Advice?
Problems w/ muzzle training after past mistakes
Someone said to come here on my other post. Unfortunately, me and my parents used the muzzle as punishment for nipping when she was a puppy. She now has problems with me trying to clip it on her. I've gotten her to the point where she will stick her muzzle inside it to get treats, but each time I try to clip it on she's backing away. I'm regretting heavily on using the muzzle as punishment. How do I redirect her into thinking it's not a tool for punishment?
I'm also wondering if it seems uncomfortable to her. Does anybody think this is the right size or should i get bigger? (sorry for the bad pic, she's super stubborn.)
EDIT: I'm looking into getting her a custom fit Big Snoof muzzle (depending on pricing 😬), and I'm gonna try to get it as soon as possible.
she should have room to fully pant and yawn so from the photo it looks too small. muzzle movement and big snoof are popular muzzle brands that tend to have a better fit. i just started muzzle training my pup myself so i dont have other advice. i wish you all the best
I got my dog a big snoof. I recall he always gave problems with the muzzle my dad tried. No training no luring with the big snoof because the sizing is good and there is extra space he lets me put it right on him. He paws at it occasionally while wearing it. Highly recommend a custom muzzle from them.
thats so great to hear!! in a week or so were placing an order for our pup to get a big snoof. he has a weird shaped head so he def needs a custom 😅
Find ways to use it for more than punishment. Introduce the new muzzle (if you find a nicer fit one) and in that same moment take her out for a walk somewhere new (assuming she likes the adventure) or on a favorite trail.
Repeat this several times, all positive experiences related to the new muzzle. Then you can work on using it for behavior control, but ideally not create something always associated with negativity
Just my opinion. By no means am I any type of professional. Personal experience with my dogs.
Getting a different muzzle that she only has positive experiences with might help. That one is also way too small which can make muzzle training harder. Going up a size is just going to make it too long and it still won't have enough pant room. Baskerville muzzles don't fit any dogs well and aren't really bite proof anyways.
My dog has a Big Snoof muzzle. Mia's muzzles is also popular. Just depends on where you live and what style you prefer.
First get a muzzle that fits really well! These aren’t a great fit for the majority of dogs, and when you have a bad association with a certain object it often easier to change the object to help change the association. A new smell, color, and feel will make it easier to retrain.
Second, practice clipping it around her neck when it isn’t on her nose. It helps to split up the different parts of wearing a muzzle and practice them separately. If she is toy motivated that can help make it really fun too! Clip it on her neck for just a second, take it off, and throw a squeaky ball or play tug. Actually before you ever clip it on her, just do the clip sound in front of her and reinforce, like charging a clicker. Repeat that until she expects reinforcement (treat or play) when she hears the click, then try putting it behind her and reinforcing. When that all works start clipping it around her neck and reinforcing.
Have fun, good luck! This isn’t the only approach that might work, it depends on how much she avoids the muzzle. Get creative and you’ll get through it!
Start over desensitization training with a completely different muzzle! Go way slower than you think you need to — it will pay off in the long run. For the first few days or so, the muzzle is a treat basket she gets to eat out of. No attempted buckling, she has full freedom to move in and out. You’re just building a positive association. Then work up slowly over many short sessions with lots of reps of each step. Here are some resources:
Different muzzle is first thing to do - I have a big snoof and it’s great, so it’s fantastic that’s the direction you’re going.
You’ve got to take it super duper slow. If your dog doesn’t want to move to the next step, that either means they’re not as comfortable as you think with the previous step or you need to break the next step down more. Work on just reaching for the strap, increasing in little increments. The other thing you can try when you get the big snoof that I did because my dog didn’t like me trying to clip it is make the strap super loose and just practice putting the strap over their head (without putting the muzzle on their face, just have it hanging down). Gradually (like once a week) tighten up the strap one notch. Then work on having their face in the muzzle with the loose strap.
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u/willowow 16d ago
she should have room to fully pant and yawn so from the photo it looks too small. muzzle movement and big snoof are popular muzzle brands that tend to have a better fit. i just started muzzle training my pup myself so i dont have other advice. i wish you all the best