Choosing the Right Muzzle, Amongst the Muzzle Mayhem

Kintsugi, would wear his reinforced agitation muzzle when meeting new people and when at the vet, for the safety of everyone involved in close proximity due to his bite history.

Muzzles are NOT all created equal.

There’s a vast difference between muzzles in relation to sturdiness, size, comfort, and more. As a general rule of thumb, we always want to go with a muzzle that has enough room for a dog to pant (at minimum a little, depending on the situation sometimes we need enough room for a full pant) as it’s the only way a dog can cool themselves down and it’s also a natural response to stress; to chew food that’s offered (treats used during training); to drink water (keeping in mind that water bowls have to be deep enough to fit the muzzle); and even to vomit if they need to (if the dog needs to vomit and they’re wearing a muzzle that has their mouth closed, they could potentially aspirate). Therefore, any muzzle that completely closes the dog’s mouth is not something that we ideally want to be choosing. However the muzzles that meet the requirements listed above still vary greatly in options. This is why I take many things into consideration when choosing the best muzzle for an individual dog and situation. Think it’s a quick and easy decision? Not always!

Below are the main points I keep in mind when making my brand and style decisions:

The dog’s bite history.

If the dog has inflicted serious injury onto someone else, then I’m typically going to go with some type of metal basket muzzle or an agitation muzzle for maximum security. There are MANY muzzles (especially commonly used ones) that dogs can actually bite around if they are truly committed. On the other hand, if a dog has never inflicted injury onto anyone, and/or if the muzzle will be used for something not involving aggression, then it’s safer to use something with a little less security if comfort is also important.

Proximity of risk.

If the muzzle is needed for a situation where there’s close contact and a higher risk of a bite occurring (for example, at the vet because physical touch is involved) then I will choose something more secure, hard, and enclosed. If the muzzle is used in situations where the dog isn’t necessarily having physical interactions with others, then it’s ok to use something less heavy duty.

Indoor vs outdoor use.

Ventilation is less of a concern for indoor use where the climate is controlled and/or the dog may be laying around a lot, rather than outdoor use where we want to have maximum ventilation if its going to be hot outside and/or if the dog is going to be more active. Wire baskets and biothane offer much more ventilation than closed in plastic or leather muzzles. Wire baskets, hard plastic, and agitation muzzles are also going to be more rigid and less comfortable to lay around in than biothane, plastic vinyl, or leather basket muzzles which would be more comfortable.

Warm climate vs cold climate.

The climate choice runs parallel to our indoor vs outdoor use, as warmer climates of course will need better ventilation. However, another thing to consider is that for really cold climates, metal can run the risk of freezing and potentially sticking to and thereby injuring a dog’s nose when worn outside. So any metal basket muzzle used outdoors in a cold snowy climate should be rubberized for the safety and comfort of the dog.

Exercise vs rest.

If the dog is going to be wearing the muzzle during physical exercise, then we want to make sure that the dog has maximum pant room and ventilation. There’s a difference between a muzzle offering a little room for panting vs a lot of room for panting. If the dog will be at rest in a controlled climate while wearing the muzzle, then maximum room for panting is not always necessary.

Potential interactions with children in the home.

Sometimes there are situations where a dog needs to wear a muzzle around a child in the home (in addition to a detailed behavior modification plan that includes safety etc). In these situations I prefer to use softer muzzles that won’t injury if the dog accidentally bumps the child with the muzzle on. If a dog bumps into you with a hard muzzle, like a metal one or an agitation one, it hurts! And can leave a bruise, even when there was no aggression displayed and it was accidental. Another thing to consider here is that little fingers can easily fit inside of muzzles with large openings (like metal ones and rubber ones). Plastic vinyl muzzles are a great option in these situations as they are softer when getting bumped by them and have smaller holes that aren’t as easy for fingers to go through.

The dog’s breed.

Some breeds and breed mixes that have exaggerated features such as wide heads, long narrow noses, brachycephalic faces, etc can be challenging to find muzzles for because not all of the generic brands will have suitable options. Some companies have more suitable options than others and some breeds do better with some companies over others.

The need for extra safety features.

In certain situations we may want to add in extra security features such as a forehead strap that helps prevent the dog from pulling the muzzle off of the nose; collar attachments below the chin to help prevent the dog from pulling the muzzle from under and off of the chin; metal reinforcement within agitation muzzles to be the most bite proof possible; extra straps on the sides of biothane muzzles to increase rigidity; etc. While some muzzles already come with these features as options, other muzzles can have them customized.

The dog’s ability to tolerate handling.

A lot of dogs who display owner directed aggression need muzzles for specific situations, interactions, and training exercises. The problem here is that the owner, who is the target of the aggression, is also the one who needs to do the muzzle training AND is the one who needs to place the muzzle on the dog. Different muzzles can be fastened differently via snap buckles vs belt type buckles. While belt buckle types of fasteners can be quiet and the risk of pinching the dog is low, they also take extra time to secure. This means more time hovering over a dog and creating extra social pressure, which in the case of dogs who display aggression towards their owners, these are things that we always want to try and avoid. On the other hand, snap buckles can be fast to secure, however there’s a greater accidental risk of pinching the dog, or the dog’s hair. So these are things to take into consideration as well. Often times, I prefer to have my owners train the dog to allow the straps to be pre fastened and then slide them over the head, one ear, and then the other, so long as it still fits well enough that the dog cannot remove it themselves.

Food reward functionality.

All muzzles need to be conditioned so the dog learns to accept to wear them, ideally through pairing the muzzle with good things. Most of the time, this is through using food. Depending on the reasons we are using the muzzle after it’s conditioned, sometimes there’s no need to continue to feed the dog through the muzzle, and other times, there’s still that need. Some muzzles with bigger openings are easier to feed through and some companies create “treat holes” that also make it simple and quick to feed the dog through.

Ability to pick things up off of the ground.

In some cases we actually want the dog to learn to pick treats up off of the ground while wearing the muzzle (and yes this can actually be done). In other cases, we don’t want the dog to pick things up off the ground at all. For example, in cases of pica or dogs who have had multiple foreign body surgeries, a muzzle may be used in situations to prevent the dog from picking things up. Some muzzles are already designed with more closed in fronts. Other muzzles you can have made with attachments that cover the front or attachments that you can add that cover the front, which will prevent them from being able to grab something small off the ground or floor.

Comfort for the dog.

We of course want to consider the dog’s comfort in the muzzle as well. The length of time the dog will be expected to wear the muzzle and if they will mostly be standing vs resting is something we want to consider, which will then allow us to choose between a muzzle that is harder vs softer, and heavier vs lighter in weight. Metal will of course be harder and heavier than different types of plastic or biothane.

Customizable options.

Many clients prefer to customize their dog’s muzzle. This could include choosing colors that are bright and less threatening, or perhaps colors that match the dog’s coat and therefore are less noticeable from further away. For certain breeds we may need more customized measurements. And then sometimes people just want to get fancy with varying accessories, bling, and even signs/patches that can be added.

Cost to client.

This is also a very realistic factor. While some clients have all the disposable income to spend on muzzles, others do not. I always want to make sure that the muzzle we choose is within their budget.

Item availability.

In some scenarios we may need a muzzle ASAP, and often times the better quality ones and especially the more customized ones will take longer to arrive after ordering them. If we can choose a suitable option that will come faster, we’ll take that. Otherwise, if a muzzle is needed ASAP and the ideal one will take a while to come, we will sometimes order a less than ideal one just to have to start with, while we wait for the more ideal one to arrive later.

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Muzzles are not a “one type fits all” deal. Finding a professional who can guide you towards the right selection is important. Sometimes your first choice doesn’t work. And that’s ok, too. There are plenty more to choose from to fit your dog’s needs, your needs, and the situation’s needs.