Muzzle Training Your Dog

A muzzle can be useful for many reasons, sometimes it is even mandatory. This is a quick and easy way to get your dog used to a muzzle.

It is a big misconception that a muzzled dog is aggressive and snappy. In fact, a muzzle shows the dog owner’s sense of responsibility. After all, a muzzle is a very useful tool to protect not only others but also your own dog.

Here you can find out when a muzzle makes sense, how to get your dog used to a muzzle, and which models are best suited for your dog.

Muzzles are useful

Of course, a muzzle can prevent the dog from biting. But that’s not all he can do. For example, many dog owners use a muzzle to prevent the dog from picking up something from the ground when they are walking. The condition for this is that the dog cannot stick its tongue out of the muzzle. Special poison bait protection nets are effective protection against poison baits.

A muzzle is also useful on buses and trains or other busy places. Please note that muzzles are compulsory in many public places, including abroad. Getting your dog used to a muzzle has many advantages.

Get the dog used to the muzzle

If you want to get your dog used to a muzzle, you not only have to teach him to put the muzzle on but also to wear it for a certain period of time. Do this step by step and slowly. At the end of the training, your dog should perceive the muzzle as something every day that doesn’t bother him.

Exercise: put on a muzzle

Food rewards are a great way to get your dog to get muzzled.

• Place small pieces of food or treats in the front of the muzzle.
• Offer your dog the muzzle. He should find out for himself that he can get the goodies by going in with his snout. You can also practice this with a yoghurt cup that the dog is allowed to lick.
• Leave the muzzle open! You can continue to “push” food from the front so that your dog keeps his snout in the muzzle for a short time. Thanks to the food reward, he experiences the muzzle positively.
• Don’t push any more food after a while. Once the muzzle has been eaten, the dog can pull out its snout. The training is over.
• Repeat these steps a few times.

If these steps work very well, you can try to close the muzzle. Keep adding food and take off the muzzle as soon as the dog has finished eating it. The training is successful when the dog no longer wants to remove the muzzle or get rid of it in any other way.

Exercise: Wear a muzzle

Your dog should learn to wear the muzzle with ease for a period of time. Again, go slow: if your dog is muzzled, play with it, cuddle it, or reward it in some other way. The muzzle should always be associated with something positive.

Important: Always practice at home first and only for a short time. You can gradually increase the duration of the training. If it works well in your own home, you can venture outside. Keep rewarding and removing the muzzle from time to time as well. This way your dog gets used to the muzzle in a relaxed manner.

The right muzzle

There are very different muzzle models made of different materials such as leather, Biothane or plastic. Nylon muzzles, so-called muzzle loops, leave the front area of the muzzle free. So they do not protect against poison baits. Lattice muzzles, on the other hand, cover the entire muzzle.

Think about the purpose for which you want to use the muzzle and choose the right model accordingly. Note: Your dog must be able to pant and drink freely with any muzzle. Each muzzle must leave room for the nose and must not be too heavy.

When is a muzzle compulsory?

In some countries and cities, dogs must be muzzled. In Vienna, for example, such regulation applies in restaurants and in public places. In Germany, some of the so-called list dogs generally have to wear a muzzle.

A muzzle should only be worn as long as necessary. A dog with a muzzle is restricted in its communication and freedom of movement, even if the muzzle meets all the important criteria. Responsible use of the muzzle is a prerequisite for every dog owner.