Suggest to someone that they muzzle their dog and you get reactions ranging from anger or distress to horror. Take a dog out wearing a muzzle and some people will drag their children across the street and whisper hehind their hands. Even among dog trainers and professionals muzzles are often viewed with suspicion – or as an indication of a lazy owner. If a dog is properly trained, some argue, he shouldn’t have to wear a muzzle.
I don’t agree. I think they’re great! Used properly, they are valuable training tools and, sometimes, essential permanent management tools, that allow for safe interaction, training and exercise and remove significant stress from both owner and dog.
Let me be blunt: if a dog has bitten a person in a public place, a second incident is likely cost that dog his life. A dog may be trained and rehabilitated to a high degree, but can we ever be 100% certain that there won’t be another incident? And even if the chance of it is only one in a hundred or a thousand, would you be prepared to take those odds on your dog’s life? Using a muzzle, in situations where the owner cannot completely control access to people, such as when the dog is off lead or in a crowded place, allows the owner to relax and the dog still to enjoy freedom, while ensuring that the public – and the dog – are kept safe. A win-win.
Muzzles are also great when working with dog-reactive dogs, both on lead and off. The muzzle allows dogs to be assessed and to work with other dogs, without putting the other dogs at risk. It may also allow a dog to play off lead with other dogs, where the issue is more inappropriate nipping and grabbing than serious aggression. Most importantly, using the muzzle stops the owner feeling anxious, which immediately improves the chances of the dog not being reactive!
But preventing biting is only one reason a dog might need to be muzzled. There are several other reasons:
- To stop scavenging: if a dog is on a restricted diet, using a muzzle can avoid the risk of picking up and eating unwanted food. If the diet is due to a medical condition or allergy, this could be live-saving.
- To protect wildlife: some breeds will instinctively chase and, potentially, kill small animals (rabbits, hares, squirrels) – a muzzle will mean that the chase does not end in a kill.
- To prevent self-harm: if a dog has a wound or a sore area, a muzzle may be more acceptable, especially outside or in the car, than the “Cone of Shame“, but will still protect the wound from licking and chewing.
- To allow safe handling in the case of injury: understandably a dog that is injured and in pain might try to bite those helping him – a muzzle can allow him to be treated.
- To comply with the law: several countries have muzzle laws which affect specific breeds, regardless of whether they have shown aggression. In some cases the list includes most bull breeds and a significant number of other large breeds.
My absolute favourite reason is the one I overheard a young hockey-player telling his mother, when he saw my lurcher in her muzzle:
“Look mummy, that dog’s wearing a mouth guard so that it won’t get hit in the teeth by a ball!”
Given their usefulness, I believe muzzle training is essential for all dogs, even if only in case of the injury situation. It is worth taking a little time to teach your dog to see the muzzle as something positive and unthreatening, so that you will be able to use one if you need to. This video by Chirag Patel is an excellent tutorial on how to muzzle train your dog. Have fun!
Let me know what you think. Have you used muzzles? What do you think when you see dogs wearing them?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
My friend has the sweetest cocker spaniel ever who wears a basket muzzle on walks to prevent scavenging. It’s sad to see people avoiding him out of fear.
I’ve seen some styles of muzzles in bright cheery colors to look less threatening. But the quote about the mouth guard was priceless.
Wonderful wasn’t it? I could’ve hugged him!
It is really sad when people go out of their way to avoid a dog in a muzzle – and rather illogical since of course the muzzle means they are not able to do serious harm even if minded to do so! I like the brightly coloured muzzles and am thinking of getting my lurcher a red one to match the rest of her walking ensemble – will see if it changes people’s reactions!
Thanks for your comments.
I think the message to avoid a dog with a muzzle is needed in some cases. With a dino that is leash aggressive with other dogs, it sends the message, loud and clear, that you and your mdif need to give a wide berth and let this dog pass. I’ve seen way too many situations where a dog who is clearly terrified is chased by off leash dogs because mdif. Even while the owner is screaming at them to leash their dog because hers is traumatized. Mdifs don’t get it and need a visual sometimes.
Hi Vicki
I take your point and agree – indeed I think if a dog is on leash it should be given space by others whether it is muzzled or not – the leash should be enough of a signal (though I realise it isn’t for some people!). A muzzle as well makes the need for space very clear. I really had in mind dogs muzzled off-lead where (in my experience at least) people assume that the dog is people-aggressive, when there may be a whole host of other reasons. In an ideal world I guess people would ask first before they approach rather than making an assumption either way.
Many thanks for your comments.
I too have a working cocker spaniel that I’ve had to muzzle. This is because the vets bills were becoming too frequent he would literally eat anything, carcasses, dead birds etc and it wasn’t fair to see him being so sick. What gets me is they just dont learn!! I have a Baskerville muzzle but he hates wearing it. He spends his entire walk trying to get it off when he’s an energetic dog that loves running around I feel like he’s not getting the right exercise if he’s constantly worrying about his muzzle.
I think they don’t learn because the consequences of being ill are too far removed from the very satisfying and rewarding experience of eating the carcass – sometimes it is frustrating that they can’t rationalise things as we do though! I know it can be difficult when you have an urgent need to use it as you did, but did you introduce the muzzle slowly using lots of treats etc as demonstrated in the video? It really does help to give them a good association with it and even now might be worth trying if you haven’t already. Another thing you can do is TTouch mouth work all around the dog’s mouth – little circles along the muzzle and lips and then (if you can) on the gums (make sure your fingers are wet for that).
Hope you can make it more acceptable to him.
{ 1 trackback }