The muzzle for a dog is used, first of all, in order to protect people from probable bites during walking in public places. It is necessary for going to the veterinarian, because other patients can also meet in the waiting room. And during the procedure, the pet can regard the actions of the veterinarian as an act of aggression and begin to defend themselves. Use muzzles for training in crowded places. Organizers of some types of canine sports, such as coursing, often require the dog to wear a muzzle to avoid possible unpleasant situations with the participants. In addition, harsh laws oblige dog owners to purchase muzzles for pet walking in places not intended for this.
Types of Muzzles
The pet products market is replete with various types of ammunition, including a variety of muzzles.
Before choosing a muzzle for a dog, you need to pay attention to the material of manufacture. It can be leather, metal, plastic or synthetic fabric. Muzzles are also divided into net and deaf. Interestingly, the deaf-type variants, although 99% guarantee protection against bites, are harmful to the dog itself. As you know, these animals do not sweat, so they do not remove excess temperature and moisture through the skin of the body. The dog is cooled by deep breathing with its mouth open. A deaf muzzle deprives her of such an opportunity in hot weather. She can’t fully open her mouth and often gets a heat stroke in such a situation. Therefore, without a compelling need (the dog does not rush at all in a row, there are no plans to go to the market with a dog), one should not stop at choosing such ammunition.
Selection rules
First you need to make the right measurements of the head and face of the dog. Manufacturers offer both muzzles for small dogs and larger accessories for dogs. But all their products are “averaged”. Therefore, it is better to choose a product with your pet. In this case, guessing the size of the muzzles for dogs is not necessary. Right in the store you can pick up the one that fits. Very often at veterinarians there is a pet goods and ammunition shop. In this case, the chances of finding the right and suitable muzzle increase, because you can "without departing from the cash register" use the advice of a veterinarian. He can (for free) show in more detail how to pick up a dog's muzzle.
Holey efficiency
Reticulated muzzles, the most common in pet stores and shops with veterinarians, are not an effective defense against dog teeth. Although they look pretty impressive, as they are most often made of strips of thick leather fastened with rivets, the dog will easily tear or bite them if desired. They are popular because of the relatively low cost, external formidable and reliable appearance. Therefore, if the dog is aggressive towards others and the owner, for some reason, is not able to repay it, then you should think about choosing a muzzle more reliable.
In the same price category, but more convenient plastic dog muzzle. It is also called the "glass." This is a cast mesh with leather or cordura straps fixed on the sides. In them, the dog does not risk frostbite in the winter, but there are drawbacks. They rub the skin on the face of the pet, especially during long walks. When choosing a plastic option, make sure that between the muzzle and the polymer overlays there are tapes made of soft material or leather. Otherwise, these muzzles are perfect. They are easy to clean and dry. If operated carefully, they will last a long time. Therefore, from an economic point of view, they can be recommended.
Give me the metal!
Metal options are similar to the above plastic ones. Such muzzles for dogs of large breeds are taken more often than from other material. They are reliable, the dog will definitely not bite them, but there are a number of drawbacks. They can not be worn by a dog in winter, especially in cold weather. Having licked something through the net, the dog will stick with its tongue, and an injury will result. When choosing a metal muzzle, special attention should be paid to the presence of a soft strip between the net and the muzzle. Otherwise, severe scuffs and even wounds in the pet cannot be avoided. Also on the metal mesh should be a stainless layer.
"Rag" for the veterinarian
Nylon muzzles are very popular. First of all, because of their cheapness. For many, their “tender” appearance gives rise to think that they are not strong. But this is a fallacy. The nylon dog muzzle is very durable. Its advantages also include light weight, it can also be conveniently removed (with a light touch of your fingers on the fastex fastener), it is easily erased and dries quickly. But such specimens strongly fix the face, so the dog is very uncomfortable staying in it for a long time. It was designed more for going to the veterinarian so that it could be put on easily and then removed just as quickly. In this case, the muzzle was to guarantee the safety of the veterinarian from the patient's teeth. With this, the nylon version copes.
How to teach a muzzle
It will be easier for a dog to get used to a forcefully closed mouth in puppyhood (five to six months). But an adult dog can also be taught to wear a muzzle. Perhaps he will get used to it a little slower than a puppy. But the technique works without regard to the age of the dog. First, the dog is allowed to sniff the subject of ammunition. He must familiarize himself with it. The main thing in this and subsequent moments is to prevent the dog from chewing on the subject of protection.
At the next stage, the dog is shown a piece of goodies and put in a muzzle, to the very bottom. Of course, this procedure is done before feeding the pet. He must be hungry. As soon as the dog pokes its face in, it is impossible to fasten the muzzle for the time being. Now the dog is learning to trust him. The dog should eat a piece, sticking his face in the muzzle with the ability to easily break free. This is repeated several times, each time unobtrusively trying to keep the dog in the muzzle for a few seconds.
Further, the steps are repeated as described above, but the treat is not given immediately. It is necessary to withstand two to three seconds and only then release your fingers. The dog can get a treat. Now the exercise is repeated, each time increasing the time between serving delicacies. The dog should be encouraged if it remains muzzled after receiving food.
If the dog already remains in the muzzle for up to 10 seconds, you can try to fasten the strap. To develop a positive attitude towards him, you should wear the chosen model before feeding or before going out for a walk. The muzzle for the dog during the walk will still seem to be a hindrance at first. If an attempt is made to remove it, the dog is immediately distracted by the game, even with a jog. When the dog calms down, does not try to remove the muzzle, this behavior is encouraged: the dog is praised and treated to a treat. It should be remembered that taking off the protection against bites after the dog tried to do it herself is a very common mistake. It is necessary to wait until the pet switches its attention to something else and only then remove it.
No matter how trite it sounds, but patience is the key to the result.
Hilarious models
Cool muzzles for dogs are very popular. The Internet is filled with photo and video materials with pugs in the muzzle in the form of a mask of Hannibal Lecter or Bane, jack Russell terriers in the muzzle in the form of a duck nose. Of course, they perform the function of a muzzle, but more often they are taken to amuse themselves and others. All these accessories are usually united by a high cost. But there are also inexpensive models - a cool nylon dog muzzle made in the form of a smile with a protruding tongue.
No me worse and worse!
Design scary dog muzzles were thrown onto the market. Their price, of course, bites harder than the dogs that wear them. Such an accessory makes terribly frightening even the most harmless dog. On the Web, a model in the form of a bared mouth with bloody huge teeth is more common.
For fun, they buy such muzzles for small dogs. In a popular video hosting and on social networks, the Internet has become popular short video, where the owner made a muzzle for his dog, which is made in the form of a jaw of a skull. And most importantly, when the dog barks, the upper "jaw" rises. It creates the illusion that the demonic jaws are real. There are even models that completely cover the dog’s head and look like the face of a demon, in whose eyes the real eyes of the dog sparkle.
On the fronts of world wars
No one will argue about the benefits of dogs during the war. But, defending the country and completing important tasks where people cannot cope, dogs were at no less risk. To save the four-armed combat unit from a gas attack, the armies of different countries developed special muzzles and gas masks. They were both closed type (the head of the dog is completely covered), and as a respirator. The military muzzle was not intended for small dogs.
Swiss alternative Tim Sashiri
Speaking of the rules of mandatory wearing a muzzle in the city. In Switzerland, they made concessions for dog owners. Now you can replace closed models (especially for hazardous breeds) with specially designed mouth guards. The inventor of the prosthesis on the dog’s teeth is Tim Sashiri, a resident of the Valais canton. The product is made of special plastic. According to the creator, with a bite the pad reduces the pressure by forty percent, which avoids significant injuries. This is verified by mechanical tests. During a bite with Sashiri pads, the dog not only does not bite the skin, but does not even leave bruises. Formal permission to use pads instead of a muzzle for large dogs and not only has been obtained. But only in the canton of Valais. However, many dog breeders consider such information untrue. Checking the realism of some articles on the Internet is difficult. Therefore, do not trust everything that you read.