We We Love These:
To put it succinctly, muzzles enclose the bitey part of your dog, so they can have more freedom to explore the outside world. If you have a reactive dog and you find yourself holding your breath on walks or when your dog is playing too rough, muzzles are the key to allowing you to relax a little. Unfortunately muzzles are so stigmatized that often people would rather keep their dogs inside and away from any adventures than training a muzzle and trying it out. We understand those feelings, but try to look at it this way:
If you properly introduce your dog to the muzzle, your dog wont mind wearing it because muzzles mean yummy things like cheese! The muzzle can be their golden ticket out the door. You’re doing it FOR them, not TO them.
You’re also doing it for yourself and for others. Not only are you protecting others from danger, but you’re showing that muzzles aren’t such a big deal! Maybe if someone sees your dog in a muzzle, they’ll consider getting one for their own nervous pup.
Muzzles are like bike helmets - they aren’t that comfortable to start but they are relatively easy to get used to and when you do, you are safer out in the world and that makes you and your family members feel better.
Also, there’s a silver lining to the stigma. People want to interact with dogs so badly that they often ignore you, even if you’ve told them not to approach or say hello to your dog. But people pay attention to muzzles and generally respect them. If you have a dog that has a big personal bubble or who doesn’t do well with off-leash dogs barreling at them, a muzzle is a clear signal that your dog needs space and that approaching may not go well. Sometimes we recommend muzzles to owners with dogs with no bite history because it seems to be the only thing that works to keep people’s hands away. Interestingly a dog with a muzzle on is the least likely to bite you...but I digress.
We like the Baskerville muzzle especially, because it’s
Breathable (your dog can pant and drink),
You can deliver treats into it,
It’s comfortable and lightweight and flexible, so often more comfortable for most dogs than other models.
Muzzles require a little legwork for desensitization so if you need help with how to train your dog to wear a muzzle, make sure to visit the Muzzle Up Project (they have great videos). Once your dog is comfortably wearing a muzzle, you’ve got an amazing tool that enables you and your dog to have some stress-free fun.
If you have a dog that is a very high bite risk, you might choose one without any gaps (as fingers and fur can get into the Baskerville). Check out Muzzle Up Project for more info and a whole bunch of different options. We also love BUMAS muzzles if you’re looking for something more festive and custom!
Photocred: We had a hard time finding photos of dogs living their best lives with muzzles on based on the product advertisement photos. So we took to the gram with #muzzles to find more realistic photos of dogs to show how normal and fun they can actually be. Enter Rusty & Rocky @loveofrusty.rocky who let us use their photos to help dispel the stigma against muzzles. Check out their page to see how they use them!