How to Choose a Safe and Effective Dog Muzzle

Published by Connor Bainton,


Whether your dog is aggressive, it has some history of biting or bad behaviour, wearing a muzzle is a must. It's the dog owner's responsibility to protect the surrounding, especially when in the public with his dog. Whether when using some kind of public transportation, grooming, visiting the vet or when walking in the park, if a dog has a history like this, wearing a dog muzzle is a must. Since there are lots of them to choose from, first, you will need to go over some of the most important aspects in order to make the right choice.

  • Opting for the Right Size – Regardless of the type of muzzle you like, opting for the right size is crucial. The ideal way to do that is by measuring the length from your dog's eye line to the very tip of its snout. Once done, the next measurement you need to make is the one for the strap. You can do this by measuring the back of the pet's head behind its ears and to the eye line.

  • Choose a Muzzle that Allows Normal Breathing – As already mentioned, there are lots of muzzles to choose from and all of them have different features. That is why you need to make sure to choose one that allows your dog to breathe with ease. Otherwise, you could make its behaviour even worse than before.

Now that you know this, it's time to go over the many types of muzzles for dogs.

Wire Basket Muzzle


When it comes to looking for a quality and good for your dog, wire muzzles are the ideal ones for the purpose. The dog muzzle models made of wire are carefully shaped to fit comfortably, allowing the dog to easily pant and drink. Depending on the model, some of them can even eat while wearing this muzzle. The wire muzzle for dogs is usually ideal for longer nosed dogs, however, you can easily find a muzzle of this kind for shorter nose dogs. In order to fit comfortably, these models have a forehead strap.

Leather Harness Muzzle


As the name implies the leather harness muzzles come in the form of a harness. Usually, these types of muzzles have bigger gaps between the straps, allowing the dog to pant and drink. The leather harness muzzles can be used on both aggressive and non-aggressive dogs.

Leather Police Style Muzzle


The leather police style muzzles are designed for quite aggressive dogs. These muzzles are extremely hard to remove by dogs once fitted properly, thus ideal for such dogs. Just like with the aforementioned models, these leather muzzles allow for the dog to open the mouth on the inside to pant, just that they are not able to bite you. Usually, these types of muzzles have a built-in metal or steel reinforcement to help it keep its shape when under pressure.

Nylon (Mesh) Muzzle


Unlike the other types of muzzles which can be used as many times you want and for a longer period of time, the nylon models are designed to be used not more than 15 minutes and under supervision. The main purpose of these muzzles is to keep the dog's mouth shut without being able to pant. Because of the poor ventilation and no ability to open their mouth, these muzzles are designed to be worn for an extremely short period of time. Usually, they are used when trimming or when clipping the nails.

Plastic Basket Muzzle


When it comes to everyday use, these types of muzzles are one of the most commonly used among dog owners. The plastic dog basket muzzles are great for dogs that are not aggressive. A thing to have in mind about these muzzles is that they are extremely easy to remove, even the dog can remove it. So, if this is something that could bother you, it's best to think twice before making the investment in a muzzle like this.

Jafco Muzzle


Jafco muzzles for dogs are characterised for its plastic basket matched with leather, nylon or plastic straps. Just like the aforementioned model, this one is also great for everyday use. The jafco muzzles are quite durable and can come in a range of sizes in order to meet the different dog sizes.

The reasons for using a muzzle can be many. Although a great number of people think of this as settling down an aggressive dog, the truth is that muzzle can also be used for a plethora of reasons. Some of them are when safely handling a terrified or injured dog or when a medical exam or grooming is needed. Regardless of the reason, before putting a muzzle, it is recommended first to introduce your dog to this type of product. This is important in order to prevent your furry friend to develop a negative association for being 'obligated' to wear a muzzle.