(Part 2) Best dog muzzles according to redditors

Heyyyy fellow Austrian (well I am not Austrian but I live here!).

• Here is the food I give my dog, it lasts about... 6 weeks? Actually maybe longer, she is a pretty small girl, only 19kg. I supplement it with carrots and also fish oil I buy from Fressnapf. Occasionally I will add in egg, minced beef, green beans, etc. but it isn't necessary (neither are the carrots or fish oil really). If you wanted a cheaper but also high quality food, I highly recommend this one which I used for years until my dog showed symptoms of (genetic) stomach issues.
  
  
• You have to register your dogs, of course, and the cost depends on the place you are in Austria. I am in NO and it is about €40 a year I think.
  
  
• When I "first" got my dogs I didn't have to buy that much stuff, but things I can recommend as high quality products here in Austria are Hunter and Wolters both of which are also at Fressnapf/equivalent stores. You'll need a leash and a harness or a collar, of course.
  
  
• Getting my girl spayed in NO was I think a bit less than €250 but we included x-rays of her hips and back just to check for anything while she was under. I think it was about €150 for a friend to get her dog neutered from the same vet. I pay about €50~ a year for vaccinations, and €20~ a month for flea/tick medication (from the vet- don't buy the shitty brands at the store!).
  
  
• For public transport/anywhere off leash except a dog zone, you need a muzzle as it's law in Austria as I am sure you know. You can get a normal one which you can get as well at Fressnapf, I think I paid about €15, or you can get a really super nice BUMAS which can be custom fitted to your dog. It's not necessary but if you have a dog that has to wear a muzzle often for whatever reason, it may be nice.
  
  
• It can get pretty cold in Austria depending on where you are, zooplus has some pretty nice jackets which are not so pricey but I just got my girl a Hurtta jacket which is very nice and a brand that is highly recommended.
  
  Of course most of these things I buy over the course of the year. As for treats I personally use sausages or cheese cut up, or this tube of tuna which you can buy at any normal grocery store.
  
  Happy to answer any other questions!!

As much as it might break your heart, the best first step for HER safety, and your peace of mind is a soft muzzle. I'd buy one of the neoprene-lined mesh ones which you can buy like this one either on amazon or at most chain pet stores. This will help a situation that would potentially end in a scary bite not happen. Your dog may not LIKE the muzzle, but if your dog seriously injures another dog, she could be put down. in my opinion, its the lesser of two evils, and if the muzzle is introduced correctly, it won't even be too negative to her.

So, how do you train your dog to use a muzzle without throwing a fit? Easy(ish)! First, hold the muzzle in one hand, within her eyesight and give her a treat. Look at the muzzle? Treat. Let her sniff it, put it on the ground and let her eat a treat from on or ideally, in it. Build up to putting it on (very loosely at first, no pressure) so it's minimally stressful. Put it on for a little bit, give her some treats, and then take it off. Start feeding her with it on (again, loosely. Worn properly, she should still be able to eat or drink while wearing it). Over time, the muzzle should be associated with treats, and other fun activities. If you force the muzzle too fast, it could increase her stress, and make her reactivity worse as a result.

Another thing that may help is taking her on walks away from other dogs. This may require some creativity on your part, but it's worth it. Try walking her in less busy areas, ideally places that don't normally have dogs. I've found walking around strip malls or outdoor shopping areas really helpful if the dog is ok with people. If she's not ok around people, I'd try walking later at night when people that live near you aren't taking their dogs out, or walking around places away from your home that are outside of their normal operation hours (Parking lots after the business is closed, churches on weekdays, public schools on weekends or after school hours). This may require you to drive away from your house, but until you understand what's caused the change in her behaviour more, this is going to be your safe zone.

Finally, I'd have her taken to a vet. Sometimes, drastic changes in behaviour, especially at a younger age for her breed/s can be due to illness or discomfort. If you find that this is not the case, I would talk to a behaviourist. Weigh how important it is to you that your dog interact with other dogs. Are you willing to accept that she may not get along with other dogs well in the future? If not, do you have time and the resources to help her bridge this new fear of hers? Its worth considering. You may end up finding that you're both happier finding new ways to exercise other than walks or dog parks.

Best of luck! I hope you and your dog are able to overcome this with great ease <3

I use a Baskerville type muzzle most often. They are made out of hard plastic, but are open so the dog can pant, breathe easily, and accept treats as part of a training regime. The ultra is handy if you are thinking about using it more frequently.

[This] (https://www.amazon.com/Bestwishes2u-silicone-Covers-anti-bite-grinding/dp/B01IH4P794?m=A1HNLMOE3LC86V) is officially the funniest thing I've seen on Amazon today.

I got an Italian basket muzzle because I wanted her to be able to pant, drink, and eat treats (provided by me of course, not trash treats) while wearing the muzzle. Originally I had a Baskerville (a heavy plastic basket muzzle) but it made her look like Cujo and was definitely overkill. The Italian basket is lightweight and flexible so she feels more comfortable in it. This is essentially what I have

Baskerville Ultra Muzzle, Tan, Size 3 - I use this one on my girl when I need to muzzle her. Doesn’t really stop her from drinking or whatever, eating I don’t think would be easy but not impossible if you hand it to them. Compared with other muzzles they adjust pretty fast, too.

Mine has issues with small children and some other dogs (doesn’t seem to be a pattern in size/gender/neutering). She routinely tries to eat our neighbor’s kid which sucks because the little girl really loves dogs. We’re working on it but it’s not been fun.

As was rudely pointed out to you earlier, fearing that your dog is going to get loose and bite someone isn't normal even if it's fairly common, and is an obvious safety risk for your dog and those around her. Thank you for coming here to ask for help to keep your dog under control and happy on walks. IMO, that makes you a much better dog owner than most people with "mean as fuck" dogs. Please do consider getting a behaviorist to help her be more relaxed on walks/in public. She and everyone else is safer when she's calm and the training won't ruin her for "guarding".

That said, Ruffwear makes very strong, high quality harnesses. They are pricey, but it sounds worth it to protect your dog (and people around your dog) if you are concerned she will break loose and bite someone.

Because you have a very real fear of your dog hurting someone, you need to consider the quality of your leash too. The leash clip is a very common failure point, so don't cheap out on a leash. Never walk your dog on a retractable leash; use a leash made of thick material (no cheap nylon), and a plated steel bolt snap.

Dropping the leash is real possibility too--far more likely than the harness breaking--so consider getting one that goes around your body. A good quality line is still important, so don't cheap out.

As was mentioned elsewhere, a basket muzzle will make everyone way safer, especially when it's introduced and fit properly. Basket muzzles are safe for the dog to wear all the time because they allow the dog to pant and drink while preventing serious damage to others.

https://www.amazon.com/Silicone-Duckbill-Anti-biting-Adjustable-Safety/dp/B00JOBY77S

If you're the least bit crafty, it might be easier to just make a pair of wings, and attach them to a standard harness.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4814537_costume-bird-wings.html And I know I've seen muzzles that resemble duck bills online, http://www.amazon.com/Pecute-Protection-Silicone-Adjustable-Duckbill/dp/B00NARESBC is one example

Not sure if this hits all your requirements but:

https://www.amazon.com/Cesar-Millan-Funny-Muzzle-Yellow/dp/B00MF0FDB4/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?adgrpid=55218261559&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIz9KFjtyO4gIVy1cNCh2sdA5aEAAYASAAEgIJ4PD_BwE&hvadid=274725274799&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9004075&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3692331450945803640&hvtargid=kwd-326978256189&hydadcr=15188_9881759&keywords=cesar+muzzle&qid=1557414234&s=gateway&sr=8-3

I use this one for my ABD. I like it for a lot of reasons, including that it puts people at ease with the humor while also letting them know that she’s a bit finicky and of course keeps everyone safe.

I can give her little treats and she can kinda sorta lick but she can’t really drink. I don’t keep it on for more than 20 min, though.

I just posted this in another post, but your dog's muzzle looks very similar to mine!

So many regular muzzles restrict their breathing and like others have said, it's either too small or too large in certain areas. I've purchased 4-5.

Finally was done wasting my $$ and ordered two different customized muzzles by BUMAS and waiting for them to come in. Definitely measure your dog's muzzle & pant measurements with very clear pictures if you ever decide to order one (they require pictures & after sending your order you have to send them another picture of them panting with the measuring tape.)

BUMAS measuring instructions

Measuring Tape Training (helps a lot doing this prior if dog doesn't sit still/isn't comfortable with strange things sitting on their face)

OH also, this muzzle from Amazon was the ONLY one that has fit so far but unfortunately the metal rivets rust quite easily if not cleaned & dried of saliva. Def couldn't drink water from it as well. I've purchased a few to keep on hand and have used it for muzzle training along with a large wire muzzle in the meantime.

Good to note to be very careful with trying out muzzles that don't fit properly as they have the potential to suffocate the dog.

I used this one in medium for my 30 lb boy. Be sure not to leave it on for long periods or when it's hot out though.

a quick google gave these results:

http://www.amazon.com/Novelty-Duckbilled-Muzzle-anti-bite-Maske/dp/B00E4I1EHC
http://www.japantrendshop.com/oppo-dog-muzzle-quack-p-1552.html
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2054436.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xoppo+dog+muzzle&_nkw=oppo+dog+muzzle&_sacat=0

My dog wears his muzzle everywhere. He's got some issues, and his muzzle keeps him safe while we're working through them. If you train them to wear it so that it's no big deal then they don't mind at all. This video shows how to do it fairly well. The muzzle they use is harder to treat though, so I prefer a basskerville ultra I also find them easier to fit and most dogs seem to be more comfortable in them.

There are lots of options for muzzles nowadays. There are several on Amazon for example.

https://www.amazon.com/Canine-Friendly-Muzzle-X-Large-Charcoal/dp/B00R1NXYS4/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?keywords=bulldog+muzzle&qid=1550807566&s=gateway&sr=8-7

Now... Some people might disagree with me and I don't know if this is considered an effective training style, but I'd like to share what worked for me with my anxious dog.

I have a mini aussie with bad anxiety issues. She's been this way since she was born and she's just really overly hypersensitive to everything. e.g. when she was younger she would get so excited about treats that she'd pee all over herself involuntarily even though I always gave her human food and treats literally every day.

Anyway, due to this anxiety she will sometimes bark uncontrolled when she gets excited about something. She barks at literally nothing, just running around barking and generally having a little doggy freak out. At that point very little can calm her down because it's like she's having some serious sensory overload.

What I've done is I've begun putting a duck muzzle on her when she starts to get overwhelmed. It doesn't restrict her mouth, so she can still eat, drink, and even bark if she so desires. But as soon as I put it on, she snaps out of her little doggy freak-out and goes silent. Actually, she looks kind of mad about it and sometimes she stomps her little paws at me. But I've found that she's been having less of these freak-outs now with this "aversion" type of method.

Here's the one I bought if you wanted to look at it and do some research: http://smile.amazon.com/NACOCO-Anti-called-Bite-proof-silicone-material/dp/B00ZKW9P1S

I know that positive punishment type things are not considered effective, but for me this is more like an effort in grounding a free-floating anxious dog or to put it another way: she loses touch with reality and this is the only thing that has helped me bring her back to it since treats, praise, prevention, and all other types have failed in this regard.

Sorry you have to muzzle her, that sucks. I bet she felt terrible for biting your finger. I haven't ever had to muzzle, but I have seen this cute muzzle that looks like a duck bill, available in lots of sizes, about 7 inches around, available on amazon.

Wildforlife New Arrival Cute Comfy Silica Gel Duck Bill Dog Muzzle (X-Large, Yellow) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D35ERJS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_HPmLzb53Y2NWR

Baskerville Ultra Basket Dog Muzzle – The Company of Animals - Adjustable and Comfortable Secure Fit - Durable Lightweight Rubber - Stops Biting, safe retraining of aggressive dogs- Size-5 Tan https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IFJ0NWW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_YJfVAbJBBH4BP

Werewolf muzzle.
https://www.amazon.com/Werewolf-Dog-Muzzle-all-breeds/dp/B01LWSGG0H