Muzzle Training
What is muzzle training? Why should you muzzle train your dog? My dog isn’t a bad dog, they don’t need a muzzle! Muzzles are only for vicious dogs, right? Muzzles are only for dogs that bite, right?
You may be asking yourself these questions and many more when you first hear about muzzle training, whether it be from your dog trainer, veterinarian, groomer, or even family and friends. Muzzle training is something that up until recently wasn’t something that was really talked about in pet owner circles, and there are still tons of rumors and myths circulating about it. I hope to dispel most of those rumors in this article, as well as give you the tools to try muzzle training your dog at home!
One of the first myths I’d like to dispel is that muzzles are only for ‘bad’ dogs, or dogs that bite. While muzzles are designed to prevent most dogs from landing a bite, they also can be used for dogs that attempt to ingest things other than food, such as poop, mulch, rocks, and trash. Think of your average golden retriever or labrador! Having a muzzle on while they are on a walk or out in the yard can be a life saving preventative for dogs that eat objects that could potentially get stuck in their digestive tract.
Another reason a dog might be wearing a muzzle is because they are training for an emergency. Even the nicest, most well mannered dogs can bite when they are in pain or seriously injured. Muzzle training before an emergency happens helps prepare the dog so they are used to the muzzle and it doesn’t add further stress to an already stressful situation.
Yet another reason a dog might wear a muzzle is because they are nervous or reactive and the dog wearing the muzzle helps reduce the stress of the handler so they can focus on the training and rehabilitation. Yes, in this case the dog may be wearing the muzzle because the dog may bite out of fear and safety is an important factor to consider when handling these dogs. However, wearing a muzzle reduces the possibility of the dog landing a bite on someone and the handler can then focus on working with the dog around their triggers without the added anxiety of worrying the dog might injure someone. This is important because sensitive dogs that already struggle with reactivity or nervousness are extremely receptive to their handler’s emotions, which can escalate their own anxieties and make the situation worse.
Muzzles are not just for ‘bad’ dogs, or dogs that bite. For one, I like to believe there are no bad dogs, only dogs who are with owners who are not meeting their needs. Just because a dog is wearing a muzzle doesn’t automatically mean that dog is bad. The dog may eat things they are not supposed to, as we discussed earlier. The dog may simply be nervous around new people or new situations and it relieves the owner’s stress to have the dog wear a muzzle. The dog may be reactive, and wear the muzzle so they can focus on rehabilitation and training safely. The dog may be practicing good muzzle skills in case of an emergency. There are as many reasons a dog might wear a muzzle as there are dogs to wear them!
How to teach your dog to wear a muzzle
- First, choose a muzzle that your dog can fully pant in but fits securely enough that they cannot remove it themselves. Ideally your dog should be able to drink water and take treats while wearing the muzzle as well as pant fully and comfortably. This is extremely important especially if you plan on having the dog wear the muzzle during any kind of physical activity or while in any warm/hot climate. I recommend basket type muzzles and will link several options below.
- Introduce your dog to the muzzle simply by showing it to your dog. Mark and reward for any sniffing or interaction with the muzzle. We want to make wearing the muzzle an extremely positive experience for your dog!
- Once your dog is comfortable sniffing and interacting with the muzzle (likely halfway through your first training session or in your second session), place treats inside the muzzle and allow your dog to eat the treats out of the muzzle. Mark and reward for eating the treats out of the muzzle, use lots of happy talk and praise.
- Next, once your dog is comfortable placing their nose into the muzzle to eat treats, let go of the muzzle while your dog’s nose is inside it so the muzzle rests on their snout for a few seconds. Feed a couple of treats through the front of the muzzle while the muzzle is resting on their snout; continue with happy talk and praise.
- When your dog is comfortable having the muzzle rest on their snout for a few seconds at a time, reach around and buckle the muzzle on securely. Mark and reward, feeding treats through the front of the muzzle. Unbuckle the muzzle after a few seconds and praise your dog.
- Repeat step five many, many times over several sessions and with each repetition, gradually increase the amount of time your dog is wearing the muzzle. This process will take many sessions, so be patient with your dog and go as slow as you need to to make sure your dog is completely comfortable. Wearing the muzzle should be a happy, positive experience for your dog involving lots of treats and happy talk. We want to build up the positive reinforcement history with this tool so that when your dog has to wear the muzzle for real, your dog considers it to be a happy, fun experience rather than associating the muzzle with stressful situations.
- Finally, once your dog is comfortable wearing the muzzle for short periods of time, continue to increase the amount of time your dog is wearing the muzzle and practice in different scenarios. Have your dog wear their muzzle on a walk, at the pet store, during a training session, while doing place work, or even just around the house. Make sure you practice in a variety of scenarios because we want the muzzle to signify nothing more than wearing the muzzle for your dog. To explain, if your dog only wears the muzzle in stressful situations like at the vet, your dog will associate wearing the muzzle with going to the vet. But if your dog learns to wear the muzzle in a bunch of different situations, they won’t associate the muzzle with something stressful.
- Remember to continue having your dog practice wearing the muzzle on a regular basis even after your dog is completely comfortable. Again, we want to continue to build up that positive association with the muzzle so it doesn’t add stress to an already stressful situation when your dog may actually need to wear the muzzle!
Further reading:
https://muzzleupproject.com/2019/08/muzzle-faqs-how-to-measure-a-muzzle/
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/muzzle-training-for-dogs
https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/behavior/dog-muzzle-when-to-use-them-and-how/
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