#MUZZLE TRAINING FOR REACTIVE DOGS HOW TO#

This is one of the few benefits of that negative stigma! Most people are likely to give you and your dog plenty of room if they are wearing a muzzle.

Signaling to others that you and your dog need some space. Unfortunately, some regions still uphold antiquated laws and restrictions on certain breeds of dog and may require them to wear a muzzle in public. Traveling through an area with breed-specific legislation that require muzzles on certain types of dog. Remember that injury and illness can dramatically alter behavior and even dogs with no prior history of aggression may bite! Nobody is their best self when they don’t feel well.

Prepare for veterinary or grooming situations if a dog is feeling unwell or anxious. For our California readers, the Catalina Flyer ferry requires dogs to wear a muzzle for the three hour duration of the trip. Taking certain forms of public transportation requiring muzzles. Some dogs have allergies, some have compulsive disorders like Pica, and others might just have an acquired taste for things we don’t want them getting into. Prevent a dog from ingesting dangerous things on walks or hikes. Prevent potential bites from a nervous or reactive dog while still allowing them to enjoy their world! Any animal with teeth can bite if they feel threatened or cornered, and the muzzle prevents any mishaps for dogs who feel the need to use their teeth to create space. So why muzzle train your dog? Lots of reasons! Think of wearing a muzzle like wearing a seatbelt: you hope you never need it, but you’re really glad to have it during an accident. We even teach it in our puppy classes! It’s one of the only forms of management or physical barrier that your dog can carry around with them.

#MUZZLE TRAINING FOR REACTIVE DOGS HOW TO#

We believe that every dog, regardless of size, breed, or temperament, should learn how to happily wear a muzzle. They come in a limited range of colors, but some pet parents decorate their muzzles with colorful duct tape, rhinestones, and even faux flowers! For dogs with shorter muzzles or unique proportions, it is also possible to have a muzzle custom made to fit your dog perfectly from companies like BUMAS and Trust Your Dog Custom Muzzles. These muzzles come in a variety of sizes and can be modified to ensure a better fit for your dog. Our go-to brand of muzzle for most dogs is the Baskerville Ultra. A properly-fitted basket muzzle should be comfortable, not obstruct vision, and allow the dog to fully open their mouth to pant, sniff, bark, drink water, and eat treats. Most folks are familiar with mesh grooming muzzles, which can be useful in an emergency to keep people safe, but what we want to discuss are basket muzzles! Unlike the tightly-fitted grooming muzzles, basket muzzles can be worn comfortably for longer periods of time. There are many shapes and styles of muzzle out on the market. We want to shed some light on why muzzles are an amazing tool that can allow more dogs to interact with their worlds safely! You might see a dog walking down the street in one and assume they must be mean or dangerous you might even think their human is doing them a disservice by making them wear one. Unfortunately, muzzles tend to have a negative stigma attached to them. These are just a small sample of some of the things you might hear from strangers while out walking with your dog wearing a muzzle. “I don’t know why you would make him wear that!”

Muzzle training for reactive dogs