Aggression and muzzles

Maybe it's because we're studying aggression at college or all the cases that appear in the papers, but I have decided that maybe Murphy should be muzzled.  For a dog that is scared of his own shadow it is was not a decision made lightly, he is not a bad dog, on walks with no one about there are no issues.  His bad side shows when bouncy dogs get to close.  He is not polite with his go away, for about a year he has not been let off lead very often I know he has issues.  My big worry is that if off lead and it happened I would be to blame.  So he is on lead, I avoid other people, but and there is always but, there are still those dogs that want to say hello and owners who think that's fine.  To save a very long this link sums it up nicely. http://flyingdogpress.com/content/view/42/97/

An incident at the end of last year really proved that some owners are not aware of their dogs actions.

Sitting on bench with my three waiting for a friend
Gentleman walks passed with JRT off lead who's heading towards me, head on stairing.
Murphy starts growling even at ten feet he is not wanting this dog any closer.
JRT thinks about it, but doesn't change direction, growling continues from Murphy.
Owner is now level with me and Murphy has had enough, turns and snaps at Dash.
JRT owners mutters something about unhappy dogs, having my hands full.
I couldn't say anything, he really didn't have a clue that his dog was the cause of all the trouble, I loudly said to Murphy "I know that nasty little dog wound you up, but there was no need to take it out on the puppy" and hoped in future the owner would take the hint.

Anyway back to muzzle, with owners out there who don't try their hardess (since getting Dash I know sometimes things are beyond anyone control, but really some just don't care) to keep their dogs under control, I want to be able to relax on my walks so if muzzling Murphy is the way to go, then we'll try.

The muzzle arrived today and it will take a while to get he ready to wear it, with a careful desensitisation programme, so far he has eaten two sausages out of it and some pate.  He puts his mouth in and relaxes, if the angle of the muzzle changes he then backs out and we start again.  Hopefully in a few days we might be able to attempt to see if it actually fits!  Why they suggest you try these thing on in store is almost beyond me.  Forcing it on would just cause more work in the long term and desensitisation would involve moving into the store.

Hopefully over time he will accept and if dogs get to close for him to cope with and he goes into one, although this is not pleasant for Murphy others owners my really get the hint.  I think I'm deciding that both my dogs and myself are anti social, and I don't think that's a problem.

Please note, Murphy has never bitten another dog, there are some dogs normally the older polite dogs that he has no problems at all with.