I observed something yesterday that so enraged me, I was apoplectic! It  made me re-evaluate one of the pet-centric stores where I shop on a regular basis, because I have assumed, (wrongly) that the people they hire had some understanding or knowledge of the products they sell and the pets they are used on.

There was a woman standing in the training products aisle with a tiny, adorable puppy, on a leash, at her feet. It appeared to be either an Australian Shepherd or a mix of that and something else which created an irresistible fluffy little creature. By "training products aisle", I mean training/shock collars, muzzles, "invisible" fences, those sorts of "training" products

Don't misunderstand me, these products, when used correctly and appropriately, have a place in the dog owner's world. I myself have used a training collar for my German Shepherd Bella, from time to time. She has a tendency to run the backyard fence line while barking at my neighbor's dogs. It is how she blew out not one, but two knees, which have now been surgically repaired. So I will have her wear the collar to stop that behavior and to stop her from scaring the people at the Adult Daycare next door by barking at them, (even though it may be harmless).

But again, don't get me wrong, I blame myself for the fact that I haven't trained my dog well enough to not need this device! I'm glad they exist and they do work, as Bella only needs to hear the tone on the collar to stop the behavior I don't want.

All of this aside, when the woman with the beautiful little puppy arrived at the checkout, I observed her purchase was a tiny muzzle and the conversation and demonstration between her and the young clerk caused my mouth to drop open and it was all I could do not to throttle both of them!

The woman had the clerk demonstrate how to fit the muzzle on the puppy's tiny face and the conversation was, "so that ought to stop the barking, right?". The clerk's reply, "Well it will still be able to cry and whine, but no it shouldn't be able to bark." The puppy owner's response, "Perfect!".

I had to squash the desire to follow the woman over to her Cadillac Escalade, have a "heart-to-heart" conversation regarding her decision to become a dog owner, give her a good smack and abscond with the puppy.

Muzzles, in and of themselves are not the problem, but using them to stop a puppy or any dog from barking is just plain cruel and leaving a dog in a muzzle alone can lead to all kinds of sorrow.

This is what the ASPCA has to say about it specifically:

  • Never use a muzzle to keep your dog quiet for long periods of time or when you’re not actively supervising him. Dogs can’t eat, drink or pant to cool themselves while wearing muzzles, so making your dog wear one for long periods of time would be inhumane.
  • Never tie your dog’s muzzle closed with rope, cord, rubber bands or anything else. Doing this is dangerous, painful and inhumane."

If you need more information on how to train your puppy or dog to stop excessive barking (or just train them, period) please check out more advice from the ASPCA, talk to your vet, hire a certified dog trainer (like my friend Tom Gunlicks), or check into local obedience training classes. These are all humane, conscientious, animal-loving options.


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