A muzzle is an appropriate tool if you know that your dog might try to bite a toddler who rushes up to hug her, a well-meaning dog person who insists that “all dogs love me,” or an off-leash dog who bounces up to say hi.Įven if your dog is on a leash, you will still be responsible (and she will be in big trouble) if she bites someone who invades her space. Most veterinarians will allow you to use your own good-quality muzzle. Note: While veterinarians often use “sleeve” muzzles, these are not recommended, as they inhibit your dog’s ability to pant and take treats, and they can be very stressful for dogs. If your dog needs to be muzzled for routine care or grooming, you have some counter-conditioning work to do to help her learn to love (or at least happily tolerate) these events!

Muzzles should be used as needed for emergency or unavoidable procedures. When your dog must be handled or examined by your veterinarian for an unexpected condition, or treated at home for an injury, and there’s a good likelihood she will bite during the procedure, she will need to be muzzled for everyone’s safety. This, of course, will be easier and less stressful for everyone during an already stressful event if you have taken the time to convince her that a muzzle is wonderful. If your dog is injured and must be moved or handled it is strongly advised to muzzle her. Here are some appropriate times when a muzzle could or should be used:Įmergencies. Photo by Aditi Joshi When It IS A Good Time to Use the Muzzle

Let’s muzzle him and show him we can take his bowl away from him because he needs to learn that humans are the boss.” NO, NOT EVER! Let’s muzzle him and take him along.” NO! Rocky doesn’t get to go to the dog park. “My friend wants to take her dog to the dog park, and she wants us to come with her, but Rocky, who loves my friend’s dog, might bite the other dogs at the park.Let’s muzzle her so the kids can have fun with her and she can’t bite them.” NO! Instead, either use scrupulous management to keep her and the kids safe from each other while the young’uns are visiting, send her to a friend’s house for the day, or perhaps board her for a longer grandkid-visit. “Oh gee, the grandkids are coming over and Muffy might bite them.

It is not ever appropriate to muzzle your dog so you can put her over-threshold in an avoidable situation.

Muzzle training for biting