What is the Best Muzzle for my Dog?

Muzzles must be used by law in the case of dog breeds that are considered "potentially dangerous". They can also be very helpful if your dog reacts badly to children, strangers or other dogs. Your safety and the safety of others is highly important in an urban environment.

You must not use training methods involving a muzzle as a punishment or use it to deal with serious behavioral problems like separation anxiety, as it will turn the muzzle into a negative object and cause further bad reactions. In cases like these, you should go and see a professional like a canine ethologist.

These muzzles are usually made of nylon or similar stretchy fabrics. At first glance they seem more comfortable and look softer than other muzzles. However, the fact is that their regular use or their use over long periods of time is not recommended.

Unlike other types of muzzles, fabric muzzles don't allow the dog to pant or drink water. Remember that panting is how dogs cool down their body temperature, so it's very important that they can do so. This kind of muzzle increases their discomfort and makes dogs stressed. It also does not allow the dog to eat or bark if it needs to.

Avoid using this muzzle if you are exercising with your dog or carrying out any activity over a prolonged period of time. For that, we recommend the next kind of muzzle.

This is certainly the best muzzle for dogs regardless of their age and breed, and it comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials. Unlike the previous muzzle, with this muzzle your dog will be able to pant, eat and drink.

If the muzzle must be used on a regular basis, choose a basket type. It is more comfortable, which will also allow your dog to get used to wearing a muzzle faster.

These muzzles don't deprive the dog of moving freely, so they should always be accompanied by a lead. Training muzzles are generally used to get the dog's attention by slightly pulling the strap.

If your dog pulls a lot when you go for a walk and you can't control it, this kind of training muzzle will help you prevent your dog from pulling on the lead. If you follow a few basic animal welfare guidelines and buy an anti-pull harness, you will have more than half the job done.

Only experienced owners should use this type of muzzle, because if not used properly the dog will find it uncomfortable. Your dog should only wear a training muzzle when there is someone to supervise.

As you will know, dogs like the Boxer, Pug, Shar Pei, Dogue de Bordeaux or English Bulldog - among other breeds - have a different snout, shorter and smaller. Sometimes, these dogs have related respiratory problems, so using an inappropriate muzzle on top of that can be harmful to their health.

In pet shops you will find loop or basket muzzles specific for these breeds that are prone to having breathing difficulties. If this is the case for your dog, ask a professional to find out what is the best muzzle for your dog.

If you want to read similar articles to What is the Best Muzzle for my Dog?, we recommend you visit our Basic education category.