Using the muzzle is mandatory for breeds considered "potentially dangerous" by law. However, if our dog shows aggressiveness or tends to eat everything he finds on the ground, it can be a very effective tool when it comes to working on behavior modification and avoiding any accident.
Yes, you should know that the use of the muzzle as a method of punishment is not recommended at all since it can have serious consequences, thus affecting animal welfare. In this article on our site we explain how to get a dog used to a muzzle step by step with different useful tools and tricks. Find out below!
1. Choose the appropriate muzzle
To begin with you should know that the most suitable muzzle for the dog is the "basket" typelike the one we show you in the image. Unlike cloth ones, these allow the dog to breathe properly, pant, drink water or receive treats. If you are interested in knowing more, discover on our site the different types of muzzles that exist on the market.
Among all the muzzles on the market, we mainly recommend the Baskerville, since it has a protective band to avoid discomfort, it is highly safe and it fulfills the mentioned functions.
two. Make your dog associate the muzzle in a positive way
It is important to not muzzle the dog directly if you are not familiar with it, as this carries a high chance of failure. The animal will feel annoyed and confused, let's go step by step.
By using positive reinforcement, our dog will associate the muzzle with a pleasant experience, which combines treats, prizes and affectionate words. To do this, before starting to work, you must get treats for dogs. You can use prepared snacks that you can find at any pet supply store or small chicken bits.
Empezaremos showing him the muzzle (without putting it on) and rewarding every time he gets close to himThe best thing is that you start with your hands behind your back and take out the muzzle and then reward him, then you will hide your hand again. Do short 2-3 minute sessions a couple of days.
3. Go through a gradual process
Once our dog associates seeing the muzzle with treats, let's go one step further. Now we will leave a treat at the bottom of the muzzle and let our dog put his nose inside to get it, always without forcing him.
We will follow the same process that we have carried out in the previous step: we will keep it on the back, we will show it, we will put the prize, we will let it take it and then we will hide it on the back to repeat the exercise. We will do short sessions of 2 to 3 minutes for two or three days.
When we observe that our dog properly associates the muzzle and puts his nose inside without fear, we can pretend that we tie him while he picks up the award.
4. Practice in short periods of time
Once your dog is totally used to putting his nose in the muzzle and letting you tie him halfway, we're going to tie him permanentlyAt this time, it is important that you have the prizes ready and that you offer rewards continuously The maximum time will be one minute.
You can repeat this exercise several times a day but it is important that as the days go by you go spacing the reward time and the minuteswearing the muzzle.
5. Generalizes the use of the muzzle
Once the muzzle is well associated with the dog, it will be essential to work on it in different situations, therefore, we recommend doing the same exercises (starting with point number 1) in other places, such as the street, a dog park, someone else's home… Anything goes! The important thing is that the experience is always positive and that it takes place gradually.
Tips and recommendations
It is very important that you work daily on this exercise if you want your dog to associate the muzzle in a positive way. Remember that it is a long process that can take up to two weeks easily. In addition, dogs that have a negative association with the muzzle may take longer to associate it well, in these cases we recommend you to be patient and buy another muzzle so that the presentation is more positive.
Other details to take into account can be:
- Never put the muzzle on by force, the goal is to make the dog want to put the muzzle on.
- Avoid using a muzzle only in specific situations, for example at the vet. It is recommended that you use it every two or three days so that you do not associate it only with negative moments.
- The muzzle is not a punishment tool, you should not use it to scold him and you should never muzzle him when he is left alone to prevent him from destroying the furniture.
- Avoid putting the muzzle on it for too long, at most it should take between 30 and 60 minutes. From time to time it is important to remove it and let it rest.
- If your dog tries to remove the muzzle during this process you are going too fast, he goes back to the previous point and practices daily
If you follow our advice and don't put pressure on your dog you will achieve very positive results. However, if the process becomes complicated and your dog does not seem to accept the use of the muzzle in any way, it is best to go to a professional.
