07/11/2024
Importance of Muzzle Training & Update on Gaucho
Hello everyone! For those who don’t know me, I’m Katie, a trainer here at My Dogs Mind, and this is my dog, Gaucho. I wanted to take a moment to update everyone who’ve been checking in on us, and to use this as a teaching opportunity.
Gaucho is a 9-year-old Malinois who has overcome a lot in his life, including a front leg amputation just a year ago due to a catastrophic fracture. Last week, we learned that he had a large splenic mass and needed surgery. I dropped him off at Port City Veterinary Referral Hospital this morning for the procedure, and thankfully, everything went smoothly. He’s staying overnight for observation, and his surgeon has kept me in the loop with updates and even sent me pictures of him post-op. They mentioned how well he was doing and how his "party hat" was keeping him honest (more on that in a minute). I couldn’t help but smile all day long as I went through my lessons, staring at those pictures of him looking so calm.
Now, the "party hat" is a really cute nickname many pro's use for the muzzle because there's a lot of misunderstanding and negative association with this piece of equipment. Was Gaucho born in the darkness? Not that I know of. Is he "mean"? Well, that's debatable. Will he bite? You and I could say "no" all day long to this, but the real question we should ask is: *what if* he did? When he's wearing his muzzle, or "party hat", or "sombrero", whatever we want to call it, it's a safety measure. It’s not about him being dangerous or not; it’s about preventing any potential harm to himself or to anyone else in stressful situations. It's safe.
I began muzzle training with Gaucho years ago, primarily to help him manage his anxiety at the vet and other stressful environments. It’s made trips to the vet much easier for him to handle, and for me too! The reality is, many pet professionals may require safety equipment like muzzles for certain situations, and I just want to reassure you that it's ok and possible to do positive, fun, proactive training to help them adjust.
Huge shout-out to my regular vet Great Bay Animal Hospital for catching Gaucho's mass, and of course to Port City Vet Hospital for taking such great care of him yet again. Even though I'm filling one less bowl tonight, I can rest easy knowing he's safe.
Thanks for coming to my TedTalk 🫡 -Katie
