Hannah asks
My dog is guarding their toys, what should I do?Place the muzzle on the floor and encourage your dog to sniff or touch it, giving them lots of praise and a tasty treat when they do. Don’t force them to touch the muzzle. Once they’re happy touching it and looking to you for a treat progress to the next step.
Hold the muzzle in your hand, so you can drop tasty treats (like a piece of cheese or sausage) inside without them falling out. Allow your dog to put their nose in the muzzle, take the treat, and come straight back out. Don’t try to fasten the muzzle yet.
Continue dropping food into the muzzle, gradually increasing the time between treats. Your dog will soon choose to keep their nose inside the muzzle, patiently waiting to get the next treat.
Next, work on closing the clasp of the muzzle around your dog’s neck. Some dogs find the noise of the clasp worrying, so it’s best to begin practicing this without the muzzle over their nose. Talk to your dog to reassure them when you’re closing the muzzle.
Gradually work up to closing the clasp behind your dog’s head whilst their nose is in the muzzle, undo the clasp straightaway and allow them to take their nose out. Rushing at this point will undo the good work you’ve done so far, so have patience!
Slowly increase the length of time you leave the muzzle on for. Include the muzzle in different activities like walks and relaxing in the house, continuing to reward them for staying calm whilst the muzzle is on.
You can make muzzle wearing exciting by introducing it to fun activities like trick training, snuggles and walks. If you want your dog to wear a muzzle outdoors, then pop it on your dog for short periods during walks and build up from there.
Getting the right size muzzle can be tricky. Your dog should be able to pant, drink and take treats easily through the muzzle. There should also be no rubbing on the dogs' face.
We recommend this company for muzzle fitting advice
I love wearing my harness and lead, because it means I’m off out on an adventure - this new thing on my face is a bit strange though, give me time, and nice experiences when wearing it, and I'll soon get used to it!
Start building a positive association with the muzzle, place it next to your dog's food bowl when you feed them, or take it with you when you go for a walk.
Teach your dog to touch an item with their nose, like a sticky note on a wall. This fun game encourages them to approach new things (like the muzzle).
If you’re thinking of muzzling your dog due to a risk of them biting someone, please contact a qualified professional to support you.
I was struggling with my dog's anxiety, especially when we had to leave the house. Thanks to Woodgreen's advice, I've made some changes that have worked wonders. By sticking to a consistent routine, my dog knows what to expect each day, which has significantly reduced her anxiety.
This advice really helped me and my new pup! I tried teaching recall without your guidance and struggled. Woodgreen's step-by-step dog training videos break each action down for you and I'm happy to say we finally made progress!
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