not have an aggression issue? Put whatever title you want on it... if the dog has bitten someone, and is exhibiting threatening, aggressive behaviours in any particular situation, then there's an aggression issue. Yes, Westies are prone to excessively territorial behaviour, but that's not a reason why an owner should have to put up with it.

    Look, teaching a dog to walk off lead, recall, and sitting is NOT going to address your Westie's behaviour when visitors call. There are some quite specific ways of dealing with territorial behaviour, and of course having some obedience skills established will certainly help, but in isolation, they'll be of little use. So... and I cringe to say this, it sounds to me like you need a properly accredited behaviourist who (a) won't misdiagnose or minimise the issue, and (b) will deal with it in a targeted way. Sorry, I know you've already spent money on this, but from what you've written I'm not at all convinced you sought advice from someone who's appropriately qualified to give it. The country is full of self-titled behaviourists I'm afraid.

    A muzzle is a bandage over the wound, and may indeed be a necessary one if the dog is going to be in contact with visitors, but you do need to teach him to wear it happily. The Blue Cross have a really good video that shows how to do it... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BjPpXer8IE

    Please don't just shove the muzzle on him and hope for the best, and pleeease only use a basket style muzzle, not the tubular fabric ones that hold the mouth closed... these are not suitable for use for longer than a couple of minutes.

    This sort of behaviour can often be successfully treated, but you do need someone who knows what they're at to help you with it: there will be a large amount of management, and a large dollop of behaviour modification used in tandem to bring the problem under control.

    If you're prepared to bite the bullet again to get a behaviourist in, you might let us know what part of the country you're in and we can hopefully recommend someone for you.


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