How to Use a Muzzle to Correct Nipping in Dogs

Using a muzzle while walking gives you more control over your dog, and forces it to learn other ways to deal with the urge to nip. Most animal behavior experts recommend using the muzzle for protection while the dog learns to deal with stimuli, not using it as punishment.

Part1

Introducing a Muzzle

1. 
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   Find a muzzle that matches your dog's measurements. Most muzzles are labeled with two to four measurements. The first measurement is the circumference around the dog's mouth. The second number is the length from the tip of the nose to the back of the head. Some muzzles also measure the length from the tip of the nose to the point in between the dog's eyes, or from the point between a dog's eyes to the back of the skull.
2. 2
   Decide on a type of muzzle. There are two types of muzzle design:

   • Some muzzles still allow the dog to drink water and pant. These may not prevent all nips, but they should greatly reduce the danger.
   • Some muzzles keep the dog's mouth shut completely. These should not be used for more than a few minutes. If left on longer, the dog could panic or overheat due to an inability to pant.
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   Test the muzzle's fit. Read the instructions for the muzzle and make sure you know how to put it on correctly. The muzzle should not be uncomfortably tight, but it should be snug enough that the dog can't tug it off. The muzzle should cover at least 50–70% of the dog's mouth.

   • If the dog's eyes are covered in any way, the muzzle is probably on upside down, an easy mistake to make.
   • Let the dog attempt to remove the muzzle by rubbing its snout on the ground or using its paws to pull the muzzle off. If it succeeds, try a different size.
4. 
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   Encourage the dog to wear the muzzle. Allow the dog to smell and investigate the muzzle. Once it calms down, practice placing the muzzle on and off the dog using mild positive praise when they cooperate. Praise enthusiastically once the dog has calmed down, while you remove the muzzle. Repeat several times.

   • If the dog starts nipping, keep putting on the muzzle each time it nips. Give less praise each time so the dog gets a sense that it has not pleased you.
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   Get the dog used to the muzzle. Go for a short walk, let the dog wear it around the house for a few minutes, or practice obedience training with the muzzle on. Get the dog used to the muzzle, or it may panic and become more aggressive when you try to use it in an urgent situation.

   • Remember, if the muzzle keeps the dog's mouth closed completely, do not keep it on for more than a few minutes.

Part2

Using the Muzzle as Protection

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   Put on the muzzle in risky situations. Identify the risky situations that have caused your dog to nip in the past. Does it happen at the park or in the house? Does it happen during mealtimes, or while playing? Identify the common factors that are present when your dog nips, then muzzle your dog whenever it's about to face these situations. Remove the muzzle once the situation has passed.

   • This may make your dog less aggressive over time, if it learns to handle its needs in a different way.
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   Watch for warning signs. If you know your dog's warning signs before it nips, muzzle it as soon as you see one. Stiff body language, raised fur, and growling are common signs.

   • Before you try the muzzle, give the dog a command to stop ("uh uh" or "no"). If the dog doesn't obey, muzzle it immediately (ideally within a few seconds).
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   Only use the muzzle when necessary. Do not keep the muzzle on the dog for more than 30 minutes at a time.^[1] If the dog responds well to the muzzle, you may be able to use the muzzle for shorter and shorter times.
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   Make the dog ask for permission. If your dog nips at strangers or other dogs, muzzle it and take it to a park on a leash. Keep it next to you, with a short grip on the leash. Do not allow it to roam on its own or even approach another person, dog, or object on its own. If the dog looks back at you, grant it permission to approach that target.

   • In this exercise, the muzzle is used mostly as protection. It's the control over the dog's behavior that corrects the aggression.

1. 1
   Try other methods first. Punishment methods rarely work on dogs, who have trouble connecting them to bad behavior.^[2] If the dog doesn't understand what you're doing, muzzling or hitting in response to bad behavior can even increase aggression.^[3] Try training methods based on positive conditioning.

   • If the nipping dog is a puppy, have it spend time around adult dogs to learn "dog etiquette."
   • If you do try using the muzzle as described below, watch how your dog reacts. Don't hesitate to stop the muzzle training if the dog remains aggressive.
2. 
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   Respond to nipping with commands and muzzling. Give the dog a "stop" or "no" command if it nips. If it doesn't stop immediately, muzzle within a few seconds.

   • If you wait more than a few seconds, the dog will probably not understand why it is being muzzled.
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   Remove the muzzle once the dog is calm. Wait until the dog lies down or sits, and maintains eye contact. Remove the muzzle without any words or fuss, to avoid getting the dog worked up. It should understand that staying calm is the way to get the muzzle removed.

   • It can take 20–30 minutes for the dog to calm down the first few times, but this should get shorter. You will need a muzzle that allows the dog to open its mouth enough to pant and drink.
   • f the dog is still anxious after 30 minutes, the muzzle may not be the right tool for your dog. Remove the muzzle and try another method.
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   Be ready to return to the muzzle. Over time, your dog will hopefully stop nipping or growling. Be consistent with your reaction to nipping even as it fades away, or the dog can slide back into old habits. Continue to use the "stop" or "no" command, until the dog obeys immediately. If the dog doesn't obey, bring back the muzzle.