training & behaviour
Stress, pain and safety
Think of the last time you felt stressed, perhaps before a major deadline at work, or if you’ ve ever had a painful injury. You might have been extra grumpy or easily frustrated, lashing out at your loved ones in a way you would never do otherwise – and it’ s exactly the same for our dogs. If your dog is ever sick or in an accident and needs urgent vet care under stressful or painful circumstances, being able to muzzle them not only keeps everyone safe but also avoids making a stressful situation even worse. In fact, some vets or groomers may not feel comfortable working with your dog unless they are muzzled or sedated.
Muzzles can also be useful to stop dogs scavenging on walks, especially when walking in areas with lots of trash or chicken bones, or for dogs who have pica( that is, dogs who eat inedible items such as rocks).
Start young
As a dog trainer and behaviourist, I introduce muzzles to puppies of all shapes and sizes right from the start in puppy classes at the same time as I get the puppies used to other handling, such as ear cleaning and nail trims.
This allows the puppy to get used to the feeling of a muzzle on their face while being gently entertained with fun things like treats. Then, if
your puppy ever needs to be muzzled when they’ re older, they’ ll find the experience far less stressful overall.
It’ s very important to introduce a muzzle to a dog slowly and carefully to make sure they always associate it with positive experiences.
Be sure to grab the next edition, where I share with readers how to introduce their dog to a new muzzle.
Types of muzzles
There are many types of muzzles available. For extended use, such as on walks or longer vet visits, the best kind of muzzle is a basket muzzle. These typically look like cages around the dog’ s snout and can look intimidating, but they have one crucial feature: a properly fitted basket muzzle allows a dog to partially or fully open their mouths to pant and drink, which allows for crucial temperature regulation and comfort. Basket muzzles may be necessary for breeds who struggle with breathing, such as flat-faced dogs. Other muzzles such as sleeve( or soft) muzzles physically hold the dog’ s mouth closed and tend to be made of materials like cloth or leather; these muzzles can protect better against a bite but can only be worn safely for much shorter periods and are usually more traumatic for a dog to experience.
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