Muzzle fitting

There is a lot of stigma around muzzles but the general thinking now is that it is a useful skill for all dogs to have.

Muzzles can be used for a whole range of reasons and are not just for "dangerous" dogs. They can be really helpful tools to keep your dog safe if they are prone to scavenging, and are often needed in emergencies (e.g. at the vet or natural disasters).

Where I live, dogs need to be muzzled or in a carrier to be on public transport. We're a long way away from George being able to get on a bus or ferry but it might be something we can do in future.

My main reasons for thinking about muzzle training were:

• in case of an emergency (a couple of years ago, there were flood evacuations not far from my house)
• potentially for vet visits (although I'd prefer to get George to a space where he is more comfortable in this space), and
• potentially to give us space on walks

George is a cute, fluffy dog and doesn't look threatening (most of the time!). We are often hindered in our training progress by people and off-leash dogs approaching, despite my best efforts to avoid it.

This is where the muzzle stigma could be helpful. Most people won't approach a dog wearing a muzzle, and most people will call their 'friendly' dog away.

I think a muzzle will be more effective than our "I need space" leash or my "Ignore my dog please" t-shirt!

So I've been thinking about it for a while but wasn't sure how to get one of the right type and size. There is a lot of information out there and they are relatively difficult to source in my country, being shipped from the UK or US.

And they're not cheap. Buying the wrong size or type could be costly.

So when our vet behaviourist posted about a muzzle fitting in their clinic, I decided this was a great opportunity for George to get properly measured and fitted in a safe space. I knew the staff would be familiar with fearful and reactive dogs.

The appointments were set with plenty of time, and we were asked to remain in our cars on arrival so that reactive dogs wouldn't meet.

It went pretty well.

Unfortunately I parked next to a car with a couple of dogs inside so we had a reaction at the beginning. But George recovered well. I should have known better really as there was space to park further away.

A staff member came out to warn me a dog would be coming out soon (which George didn't notice because he was fixated on the dogs in the car), and then gave me the all clear.

George was excited to go in. As it was at the VB clinic, he associates it with lots of yummy treats!

He seemed to get comfortable with the two female staff members fairly quickly, although he would react if they walked around.

He did a nervous poo which was a little embarrassing but nobody seemed fazed.

He tolerated being touched and measured around his face fairly well. He put his face inside the muzzle without too much concern. We'd been practicing with a cone now and again which I think helped.

As he's got quite a small face, the standard muzzles didn't quite work so he was measured up for a custom fit muzzle.

The staff are expert in getting the right fit - she wanted to make sure his nose was far enough forward that taking treats was easy for him and wouldn't cause frustration.

Before we left, a staff member went out and asked another dog owner to take their dog back in the car giving us a clear run. The dogs in the car next door were still there unfortunately but George resettled himself quickly as soon as we moved.

All in all, it was a positive experience. The staff were fantastic and I was impressed by how quickly George warmed to two new people and tolerated being touched by strangers.

Now we wait for our bespoke muzzle (I'm thinking teal and orange) and then the very slow familiarisation process.