I use several leashes with Riley, but the Wonder Walker leash is hands down my favorite as an everyday leash. The reason I love it is that it is incredibly versatile. I can use it as an 8′ leash but I can also use it hands-free/over the shoulder. It can even be used to walk 2 dogs at once.
Comfortable neoprene handleD-rings & O-rings for adjustabilityOver the shoulder, hands free optionWalking 2 dogsStrong, swivel claspService handle
The handle is padded neoprene and it slides easily on the leash so you can continue benefiting from the padding no matter what configuration you’re using.
There are D-Rings and an O-ring that allow you to adjust the length of the leash, and a service handle further down the leash if you need to make the leash short and have a nice grip.
It’s made of soft nylon webbing but it’s double thick and very strong.
I’ve had this leash for over 4 years and it still looks brand new. It’s easy to clean, lightweight, and comfortable to hold.
The heavy-duty clips on both the handle and the end of the leash are well-secured, strong, and easily put on and removed with one hand. They also swivel so the leash doesn’t get twisted up while you walk.
I can’t say enough good things about this leash. I purchased mine at my local Mud Bay store.
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This is a great size patch. It is highly visible and easy to read at a distance. The hand with the line through it is helpful for an at-a-glance understanding of the warning. The velcro is strong and the patch is sturdy. I’m using it on the back of Riley’s OneTigris harness
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The description of these gloves is as follows: “Leather animal handling glove, anti-scratch protective gloves for training… bite-resistant gloves.” Further down it claims these are “puncture resistant, Cut Resistant, Bite Resistant, Heat Resistant, Oil Resistant and Fire Resistant, comfortable and breathable cotton lining, good sweat absorption and heat insulation, simple and convenient to wear.”
They only come in one size, so if your hands are smaller, like mine are, they can be difficult to wear. They are definitely NOT bite-resistant. Riley has a decent grip but not what I would consider a heavy bite and even in play when she is practicing bite-inhibition it definitely made an impact. That’s not unusual for bite gloves but there are better ones out there. And she punctured the gloves in the first 5 minutes.
My biggest complaint about these gloves is that the dye comes off. After just 5 minutes of play, Riley’s tongue and lips were blue. I don’t want her mouth blue and I don’t want dye in her body, so these were a no-go for us.
My preferred gloves for bite-play (not for sport training or real bite-work) are: the RAPICCA Animal Handling Gloves. You’re still going to feel it but the odds of a dog with AVERAGE bite strength (not talking Rottweilers, German Shepherds, or Belgian Malinois) breaking the skin using these is pretty slim. I would still not recommend these for sports training or real bite-work where you’re working to increase a dogs bite strength, but they are fine for play. They don’t leave dye in the dog’s mouth and they last a very long time.
If you are considering doing protection sports training or bite work for a protection dog, I strongly encourage you to speak to a professional trainer with experience in these areas before investing in tools and equipment.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Can give a nervous dog confidence when out on walks or in new situations.
Keep groomers safe when dogs are being desensitized to having their nails done or grooming is being performed.
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.
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.
A dog may have really high prey drive and is learning impulse control in areas where prey is likely.
Boarded dogs when they are in close proximity to new dogs and new people without their owners may benefit from a muzzle.
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.
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.”
Did you know that not all dog bandanas are cute accessories? Sometimes, dog owners use them to communicate important information, and while this isn’t universally known and understood, it is very valuable information, so I want to take a moment to introduce this to you. If you see a dog wearing a solid color bandana, it never hurts to ask the owner if it means something specific.
For example, I have a cooling bandana that I use for Riley that just happens to be red – while it’s true I don’t want people approaching her without permission and instruction, the bandana is simply a cooling device. She also has other cute bandanas that she wears from time to time. They don’t “mean” anything. I also know how to advocate for Riley and have a lot of practice telling people, “No, you can’t touch my dog.” And “Please don’t approach us with your dog, child, etc.”
With that said, here’s a review of the generally understood meanings of each of the different bandana colors for dogs.
GREEN
A GREEN bandana means the dog is friendly and sociable with humans and dogs. They are likely playful and enjoy both on and off-leash interactions. They might be young and energetic.
YELLOW
A yellow bandana means approach with caution. This dog may be nervous, anxious, or fearful. They may need space or require time and care when being introduced to new people. Ask before approaching but do so from a distance, respecting what the owner may be trying to communicate with the bandana.
ORANGE
An orange bandana often means the dog is friendly toward humans but is not okay with other dogs. If you’re out with your dog and see another dog in an orange bandana, give them and their owner some space.
RED
A red bandana often means do not touch or approach the dog. Give them as much space as possible. The dog may be nervous or fearful, they may also be reactive. It’s likely, if the dog is wearing the bandana as a communication to the public, that approaching the dog might trigger a reaction. Don’t look at or talk to these dogs and don’t approach them.
While this is just good etiquette around any dog you don’t know, it’s especially important with dogs whose owners are doing everything they can to work with them while communicating their needs to the public in a non-confrontational manner.
BLUE
A blue bandana might be communicating that the dog is working or in training. Not every working dog or service dog wears a collar or vest. The blue bandana lets you know to leave the dog alone and allow them to do their work, or practice doing it.
WHITE
A white bandana can indicate that the dog has issues with hearing or sight; they may even be completely blind or deaf. Talk to the owner to find out if it’s okay to approach them, and how to do so in a way that makes it a positive experience for the dog.
PURPLE
A purple bandana may communicate that the dog has allergies or food sensitivities. Don’t offer any treats of any kind to a dog wearing a purple bandana without clearing it with the owner/handler first.
Off leash she was great. She would stay by my side, ask permission to run after squirrels, ignore people and dogs. On leash, she was a nightmare. Pulling, lunging, reacting to every dog or person, and completely ignoring me. And it didn’t matter if she was on a short leash or a long line.
So, I avoided on leash walks whenever possible. It was simple when I lived in a house with a fenced yard and could play with her back there. I lived close to several locations where I could take her on long walks off leash with plenty of freedom and opportunities to play.
I will admit it, I took the easy way out. I didn’t think about it at the time. Walking was miserable and I had ways around it, so why do something that neither of us enjoyed when I didn’t have to? And we had other priorities in training, so I didn’t prioritize it.
Then, one day we were living in an apartment, and I didn’t have a car and we had to figure it out.
It was a lot of work.
I started out by recognizing she had no idea what “heel” meant and that I had unfair and unrealistic expectations. So, we started from scratch.
I took the time to decide what I wanted a heel to look like. I had a good picture of it in my head. And then, we practiced several times a day, every day. It was tedious and often frustrating, but we persisted and in the process I began to realize that I might be telling the wrong story about walks.
What if they could be adventures? What if they didn’t have to look a certain way? Was it possible that she and I could do something that worked for us? What if it didn’t matter what trainers on social media said a walk should look like?
These questions allowed me to set everything else aside and gave me the freedom to ask what Riley and I needed; what would bring us joy and fulfillment. And, if I could say this to every dog owner I would – it’s okay to define what you want and need in the context of your life and who you and your dog are together and do that.
Today things are different.
I don’t dread going outside with Riley. I look forward to it, and the times I don’t look forward to it, we make it short and easy.
Riley has days she’s great on leash, and days she’s reactive. She can have a good morning and then a rough afternoon, or the other way around. But now, we take it one moment, one outing at a time. I stopped expecting perfection – from both of us. I stopped expecting every walk to look the same and started letting each one be whatever we needed it to be.
This change allowed me to breathe, relax, and start to focus on our relationship instead of what I thought a walk, or anything else we did, should look like – and that changed everything.
Here’s the thing, and I’ll likely drive it home again and again on this site: You are unique. Your dog is unique. Your life is unique. And it is okay for your relationship with your dog to fit your needs and your life. Your walks don’t have to look like everyone else’s. Your playtime doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. What matters is the health and well-being of you and your dog. Sure, there are basic foundational things that are valuable but how you use those skills and apply them in your life is completely individual and there is a lot of freedom in that.
Don’t let the “influencers” on social media rob you of the joy of enjoying your dog in the context of your own life. Breathe and discover what works for you. Sometimes that takes time and a lot of trial and error but it’s worth it.
