Ah, yes, muzzles. The divisive term in the dog training world that evokes many emotions and discussion. As dog trainers, we of course have a clear understanding of the importance of muzzle-training, however, the general public has mixed feelings. You’ll commonly hear phrases such as:
“Well, that dog shouldn’t be allowed in public if they need a muzzle.”
“That’s sad. That owner must not know what they’re doing.”
Unfortunately, dog parents who place muzzles on their pets are sometimes scolded. With that being said, education is key with topics such as these, as often education brings understanding and understanding leads to common ground.
Why Muzzles Are Important
Muzzles are not just for aggressive dogs. While they are most commonly associated with a dog that can and will bite, all dogs can benefit from being muzzle trained.
The reality is that dogs are animals. And any animal can bite, regardless of their breed, size, or personality traits. Some dogs can be triggered to bite more easily, sure, while for others pets it would take a lot of stress or pressure before they would think to bite. Regardless, having a dog that knows how to wear a muzzle can provide more options to you should you ever need to use one.
Perhaps your dog has to be handled by a stranger at the vet or during an emergency situation? Or you’ve never needed to board them before, and you want to ensure the safety of everyone involved, including the dog, just in case.
Safety is not something that we should focus on after the fact. After all, we wear seatbelts proactively even when we believe the risk of getting into an accident on a daily basis is generally pretty low.
Looks Can Be Deceiving
We often judge items based on their looks. The saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover…” comes to mind here.
Of course, we’re going to choose items for our dogs that look pleasant, have colors we’re fond of, and help improve their overall appearance. So it’s not surprising that muzzles are often looked down upon. Let’s face it, most muzzles look unsightly.
So, how can we feel confident muzzle training our dogs, and avoid the occasional dirty look from a passerby or onlooker?
Well, the truth is, you’re going to get those looks regardless. With that being said, there are muzzle companies doing their best to shine a different perspective on muzzles, and are designing them to be highly customizable. A few honorable mentions include:
In Closing
Muzzles are not the determining factor of whether a dog is aggressive or not.
Responsible pet parents and dog trainers everywhere are muzzle training their dogs as an extra tool to have in their toolbox should they ever need it. It’s always better to have more tools in your dog training toolbox than less when it comes to your dog’s safety as well as others.
Happy Training! 🐕✨
Nicolas Angione is the founder and head dog trainer at Hope Gables Canine, based in Fairfield County, CT. Inspired by his own dog's reactive journey and rehabilitation, he left his career behind to become a dog trainer. After years of shadowing other dog trainers in the industry, he started his own practice, which has successfully helped hundreds of dog owners, both domestic and abroad, regain peace and harmony with their dogs. Many of these success stories, dog training tips, and more can be found on their Instagram and YouTube pages.
