Dog muzzles: types and size selection

When you get a dog, you need to get all the equipment you need for it. These four-legged animals need more than just a leash and collar. No matter how kind, sociable and calm the dog is, you still need to pick up a muzzle for it. This item should be chosen very carefully so that it fits the pet perfectly, does not harm him or cause discomfort.

Muzzle - it is a necessary product that is used for different purposes.

• For training. First of all, the four-legged is taught to wear a muzzle. In this case, the animal is taught not to resist wearing this thing. The dog should wear the muzzle calmly, without irritation. This item is one of the main points in the general training course.
• Formal appointment. In order to calmly and as safely as possible lead your pet through a crowd of people, a muzzle is a must for walking along large and busy streets or traveling by public transport. According to the rules of keeping, dogs in the listed environments cannot be carried out without the described product. The size and age of the animal does not play any role here.
• To prevent bites. If the pet is waiting for any unpleasant or painful operations / procedures or a large, aggressive dog is waiting for a haircut, then such an accessory will prevent possible animal bites. If your pet is nervous or angry about something, and you need to go for a walk, you cannot do without a muzzle.
• To prevent eating objects from the ground. Dogs often start "vacuuming" when they find themselves on the street. They pick up any food leftovers, inedible and even dangerous items.This behavior is typical for both puppies and adult dogs, especially if they were previously stray.
• For daily walks. These are versatile products that prevent the dog from biting a person or a stranger on the street. At the same time, nothing in the muzzle prevents the four-legged from breathing.

Today the assortment of muzzles for dogs is greater than ever. Finding the perfect solution can be difficult due to the sheer choice buyers face. Let's consider the main varieties of these products and their properties.

This is a kind of leather "box", it contains holes through which air enters. This muzzle will prevent the dog from barking or simply opening its mouth. In a deaf leather model, the animal will only be able to "grumble" quietly. High-strength and dense high-quality leather is usually used as the main material. It will not be easy to tear it apart with sharp and powerful dog's claws. These products are often used not only for the prevention of animal aggression, but also for the visits of large dogs to the veterinarian, groomer or other specialist. Through a large crowd of people, an aggressive and strong pet is also best carried out in such ammunition.

Muzzles of this type are allowed for a limited period of time. The animal cannot be kept in such a model all day, since the air supply in it leaves much to be desired. Dogs are allowed to wear a deaf leather muzzle for no more than a few tens of minutes. These things are not suitable for walking - the pet will not be able to breathe normally in them, it will suffer from a lack of oxygen, it may get heatstroke, since it will not be able to open its mouth. Animals with short snouts should not buy these models, because even in cool weather they can get hypoxia or heatstroke, as breathing will be impaired.

These models feature a mesh construction with sturdy leather straps. In such a product, the animal will be able to open its mouth, stick out its tongue, breathe easily and without hindrance, and drink water. Mesh muzzles are suitable even for occasions when a pet needs to be rewarded with a treat. These muzzles are designed for daily walking, transportation and training of animals. Unfortunately, many models of this type do not prevent the dog from picking up various garbage and food debris from the ground. To prevent your pet from “vacuuming” on the street, you will need to choose options with a deaf or bottom and a large gap between the side straps. These models can be selected for representatives of any breed.

In such a muzzle, the animal can easily drink, receive treats, breathe freely with an open mouth and even lick its lips. But such constructions are heavy. They can only be worn on mature pets whose head is fully formed. An aggressive dog wearing such a muzzle will be able to bite if it manages to get as close as possible to a person or other animal. Models made in the form of baskets interfere with picking up various objects from the ground, as well as licking them.

When the cold winter season is outside, such a muzzle should not be worn on a pet. - this can provoke frostbite of the animal's face, lead to general frostbite of its body. Since metal baskets weigh a lot, only large and strong breeds are allowed to carry them. Sheepdogs, bulldogs, large terriers, medium and large molossos - these are the types of dogs that will be comfortable in metal baskets.

The plastic muzzle is an alternative to metal options, but it weighs much less.In it, the animal can breathe without problems and even lick its lips, but it will not be able to pick up something from the ground or make a bite. This effect is achieved due to the fact that plastic "baskets" are more frequent than their metal counterparts. If it's hot outside, a dog wearing a plastic muzzle will not be very comfortable to walk, and in cold weather cheap and low-quality plastic can crack at all. Despite these disadvantages, these muzzles are still considered a very good choice. Buyers have the opportunity to choose the most successful and suitable option for a pet of any breed and any size. It can be either a very large shaggy big guy or a miniature doggie.

The woven muzzle is the simplest design, made in the form of a bandage on a dog's face. Such a product will not interfere with the picking up of unnecessary things from the ground. The dog will be able to breathe without interference, lick his lips, open his mouth and even bite. The main function of the woven muzzle is to be formal. In this thing with an animal, you can go for walks in a busy street setting, transport your pet in transport. Often nylon muzzles are used to train the animal to such accessories.

Generally speaking, the soft nylon muzzle is inexpensive and useful. It can be worn on puppies of any breed in order to teach them to such items of ammunition. The animal can be long-faced (dachshunds, greyhounds, hounds, many types of shepherd dogs), but nylon muzzles do not fit so well with short-faced nylon muzzles. Brachycephalics should not buy these options.

Nowadays, such products have become very popular. The bridle is a special design responsible for the functions of both the muzzle and the collar or harness. The leash is very firmly and securely attached to it. The bridle is unlikely to protect the animal from eating food off the floor or getting bitten, but for mechanical corrections of bad behavior during training, this thing will prove to be very useful.

In the current rich assortment of muzzles for dogs, not only discreet monochromatic models of strict design are offered, but also more original, funny and cool specimens. If the owner wants the look of his beloved pet to be unusual and interesting, he can choose for him a designer muzzle of a certain theme. On sale you can find products of the following design:

• "Evil" closed muzzle with grinning huge teeth stained with blood (such scary models are often bought for pets of fighting breeds, so that strangers have even less desire to approach them with an obsessive desire to touch them);
• cool woven models with different patterns, for example, with a tongue that falls to the side;
• models made in the form of a duck beak (more often these are silicone muzzles intended for small or medium-sized animals);
• creepy skull options;
• in the form of a muzzle of a dragon or a dinosaur.

In stores, you can find a great variety of different design options for dog muzzles.

It doesn't matter if you choose a good muzzle for a puppy or an adult dog. In any case, you need to take into account how comfortable it will be for the animal to wear the purchased ammunition. The muzzle you pick up should not interfere with the pet or cause unpleasant sensations. In order not to face such problems, all necessary measurements should be taken before buying. You will need to find out such important indicators as:

• accurately and correctly measure the length of the pet's face (meaning the distance from the eyes to the nose and from the back of the head to the eyes);
• determine the girth of the dog's muzzle (when measuring this parameter, the tape will need to be shifted slightly below the dog's eye line);
• find out the width of the muzzle.

Together with a muzzle for a dog, you need to buy such a thing as a clicker. The latter is a plastic keychain with a special metal tongue. At the moment of compression, a clicking sound is emitted from it. It is he who will serve as a signal for the pet to complete the required action. The first step is to teach the animal to catch this click when receiving treats.

To accustom your pet to a clicker, you must first hook it onto a leash, and attach the other end to any stationary object. Next, you need to take a clicker, squeeze a dog treat in the palm of your hand. As soon as the animal stops all attempts to get treats from your hands, you will need to click the clicker once and open the palm in which the treats are located. After that, you need to squeeze another piece of the treat in the second hand and start your household chores. At the same time, all attempts of the dog to attract attention should be ignored. This usually takes about 5 minutes.

After that, you need to make a click with a clicker and offer a treat to the dog. Often, breeders use other techniques instead of a characteristic click. These can be certain words spoken during the educational process in the appropriate intonation. When you introduce your four-legged friend to the muzzle, you should hold the ammunition in one hand, and the clicker and treats in the other. At these moments, the animal should sit or stand calmly opposite the owner.

Next, you need to stretch the muzzle towards the four-legged and let him sniff the thing. As soon as the pet has a good sniff of the muzzle offered to him, you should click with a clicker and give the dog a treat. If the animal does not want to sniff the muzzle, then it can be rubbed with the prepared treat, and then brought to the pet's nose again. The repetition of these actions is carried out until the moment when the dog begins to bring his nose to the ammunition confidently.

Next, you should teach your pet to stick its nose through the muzzle. When the animal touches the thing shown to it with its muzzle, the accessory should be turned so that its nose partially sinks into the inside of the product. To fix the result, always click the clicker and give your pet treats. The number of repetitions and absolute mastery of this skill usually does not take a lot of time. Much here depends on the age of the pet, as well as on its propensity to learn and master new commands.

In the context of subsequent training activities, the owner must click the clicker at the moment the muzzle strap is held behind the dog's ears, and later when fastening the ammunition. As soon as the straps of the protective accessory are fastened, you should immediately make a click. You can chain the straps and let your pet pull the muzzle out of the structure so that he can eat the treat prepared for him. Experts say that quick addiction to the muzzle can be ensured by resorting to frequent games and walks, during which the animal will be distracted from a new accessory for him.

The muzzle is an essential accessory for any breed of dog.It is important to choose it correctly, and then competently teach the pet to a new thing. It is worth considering some useful tips and tricks on these issues.

• Despite the softness and lightness of nylon muzzles, which are extremely popular and available today, you should not buy them if your pet is too aggressive, nervous and difficult to obey. Such dogs tear the woven models in one second if they need it.
• It should be borne in mind how many mounts your chosen muzzle has. If the dog is calm, with a balanced psyche, then one fastener located behind the ears will be enough for him. If the pet is problematic and easily removes woven or leather "masks", then it is better to choose a more reliable and strong solution with a sufficient number of fasteners.
• In the moments of training the dog to the muzzle, one should not forget about the praise in the form of treats. If the accessory has open sides, then treats can be served to the pet through them without removing the muzzle.
• For a young dog, muzzles will have to be purchased periodically, depending on its growth rate and physical changes. Measurements in such cases need to be taken many times.
• Deaf muzzles, especially those made of thick leather, are reliable and durable protective equipment, but in no case should they be worn on a dog for a long time. In addition, these models are not suitable for pugs, Staffordshire Terriers, Boxers and Bulldogs.
• Try to train your pet to muzzle while it is still small. The older the animal, the more difficult it will be to adapt to this accessory.
• When choosing a muzzle, be sure to take a closer look at the quality of its performance. It should be made "conscientiously" - there should be no protruding threads or poorly fixed parts in it.
• If you cannot choose a suitable muzzle for your pet on your own, it is better to contact a specialist who will tell you which model is worth taking and which one is better to refuse.
• When wearing, the muzzle should not put unnecessary pressure on the dog's nose and the area around its eyes. Follow this.
• It is important to ensure that the pet can breathe calmly and without unnecessary interference in the muzzle. This is especially important when walking with the animal in hot weather.
• When accustoming a dog to such ammunition, you should not yell at it and resort to physical methods of punishment if the pet does not understand you right away. Be tolerant.

For information on what types of muzzles for dogs exist, see the next video.