What is your first thought when you see a dog wearing a muzzle?

I had never thought about the stigma attached to muzzles until I was at a pack walk prep class with a trainer I used to work with. Riley was a distraction dog and I’d walk her around the area where the owners were working with their dog to learn to walk them in a “pack” setting. 

One of the dogs was also in training with the trainer and was muzzled for the session. She had been desensitized to the muzzle and to her it just meant she was going to get freedom and engagement. Sometimes this dog became fearful and over-stimulated and while she was learning to regulate a muzzle kept her and everyone around her safe.

She was not a bad dog. She was loving and kind once you got to know her. But people can be foolish when they see a dog and they can rush in and crowd them and unknowingly present a very real threat.

Her owners were working hard with her, and she was doing well.

As I went to my car after the session was over, a family was getting in their car a couple spaces away and I heard the mother say, in a disgusted tone, “If that dog is so dangerous it has to wear a muzzle it shouldn’t be in public.” Her tirade continued but I had to block her out.

I was livid and it took a lot of self-control to just load Riley up and leave without saying anything. I fumed all the way home and thinking about it still makes my blood boil.

Really? A dog has no right to leave the house and be outside if they need to wear a muzzle. Who was she to judge? She didn’t know the owners or the dog. She didn’t know why the dog was muzzled but her first and only assumption was that the dog was dangerous and shouldn’t be outside.

Over the years, I’ve heard people make similar comments and I think it’s important to clear some things up.

First and foremost, there are many reasons a dog might be wearing a muzzle. And, in my opinion, muzzle training is valuable for every dog. The more comfortable a dog is in a muzzle, the less stress they will experience if they ever need one.

So let’s look at some reasons dogs might wear a muzzle:

1. Let’s get this one out of the way first. A dog might be a bite risk. They may be aggressive to other dogs or people and the muzzle is to keep them and those they might encounter safe while they are being rehabilitated.
2. Protect veterinary staff when dealing with a sick or injured dog, even if that dog has never been a bite risk. Hurt animals can be unpredictable and a muzzle keeps everyone safe.
3. Prevents dogs from eating garbage or other things that might be dangerous to them. There are a lot of dogs who will eat anything, and it can put them at risk of, not only being poisoned but even requiring surgery to remove dangerous objects from their stomach or intestinal tract.
4. Learning to play appropriately with other dogs. Some dogs have never played with other dogs and during an introductory stage wearing a muzzle can protect the dog wearing it from receiving corrections while learning proper play and engagement without using their mouth.
5. Can give a nervous dog confidence when out on walks or in new situations.
6. Keep groomers safe when dogs are being desensitized to having their nails done or grooming is being performed.
7. Introducing a new/unknown dog to a new place. For instance, people who foster dogs may want to utilize a muzzle when bringing the dog into their home.
8. Introducing two dogs who don’t know each other. Both dogs wearing a muzzle is not a bad idea in this scenario, even if you really trust one or both dogs.
9. A dog may have really high prey drive and is learning impulse control in areas where prey is likely.
10. Boarded dogs when they are in close proximity to new dogs and new people without their owners may benefit from a muzzle.
11. New people coming over that the dog has yet to meet. A muzzle can make the greeting much more comfortable for your dog and your guests.
12. Clearly communicates to people around that the dog might need some space.

As you can see, muzzles have many different uses and most of them have nothing to do with aggression or a dog being a ‘bad” dog. In fact, none of them have to do with a dog being a bad dog. If a dog is aggressive and wearing a muzzle in public it means they have a good owner or trainer who is actively working to rehabilitate them and that should be applauded, not criticized and judged.

I believe it’s the stigma of “only mean or bad dogs wear muzzles” that keeps well-meaning dog owners from doing the training necessary to make wearing a muzzle comfortable and stress-free for their dog and that’s too bad. At some point, we have to stop worrying about what other people are going to think of us or our dogs and just do what’s best for them. If more people did the work in public with their dogs to help them thrive wearing a muzzle, the story would begin to change but the stigma keeps people working on muzzle training in hiding.

Muzzle training takes time and intentionality, but it starts with choosing the right muzzle and there are a lot to choose from. I encourage you to work with your trainer or vet to find out what kind of muzzle would work best for your dog, as well as to get pointers on how to do the training.

From my perspective, there are 2 pieces to the training.

First step, getting the dog comfortable putting the muzzle on. You don’t want to force it on their face. So, teaching them to put their nose in the muzzle and allowing you to secure it is step one.

Second step, wearing the muzzle in different situations and locations so they begin creating positive associations with the muzzle.

The second piece of this is ongoing. It doesn’t just end once you think your dog is comfortable. Even if you only pull it out and do something fun with them once a week with the muzzle on, do that. You want as many positive experiences as possible so when you pull the muzzle out the dog’s first thought isn’t, “Oh no! Vet!!!!”

There are so many kinds of muzzles, different shapes, different materials, and different purposes. This is where the advice of a professional who knows your dog and the situations in which you’d be using a muzzle can be really helpful.

The muzzle I use for Riley is made by a company called Khaos Collars.

It is a basket muzzle, custom-made based on her measurements, and I got to pick out great colors that make it look less threatening. It gives her plenty of pant room and I opted for a treat hole so that she can still eat treats while wearing the muzzle.

I didn’t originally muzzle train her and I regret that.

I’ve done a lot of work desensitizing her to the muzzle, but I have more work to do to make it as positive as I’d like it to be for her.  So, I’m taking my own advice and incorporating the muzzle into at least one outing per week and one play session in the apartment per week.

So, back to the original question: what do you think when you see a dog wearing a muzzle in public?

I hope your answer is, “Good dog. Responsible owner. Hard work.”