Basket Muzzle Training

Photo by Annie Spratt

Any dog might need to wear a muzzle at some point. Muzzle training makes wearing a muzzle stress-free and even fun for the dog. Resources for training a dog to love a muzzle are linked at the end of this article.
 
Why Dogs Wear Muzzles
Muzzles can be incredibly useful. Wearing a muzzle doesn’t necessarily mean that a dog is aggressive. A muzzle is just another tool to help keep dogs and people safe. These are some of the many reasons a dog might use a muzzle:

• The dog is anxious around strangers or other dogs. For these dogs, muzzles are useful for multiple reasons:
  • They prevent injury from fear biting.
  • They let people know to give the dog space.
  • They help the dog feel more comfortable in public, if the dog has had good muzzle training.
• The dog is injured and in pain.
• The dog is nervous about veterinary procedures.
• The dog eats garbage, rocks, dead wildlife, etc.
• The dog needs to stop licking a wound. (But don’t leave a muzzle on an unattended dog.)
• The dog has to wear a muzzle on public transport or in other public places.
• The dog is a police, military, or other working dog.
• The dog has a history of biting.

 
Choosing a Muzzle
The type of muzzle to look for is a basket muzzle. Correctly fitted basket muzzles don’t hold a dog’s mouth shut, so a dog wearing a basket muzzle can pant, drink water, and take treats.
 
Don’t buy a cloth muzzle like the ones sometimes used for dog grooming and veterinary procedures. Cloth muzzles keep the dog’s mouth closed, so these muzzles are not safe for dogs to wear for more than a few minutes and can also be stressful for dogs.
 
Basket muzzles come in various styles, materials, and colors. Some are made of flexible rubber; muzzles made of wire offer more bite protection. Muzzles for specific breeds (like greyhounds) and custom-made muzzles for dogs with hard-to-fit faces are also available.
 
The fit of the muzzle is crucial, so you’ll need to measure your dog’s face according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (Estimate the measurement if your dog might bite when his face is touched.) A basket muzzle should be long enough to avoid rubbing the tip of the nose but not so long that it hits the dog’s eyes, and it should be deep enough to let the dog open his mouth wide to pant. A basket muzzle deep enough to allow for full panting will probably look huge when the dog’s mouth is closed, but this is the correct fit.
 
The muzzle should have lots of openings for air flow. Some basket muzzles have large holes for treats; others have smaller gaps in front of the nose to keep dogs from eating things they shouldn’t.
 
Muzzle Training Basics
Dogs accept muzzles most readily if the training involves yummy treats and is done gradually over weeks.[1] Dogs who are already afraid of muzzles need extra training steps and more time; don’t hesitate to seek help from a positive-reinforcement trainer.
 
Watch your dog’s body language throughout training to be sure she’s happy and relaxed. If at any point your dog avoids the muzzle, you’re moving too fast. Back up a couple of steps and proceed more slowly.

1. Teach your dog that the muzzle predicts treats. Show the dog the muzzle, then give the dog treats. Stop giving treats when you put the muzzle away. Repeat until the dog is looking for treats whenever she sees the muzzle.
2. Teach your dog to put her nose into the muzzle. Use high-value treats to lure your dog’s nose into the muzzle, and feed her treats through the muzzle. You can also spread peanut butter or other smearable food inside the muzzle.
3. Reward your dog for putting her nose in the muzzle on her own without being lured into it. Gradually increase the time that her nose is in the muzzle before rewarding her.
4. Work up to attaching the straps. Start by bringing the straps up to touch your dog’s neck while she’s eating treats from the muzzle. When your dog does not react to having the straps touch her neck, briefly clip the straps together. Gradually increase the time the straps are clipped together.
5. Have your dog do fun, distracting activities while wearing the muzzle: play, take a short walk, and so forth. Give plenty of treats as positive reinforcement.

 
Resources

• Muzzle Up Project (click the “Muzzle Training” tab for detailed training steps): https://muzzleupproject.com/
• Downloadable brochure on muzzle selection, with helpful fit diagrams: https://www.tierschutzkonform.at/en/folder/
• YouTube videos:
  • Muzzle Training Your Dog (Blue Cross): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BjPpXer8IE
  • Basket Muzzle Training – Flash Class (Maddie’s Fund Education): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCnuZZ2HEsg

 
Reference
1. Arhant C, Schmied-Wagner C, Aigner U, Affenzeller N. Owner reports on use of muzzles and their effects on dogs; an online survey. J Vet Behav. 2021;41:73-81. doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2020.07.006
 
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

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