Muzzles

[John E Greenwood]

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At the ill fated Northern Open, I was stationed at the end of the track, to help recover the lure from the dogs and take it part way back down the start.

I was surprised to see that the first thing which most people did at the end of the race was to remove their dogs' muzzle.......It is customary, both at the Northern, and at Gin Pit, to leave muzzles on until dogs are well away from the lure, or even back at the van....At Gin Pit, where my dogs seem to get particularly wound up for some unknown reason (relaxed atmosphere?), I leave their muzzles on for most of the meeting. I don't think that leaving muzzles on causes any dicomfort or distress.

The early removal of muzzles at the open resulted in 2 incidents, to my knowledge. One when an unmuzzled dog grabbed the lure and another racer complained, and in the second , an unmuzzled dog jumped up and bit my hand as I held the lure (I suffered in manly silence, as you would expect :wub: )...Also I was asked to hold the lead of a keen and hyper-active dog at the end of a race, whilst her owner caught a dog in the next race. Of course, I was happy to help, but the experience would have been less stressful, if the dog had been muzzled.

What are the rules about removing muzzles at the end of a race?

 

[Carol Jepson]

That manly silence John! Your my hero!! :wub:

I know at Northern our dogs have to be muzzled when near the track and if you are collecting another at the end of track. Would be nice to know what the rules state.

Carol

 

[Vicky]

I can't say at Gin Pit we have any rules about keeping them muzzled after a race, you've probably seen us take the muzzle off a pup or not so keen dog so they can have a good rag after a race, but mostly it's just COMMON SENSE to keep it on isn't it, most owners do leave them on until they're off the track, it's just easier & less likely to cause injury to dog or handler.

 

[Judy]

Also I was asked to hold the lead of a keen and hyper-active dog at the end of a race, whilst her owner caught a dog in the next race. Of course, I was happy to help, but the experience would have been less stressful, if the dog had been muzzled.

Oops! That might have been me that asked you to hold a dog. Appologies if it was John. :b At least it wasn't ours involved in the 2 lure biting incidents as I always leave the track before taking them off.

There are rules about having the dog muzzled in the paddock but not about the end of the race as far as I know. I would think common sense would say don't have an unmuzzled dog within the perimiter of the track. Once off the track and away from the lure though I always try to take the dogs muzzles off because they tend to scrabble at them with their feet making walking back impossible and hurting their toes. Sorry, John but it was probably Keeper I asked you to hold and he is the worst of the lot for clawing at his muzzle.