| Best For… | |
| Barking |
photoiscool
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| Biting |
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| Grooming |
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| Walking |
Gentle Leader
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Muzzles can help curb lousy behavior, including barking, biting, chewing, and nipping. But there are various types of muzzles depending on your needs, your dog’s breed, specific behavioral issues, and other factors.
Article Overview
- Best Muzzles By Use
- Get Your Dog Accustomed
- How Long Can A Dog Wear Them?
- How To Put A Muzzle On (Video)
- Is Your Dog Aggressive?
Best Dog Muzzles By Use/Type
There are various kinds of muzzles you can use depending on your need. We’ve broken them out into categories with our top picks for each so you can find the best fit for your pup.
Barking | Biting | Grooming | Walking
Best Dog Muzzle For Barking: photoiscool Adjustable Muzzle Review
Do muzzles stop dogs from barking? They can! If your dog tends to bark while you’re walking her, a no-bark muzzle may help keep her calmer. Your dog will still be able to breathe freely and pant her heart out. The muzzle will keep your dog from biting or eating items he shouldn’t.
The muzzle is lightweight and durable and is available in small, medium, large, and extra-large. You can also purchase it in brown or black leather. If you need a dog muzzle to stop barking, this could be a great solution for you.
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Pricing
- Small: Check Amazon for availability
- Medium: $12.99
- Large: Check Amazon for availability
- XL: $12.99
Best Dog Muzzle For Biting: Baskerville Ultra Muzzle Review
The best dog muzzle for biting is this Baskerville rubber basket muzzle. It’s one of those dog muzzles that allow for drinking, eating, and panting while preventing your dog from biting. This is an excellent muzzle to use while socializing your dog safely.
Baskerville’s muzzle is incredibly durable and can be heated and shaped to fit your dog’s snout perfectly. The muzzle has an attachment loop to slip your dog’s regular collar through as an extra precaution.
Some buyers have complained that the muzzle runs a little small. So if your dog is between sizes, purchase the size up. Also, customers have shared that this is an excellent dog muzzle for pit bulls.
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Best Dog Muzzle For Grooming: Ewinever Review
This set of dog muzzles includes five different sizes to cover puppy muzzle to small dog muzzle to large dog muzzle. Ewinever’s muzzles are perfect for those of you with multiple dogs or with young dogs that might outgrow a muzzle.
This set is also a great option for groomers that groom all sizes of dogs. These muzzles stop dogs from barking or biting while trimming their hair. Learn more on how to groom a dog. Made of lightweight, breathable nylon, these muzzles prevent your dog from eating things he shouldn’t while stopping barking and biting.
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Pricing
- 5 Pieces For All Sizes: Check Amazon for availability
Why Professional Groomers Should Get Insurance
In addition to a muzzle, there are other things you may need to ensure your safety. If you’re a professional groomer, we suggest that you get pet groomer insurance. Being fully educated and insured against possible risks is the best way to start building a successful and trusted business while also protecting your interests.
For pet grooming insurance, we recommend Pet Care Insurance via Veracity Insurance Solutions and Lloyds of London. It can protect you if a pet in your care gets sick or injured or a pet owner suffers from an injury on your property.
Best Dog “Muzzle” For Walking: PetSafe Gentle Leader Review
The PetSafe Gentle Leader is easy to use on walks because you have full control of your dog’s head and where his attention is. Instead of allowing your dog to walk ahead of you (which many dogs do on a regular leash), this head harness (designed like a muzzle) keeps your dog at your side.
The Gentle Leader no-pull headcollar stops your dog from pulling, lunging, jumping, and barking. It’s easy to adjust and allows your dog to pant comfortably.
I use this on my dog, Sally, and it has helped to lessen her barking/whining when we pass another dog on our walk.
We’d like to note that PetSafe states that this is not a muzzle. However, we think it’s close enough, and it works great for helping your dog behave better on walks.
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Pricing
- Petite (Up to 5 lbs): $19.12
- Small (Up to 25 lbs): $15.95
- Medium (25-60 lbs): $15.95
- Large (60-130 lbs): $15.95
- XL: (130 lbs or more): $15.95
Read our Full Review of the Gentle Leader
6 Steps To Get A Dog Accustomed To A Muzzle
I used a muzzle on my dog for walks because she had a habit of barking obsessively and lunging at other dogs we passed on the trail. Before I took her on a walk wearing the muzzle, my husband got her used to the muzzle by doing the following.
- Let your dog sniff the muzzle to show her that it’s not bad. Give a treat (like Zuke’s training treats). Repeat this a handful of times.
- Touch nose to the muzzle and give a treat. Continue to do this until your dog shows positive interest in the muzzle.
- Hold the muzzle in front of your dog’s face with one hand and hold a treat with your other hand. That way, your dog has to put her nose inside to eat the treat. Repeat this until it’s easy for her to do.
- Slide the muzzle onto your dog’s nose and treat her. Remove the muzzle and repeat this a few times.
- Place the muzzle on your dog and fasten it. Treat your dog and remove the muzzle. Repeat a handful of times as you slowly build up the time you wait to remove the muzzle.
- Remove the muzzle when it’s not needed. You should never leave it on for long periods or when unsupervised.
How Long Can A Dog Wear A Muzzle?
It depends. Cesar Millan says muzzles shouldn’t be worn for longer than 20 minutes, depending on the temperature and how active the dog is when she’s wearing it. Honestly, it depends. Muzzles are ideal for training and walking, which can take longer than 20 minutes at a time.
We’re not saying you should buy a muzzle and then put it on your dog for an hour the first time. It will take time to build confidence and acceptance with your dog.
Personally, walks with my dogs last anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes (depending on the weather). When we go to training classes with her wearing a muzzle, they’re typically longer than two hours. If I had to limit myself to just 20 minutes, we’d have to decrease our walks and training sessions.
While we don’t agree with Cesar Millan, we also don’t think it’s right to leave the muzzle on for too long. We suggest only having the muzzle on for potentially stressful situations, like going to the vet, taking a walk, or meeting someone new. Also, anytime a dog is wearing a muzzle, a responsible adult should be around to supervise and make sure the dog is tolerating it well.
How Do You Put A Muzzle On A Dog?
If your dog is aggressive, it’s important to know how to properly put a muzzle on her. You don’t want to get yourself bitten when attempting to prevent your dog from biting others.
The video below shows how to fit a muzzle on an aggressive dog. In the video, he’s using a Baskerville muzzle, which is a brand we review above.
Does Your Dog Have Aggressive Behavior?
Sometimes a muzzle doesn’t fix every issue. You may need to try some other things to help stop your dog’s aggressive tendencies. Check out these aggressive dog training tips if you need more help with an aggressive dog.
How do you think a muzzle will help your dog?