There’s a lot of different reasons why dogs wear muzzles (Photo: black dog wearing a bright orange basket muzzle)
There are so many reasons to use muzzles.
First, the obvious one: keeping veterinarians and veterinary technicians safe. One of my very dear friends (a veterinarian) was bitten this week. Three out of four canines sunk into her forearm, which required a trip to the ER and IV antibiotics. There’s swelling, redness, bruising, and pain.
Muzzle training isn’t your vet’s job. In fact, it’s far more stressful on your dog if she needs to be muzzled at the vet’s office. Typically, the vets don’t have time to slowly introduce the muzzle in a positive way. They have a staff to protect and a waiting room packed with other clients.
You can make the time to slowly train your dog to love wearing a muzzle. It’s a great proactive step to preventing future stress in your beloved dog. You never know when they may need to wear a muzzle at the vet — even the sweetest dog may bite if they are badly injured.
Even the sweetest dog may bite if they are injured (Photo: Golden Retriever holding a pink flower in its mouth)
Before we get to the “how to,” let’s talk about some other great reasons for muzzles.
The people in our local dog forum have been struggling with life-threatening issues, costly vet bills, and in one case, loss of their beloved dog. Two of the most-talked about topics are:
Tainted meat left on local trails (one sample contained antifreeze)
THC toxicity in dogs
Some of the affected dogs have been on-leash and some have been off-leash.
If your dog is the type to gobble up everything in her path while on (or off) leash, you could consider muzzle training to literally save her life. Some muzzles are not designed to prevent this type of nibbling, quite the opposite, actually, so do your homework when you’re shopping around and get the right kind. Read the reviews.
It’s also worth noting that not all muzzles are built to last. It’s worth the extra money to invest in a good one.
Muzzles are also beneficial for dogs who are terrified of the vet. If your dog bites first and asks questions later, slowly training her to enjoy wearing a muzzle can help her get a full veterinary exam. A “full” exam, you ask? If the vet can’t get a close look at your dog, she may not be able to get a blood sample, or take a close look at the bottoms of her itchy paws. Help your vet out (and your dog) and muzzle train your pup.
Other benefits? You betcha!
If your dog is fearful of strangers who constantly invade her space and try to pet her (without asking), wearing a muzzle will certainly keep people (and their flexi-leashed dogs) away from you. If you struggle to advocate for your dog’s space (because you’re like the rest of us: raised to be sooo darn polite that you’d never want to put someone else out) muzzle training can do the talking for you :)
Muzzles help buy your shy, fearful rescue dog space (Photo: a grey dog being petted on top of his head)
A lot of owners say that their worst fear is that their dog bites someone and has to be put down. They feel a LOT better walking muzzled dog because it takes that fear away. Guess what! It also makes the owner feel more confident, so they can develop their dog leadership skills. Win-Win!
Let’s show compassion to the next person we see who is walking a dog with a muzzle. They are likely protecting their dog’s life. Be kind.
Sometimes we have to unlearn the things we learned to create space for new information.
Tips on muzzle training:
DO list:
-measure your dog according the the guidelines for the type of muzzle you are buying
-take your time
-introduce the muzzle calmly and allow your dog to smell it before even beginning to try it on
-reward them calmly (“Good girl,”) simply for investigating it (sniffing it)
-use tiny treats to encourage your dog to move forward into the muzzle
-keep sessions very short and super positive
DO NOT list:
-do not quickly try it out in the middle of a busy pet store
-do not rush
-do not use baby talk
-do not move the muzzle toward the dog, the dog should come forward into the muzzle
-do not do it up on the first session, just get them used to putting their cute snoot in and out for treats
Always take your time when working with your dog.
If you’re nervous, anxious, or scared about doing it wrong, bring in a professional to help you out. You’ll learn a lot and have fun doing it.
Have a wonderful weekend, Dog Leaders!
Alyssa
Photos by: Annie Spratt @anniespratt (black dog wearing a bright orange basket muzzle,) Celine Sayuri Tagami @celine_sayuri (Golden Retriever holding a pink flower in its mouth,) Simone Dalmeri @simone_dalmeri (a grey dog being petted on top of his head,)