tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6517697125324333905.post3192223766892353972..comments2023-08-28T03:16:12.352-07:00Comments on Just dogs with Sherri: Put a muzzle on it. Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6517697125324333905.post-22371525756636815992013-10-02T08:21:02.461-07:002013-10-02T08:21:02.461-07:00This subject struck a cord with me. Not all dogs w...This subject struck a cord with me. Not all dogs who wear a muzzle are necessarily an agressive, want to hurt anyone and every dog animal. <br /><br />My dog is fearful and cautious. We don't know why. We got him at 7 and a half months. He is a work in progress and is improving. He requires time to access situations before he feels comfortable. Some people are dumb when it comes to dogs. They think they can run up to any dog and the dog will be thrilled. Mine is not. He doesn't know you. He will back up, he will look away, he will start waffleing his lips and in some cases he will growl. Everything about him says stay away. I keep him on a leash so that I can control the situation when we walk or hike.<br /><br />That said, he has snapped at a person that insisted on coming too close and reaching out for him. (Thus began my training on how to read subtle dog body language well - aside from the obvious ones.) We are working with a CAAB certified behaviorist. He will probably never be totally comfortable with all people and I don't know that he should be required to be. I don't like all the people I met, why do we expect dogs to? But for HIS protection, we will be training him to use a muzzle or obtain a vest that says he needs space or he is in training that he can wear when we are places where I can't control the situation. He likes people once he is given time. He loves dogs. But I can't trust people to act responsibly and appropriately. My concern is exactly what you talk about in your blog: that everyone's assumption will be that he is a dangerous dog. But I will do what I need to do and the he## with what they think.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6517697125324333905.post-86760911499566459682013-10-02T07:58:38.108-07:002013-10-02T07:58:38.108-07:00My dog was attacked by the same neighborhood 100 l...My dog was attacked by the same neighborhood 100 lb Pit Bull/Great Dane mix TWICE. After the first attack we found out that she was the 5th dog who was attacked (one fatality at a public park) by this pit bull because he was unleashed in an open garage. The dog was seized and we went through an administrative hearing in which the dog was deemed Potentially Dangerous. The owner was able to take possession of the dog after she agreed to abide by the list of restrictions including a muzzle whenever he was outside his home. Fast forward 8 months later and he was off-leash in the open garage again it was closed when we started walking by and she opened it and he ran out) and he went after my neighbor and I as we were walking our 3 dogs. He bee lined for my neighbor's largest dog but we used a stun baton that we bought for protection to advert the attack. When I called animal control it turned out that the owner falsely reported that the dog had been stolen 3 weeks after she had taken possession back. She changed his name in an attempt to hide his identity.<br /><br />We attended another hearing in which the owner's lies were so tangled up she couldn't get her story straight. Sadly the hearing officer ordered the dog to be euthanized. Yes the dog was vicious but I say sadly because it was not his fault and I don't blame him for the attacks. The owner sealed his fate when she decided to lie and cheat the system just so she didn't have to put a muzzle on him.<br /><br />Pit bulls get a bad rap when in actuality its the owners who are responsible for keeping other people and animals safe when they know that their dog is aggressive. So now we have an angry neighbor who won't accept any responsibility for her own actions and I am still not comfortable walking in my own neighborhood in fear that she will retaliate. Not to mention she has since got another pit bull puppy.<br /><br />I will add that my dog is getting more and more unfriendly towards other dogs when we walk and I have and will muzzle her when I have to.<br /><br />Sorry about the long response, but your blog is right on. Muzzle your dog if they are not friendly and for God's sake, do not let them off-leash. Even if your dog is friendly, my dog is not. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com