Muzzles often have a negative reputation and muzzled dogs are seen as scary by people. However, it’s important to understand that muzzles are not meant to be a punishment or a tool to make a dog’s life miserable. Instead, muzzles serve as a safety tool, ensuring the well-being of everyone involved: the dog wearing the muzzle, people or other dogs she encounters, a pet parent not stressing out about the consequences.

Overall, muzzles are a valuable tool for ensuring the safety of both dogs and other people. By using them responsibly and properly conditioning your dog to wear one, you can help create a positive association and reduce any negative connotations associated with muzzles.

Let me give you more details about that and also explain how to get a comfortable muzzle, what brands I recommend, and how to make sure your dog is not stressed by wearing one.

Why use a muzzle on a dog?

I believe that every dog can benefit from being trained to wear a muzzle, just in case it is ever required. Here are a few situations where muzzles can come in handy:

🐾 The most common place to use muzzles is with dogs who are hand-shy in public, have anxiety around other dogs or even people, or dogs who are resource guarders. Muzzles are for safety and peace of mind for everyone: you, guests in your house, dog walkers, people and dogs you meet in public etc.

🐾 Muzzles can be also used on certain occasions, for instance during grooming or vet visits. If your dog is in pain or just scared of the procedure conducted by a vet, they might snap out and do a caution bite. A muzzle can give groomer / vet personnel a space to safely handle your dog.

🐾 Some dogs love to pick up garbage on walks. Some stuff can be dangerous. There are also dogs who constantly ingest items like toys or rocks, so they have to be supervised at all times. Or wear a muzzle to keep them safe! (So not all the muzzled dogs are aggressive biters, some just need safety for themselves).

🐾 Similar goes to dogs who have a very strong predation drive, which means they chase and eventually kill small animals or birds. To keep wildlife safe, these dogs can be in a muzzle on walks.

🐾 Geriatric dogs sometimes become more sensitive to handling by strangers, so even if you don’t need a muzzle now, you might need it one day.

🐾 Injured dogs or dogs in major pain might be so sensitive and body protective that they might redirect and bite their handler. When your own dog bites you it will definitely put a shadow on your relationship, using a muzzle in those situations might be a good idea.

Wrong way to use a muzzle

A muzzle is not a magical tool that can resolve behavior issues that your dog has. For instance, some people believe that a tight muzzle will stop excessive barking. It will not! Using a muzzle to stop your dog from barking is animal abuse.

Also, a muzzle should not be used as a way to punish or correct your dog.

If your dog is exhibiting unsafe behavior towards you, your children, or other animals, it is crucial to seek professional help by hiring a trainer or scheduling a visit with a veterinary behaviorist. They can provide the necessary guidance and support to address and manage your dog’s behavior effectively.

Choosing correct muzzle

Types of muzzles

When choosing a muzzle, there are different types to consider based on the intended goal.

Basket-style plastic muzzles are preferred in most situations. These muzzles when properly fitted allow dogs to drink water, and open their mouth to pant, they can eat food, and hence stay in a muzzle longer. A good muzzle should have an opening for feeding, be breathable, and be lightweight. Most popular basket muzzles are made from plastic, biothane or vinyl.

For dogs who wear muzzles because they ingest dangerous items, the construction of the muzzle can be mesh (if they are not strong chewers) or it can be a basket with smaller openings, so nothing can get through.

Not all muzzles are 100% bite-proof. In certain cases (dogs with a history of serious bites with injury) basket muzzles can be made from steel. Steel muzzle should always have proper fit and padding on the nose to keep them comfortable.

For certain occasions (i.e. short visit to vet office or a groomer) you can use a nylon funnel-style muzzle. They are not good for the long term since dogs can’t pant or drink water in them. Also never leave your dog unsupervised in the funnel-style fabric muzzle. In general, these muzzles are not recommended, basket-muzzle are a better option.

Commerical vs custom-made muzzle

For training purposes or if you have a standard medium to large dog, you can easily buy a plastic basket-style muzzle in most pet stores or order online. Prices are around 15-20$ and can go to 30-40$.

If you have a very small dog or extremely large dog, or a dog with a unique face shape, you will need to order a custom-made muzzle. Also if your dog has to wear their muzzle a lot, then it also makes sense to have a custom-fitted one. Custom muzzles start with 50$ and can go all the way to 100$.

Make sure the muzzle is properly fitted

It’s important to follow a size chart and measure your dog accurately to ensure a proper fit. If between sizes, it’s recommended to size up rather than down.

When in the muzzle your dog should be allowed to open their mouth for panting. The muzzle should fit properly on their face without covering their eyes and straps should be snug, so they can’t come off.

Recommended muzzle brands

Muzzles for extra small dogs & pups with short snouts

If you have an XXS dog or a flat-faced dog, most muzzle brands will not work for you. Your best bet is to order a custom muzzle – some brands above can do that, the most recommended is probably Bumas.

You can still try some commercial muzzles, Baskerville Size1 will fit a dog around 15lbs and Jafco Size0 will fit a dog around 10lbs.

For small flat mouthed dogs you can check out these cheap amazon alternatives: PU basket muzzle and leather basket muzzle.

Training your dog to wear a muzzle

When conditioning your dog to wear a muzzle, it’s crucial to follow certain rules. Never force the muzzle on the dog, as each dog may require a different amount of time to get used to it. Start by allowing your dog to explore the muzzle safely and associate it with positive experiences, such as scattering treats around it. Gradually progress through different stages, including touching the muzzle with their face, feeding through the muzzle, and increasing the duration of wearing the muzzle. It’s important to be patient and move at a pace that is comfortable for your dog. Most dogs would require between 7 and 14 training sessions (10min each) to feel safe and comfortable wearing a muzzle.

Before using the muzzle in real-life situations, it’s recommended to test it out in different scenarios and gradually increase the duration of wearing it. This helps your dog become comfortable and confident while wearing the muzzle. Keep in mind that wearing the muzzle randomly and not just during “bad” situations, such as vet visits, will prevent your dog from associating it solely with negative experiences.

Example how to train your dog to wear a muzzle:

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