Muzzle Training

Knowing how to muzzle train your dog correctly is essential when keeping it fun and upbeat. If you want to move forward in training, you must go your dog's pace and do what suits them. Every dog is different, so this generalised info should be moulded to fit your dog. Comparing your dog and progress to others is only helpful in finding issues you can fix. Otherwise, you are just putting too much pressure on yourself and your dog.

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Before muzzle training make sure you have had its fit checked (or checked yourself) as trying to train or continue training in an ill fit muzzle could cause negative associations.

These steps below are a very brief run down and should be bare minimum. It is quite hard to type out and more in depth videos are below for further questions and information.

 

1. Present the muzzle

Bring the muzzle in front of your dog without any pressure for them to physically touch it, and give them a lot of treats and praise as they show any calm behaviour.  Any positive reactions need positive reinforcements! You should quickly start seeing the dog's excited/positive body language when seeing the muzzle. Muzzle = Reward/fun

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2. Interacting with the muzzle

Move the muzzle around as it is in front of the dog, still without any pressure for them to touch it physically. Continue giving them treats and praise whenever they look, sniff, interact with or show any interest in the muzzle.  Tips: if the dog doesn’t interact with it, move the muzzle around until they do. Practice this step when you introduce any different muzzle style, and always go back to this for confidence building! Create puzzles/games with the muzzle. You can put their kibble in a bowl and have the muzzle on top of it, or hand feed them the kibble if the muzzle has the availability to do so. (Baskervilles, Jafco with a treat hole)

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3. Nose in muzzle

Once your dog is excited to see you bring the muzzle out and will target the muzzle for rewards, you can move on to this step.

Start by holding the muzzle on your lap or out in front of you; without moving the muzzle towards the dog, lure them into the muzzle by rewarding through the front. It would help if you were not moving the muzzle towards your dog; they should be coming to you. You can start to add a command here if you're not sure when you want to. Using a clicker or a verbal marker like 'yes' will be very helpful. Rewarding through the muzzle will help your dog understand that face in the muzzle = reward, not pulling their face out. Once your dog starts to automatically place their face in the muzzle, you can go to the next step.

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4. Add Duration

Once your dog can easily do the step before you can move onto adding duration.

You continue luring the dog into the muzzle, but now you create more time in between your rewards; wait 1-2 seconds, then mark your reward, and increase the amount of time by 3-5 seconds each time. (exact time depends on the dog, some will wait for a reward, others have to work their way up gradually). After your dog achieves a good hold/duration in the muzzle, knows the command and is happy to have their face in, you can start introducing the straps in the next step.

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5. Doing up the straps

Most dogs usually skip this step and don't have a problem with the straps.

If your dog has problems with the straps, thankfully, this is an easy fix. Just like the gradual muzzle training you’ve done, the same thing should be done with the strap. Work on slowly moving it up and rewarding, then repeating until you can have it rest over the neck and then do it up. To do this step, your dog needs to be able to hold its head in the muzzle for longer durations. If they can’t do that, you should go back and work on it until they can.

 

6. Final Steps

Once your dog is entirely okay with placing its nose in the muzzle and doing up the straps with duration, you can move on to having them move around, complete commands etc. and even play. Some dogs will be good with sitting still but may go back a few steps when asked to move; just take your time. You need to work on building confidence in the muzzle, as well as just getting used to it.

Doing tricks/commands is a great way to get your dog moving. As well as recalls across the room. You can also scatter feed with the muzzle on so they walk around and pick up food with it (some dogs may not do it). I do NOT recommend doing this with scavengers.

 

For outside, Most dogs will go straight out/walk with no problems by this stage. However, some go back a few steps when in a new environment, especially if nervous. The best way to do this is to go back a few steps (muzzle training in that environment). Build some confidence, Then gradually work your way back up to moving around In the new environment.

 

Note: The following steps could take just days to several weeks, depending on your dog's pace. Be sure to take it slow, follow your dog's pace, and do not rush the process.

Training Videos To Watch

Training for ages but dog still hates it?

The first thing to check when muzzle training is that your muzzle fits correctly. If it’s too small or narrow, it can cause the dog to be uncomfortable. That would be unfair on the dog being asked to tolerate something uncomfortable and is likely a significant factor in why training is going forward.

If you do have a well-fit muzzle and you’re still having problems, what are you getting stuck on? Have you tried going back a few steps? Are you asking too much of your dog? Are you rushing it? Is your dog confused?

Usually, going back a few steps can help with a dog being stuck on something. Gradually adding duration between rewards/movement etc., instead of expecting them to move 2ft straight away, as well as making sure you’ve worked on training long enough.

Working out what the issue is and changing what you're doing is the best way to do this; if you can't pinpoint the problem, change what you're doing and go back to the start.

Train Without A Muzzle

You can ‘muzzle train’ your dog before they have a muzzle. Getting your dog comfortable with placing their face/nose into something works just as well and greatly helps when transferring to a muzzle. Start by finding something they can comfortably place their nose/head in, that they can't get to normally (don't entice to eat out of a container you're going to leave on a bench that they could take and chew)

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  • You can start by offering a few treats in the container to eat out of, continue dropping more in as they go.
  • Once they’re comfortable eating out of it, you can start adding a command while luring or free shaping, depending on what works for your dog. When they place their face in, you can say ‘yes’ and then reward, either by dropping food in or giving it to them.
  • When they place their face on the command, you can start asking for some duration. This isn’t as needed until you get the much since they will be much better ventilated.
  • Once they’re comfortable with all of the above, you can start by moving the container around, either in your hand or on the ground and ask the same thing, this creates movement, and you can turn it into a game.

 

All this will significantly help when getting a muzzle. Transferring over to a muzzle should be simple. Some dogs may drop back a few steps, which is entirely normal if new things make them unsure.

Stacking the Negatives

Causing negative associations is extremely easy to do with muzzles. Misusing the muzzle, having a small muzzle, not training enough can all cause negative associations with the muzzle. 

 

Common causes:

Only using in stressful situations will cause negative associations with the muzzle. If you only use the muzzle when you're going to the vet or car (or anywhere your dog needs the muzzle), then they will quickly associate the muzzle with stress. For example, when I started muzzling my dog, I would walk her without it, but the second we saw a dog off-leash, I would put it on as we walked past, and she would react. Then id take it off. In less than two weeks, she avoided the muzzle at all costs, and the second I got it on, she was looking for the dog stressing out.

 

Incorrectly fitted muzzles can also cause negative associations with the muzzle. This is self-explanatory but still needs to be here since it's a common issue. Using a muzzle that your dog finds uncomfortable can cause problems with the dog wearing any muzzle. Some dogs have no issues and learn to tolerate it, but others struggle more.

 

Wrong training methods will also cause negative associations with the muzzle. Rushing your dog, skipping steps, not muzzle training all together can cause issues with your dog. What is a problem will depend on the individual dog but making sure everything is suited to your dog-loving is the best way to make sure this doesn't happen.

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How to stop it from happening:

In training (not just muzzle training), you need to make sure the positive situations outweigh the negative. If you have a bad situation, you need two more positive ones. 

To apply this to muzzle training, if your dog only needs the muzzle once a week to go to group training (which could be stressful), you need to make sure you do two other training sessions in the muzzle that are fun and exciting. 

Stacking negative upon negative situations is not good for any dog, so expecting your dog to be okay with the muzzle after using it in every negative situation they've had is entirely unfair. 

 

Exceptions:

Sometimes you can't avoid negative situations, and that's okay. Suppose you have to go to the vet or use the muzzle in an emergency (which risks negative associations). In that case, it is completely fine to use and having to go back on some fun training is a much better option than risking a bite at the vet because they're not fully trained. 

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