Educational content

Muzzle training can be a handful – literally! Juggling the muzzle and treats, plus maybe a lead and a clicker, whilst also concentrating on watching your dog’s body language AND thinking about training and timing – it’s no wonder that many guardians find it a daunting prospect! Here, we are going to give you some tips on hands-free muzzle training, to help you if you are finding it difficult to handle everything! At the start of muzzle training, both you and your dog are learning! An ideal way of introducing the muzzle is to start with it placed on the floor. This gives you the opportunity to have your hands free for reinforcement and also prevents you from inadvertently pushing the muzzle towards the dog whilst you are getting into the swing of things. Simply place the muzzle on the floor, and scatter food or toys nearby to create a positive association with the muzzle. Once your dog is comfortable and happy taking treats from around the muzzle on the floor, you can start to use a clicker or marker to specifically reinforce when your dog looks at or sniffs the muzzle. Take it away and replace it a few times to help your dog get used to the movement and the sounds around the muzzle and offer them plenty of reinforcement on the floor so they continue to see it as a positive thing.     To see more, visit our ‘Introducing a muzzle’ blog You can also attach the muzzle to something, so you don’t worry about holding it. When fixing the muzzle somewhere, ensure that the muzzle is at the right height for the do to easily target – it needs to be right at the dogs’ nose height! Some useful items to use for attaching the muzzle are zip ties or Command sticky strips. Some ideas of where to fix the muzzle include: Attaching to a chair: You can use the straps to fix the muzzle to a chair or you could use zip ties.         Use a wall hook: These are easily available from hardware stores or Amazon. They can be attached to the wall, door frames, large heavy furniture such as dressers etc. (Remember to follow manufacturers guidance when sticking them and use a removable sticky strip such as Command if you want to be able to take it off again!) Simply hang the muzzle from the hook!   Make a muzzle stand: You can easily make a moveable muzzle stand at home! You could use something like a tripod or even a metal adjustable food bowl holder as the stand. If it is lightweight, you may need to weight it down at the bottom to prevent larger dogs from knocking it over. You can either zip tie the muzzle directly to the stand or affix a wall hook to the stand. A muzzle stand works really well as you can usually still access the treat hole of the muzzle for easy reinforcement!     We hope this blog has been helpful if you have been juggling too many things whilst muzzle training! To find out more about muzzle training, take a look at out downloadable e-guide!   

What is Target Training? Target training is teaching your dog to touch a target (a mark or object) with part of their body (paws, nose, whole body!) Teaching paw targets to marks on the floor or whole body targets (stand, sit or down) on a mat are really useful and fun activities to teach your dog! We are going to be concentrating on nose targeting as it ties in well with muzzle training and can help to build your dogs’ confidence before, during and after muzzle training! Before: We can teach our dogs to nose target items such as plant pots, yoghurt pots, mugs or cups before your muzzle even arrives! It’s a great way to get your dog confident and happy with putting their nose into something in preparation for muzzle training. Teaching your dog to nose target your hand is also a really useful skill for engagement and moving your dog without conflict.   During: During muzzle training, we teach our dogs to nose target the actual muzzle! So the skill of nose targeting objects such as yoghurt pots is really transferable and useful. We want to be able to hold the muzzle in front of our dogs and they willingly nose target (put their nose inside) the muzzle.   If your dog is already happy to touch their nose on and in objects, it means that the process of muzzle training is already less scary and overwhelming! After: If your dog is already muzzle trained, you can introduce or practice nose targets to build your dogs’ confidence when moving around wearing their muzzle. If you make sure it’s a fun, engaging activity with lots of easy wins and reinforcement – it can help to build a positive association with wearing a muzzle. It is also a good way to get them used to the muzzle moving round or bumping slightly on their face as it inevitably will in the real world when they sniff and engage in activities on their walks. Before we get started… Using a marker in training What is a marker? Usually, it is either a clicker or word. A marker is used to bridge the gap between seeing a desired behaviour and getting a reinforcer to the dog. It says 'that was the behaviour I wanted, a treat is on it way!’. Once your dog understands their marker word, it allows us to communicate really clearly the exact moment we want to reinforce. It can be any word you want but popular markers are ‘good’, ‘yes’, ‘wow’ or ‘yip’. How do I teach my dog a marker? In an area with low distractions, call your dogs name. As soon as they look at you say your marker word and immediately reinforce them (give them a treat or engage in play). Repeat several times in multiple sessions. · Your dog will soon associate: marker = something great is about to happen. ·Check your dog's understanding by waiting for them to be a little distracted and say the marker word. If they ignore or don't notice, you need to do some more repetitions. If they look at your ready for their reinforcer, you’re good to go! How do I target train my dog? Nose target to hand: Most people use an open palm or a closed fist as the hand target so choose which works for you. If using an open palm, tuck a treat in between your fingers or if using a closed fist, hold the treat in your fist. Present the hand near your dog (not too close that it’s right in their face!) and as soon as they move their head towards or sniff your hand, immediately give them the treat! Repeat this a few times until they get the game. If your hand signals for sit, wait, paw or any other behaviours is an open palm, use a closed fist or even the back of your hand as the target instead to avoid confusion! Next, present your hand with NO treat and as soon as your dog touches your hand with their nose, use their marker word and give them a treat from your other hand, a pot/treat pouch etc (this called ‘mark and reward’). If you dog doesn’t respond at any time, put your hands behind your back then re-present it a little closer to make it easier for your dog.   Next, present your hand with NO treat and as soon as your dog touches your hand with their nose, use their marker word and give them a treat from your other hand, a pot/treat pouch etc (this called ‘mark and reward’). If you dog doesn’t respond at any time, put your hands behind your back then re-present your hand a little closer to make it easier for your dog. Once your dog seems to understand and is consistently targeting your hand with their nose, you can add in the verbal cue or command. Again, the cue can be any word but popular choices are ‘touch’ or ‘boop’. Say the verbal cue first then immediately present your hand, and mark and reward your dog for the target. It’s as easy as that! To progress your dogs’ hand target, practice presenting your hand from different angles and be sure to train with each hand. You can gradually increase how far your hand is presented from your dog to start encouraging them to move to touch your hand. Most dogs really enjoy it when you add in some more energy and movement as it feels more like a game! If you have already muzzle trained your dog, you can also practice hand targets while muzzled so they can have a fun experience in their muzzle. It can also be a nice way to get your dog moving comfortably when muzzled.   Nose target to a physical object: Ideas for physical markers: Post-it note Sticker Tupperware Lid Plastic Plat Credit card Cone Frisbee Choose a physical marker that you’d like to use and place it on the floor. If your dog seems disinterested, you can place a couple of treats on or around the target and as soon as they take the treat, use their marker word and put their reward on the target too. This encourages them to return to the target so you get another opportunity to mark and reward! Repeat several times. Now, sit and do nothing for a few seconds! Don’t put any food on the target and give your dog a little bit of time to see how they respond. If they seem confused or frustrated then repeat step 1 a few more times. If your dog moves towards, sniffs or touches the target with their nose, mark and reward them! You can now give their reward from your hand rather than on the target. Repeat several times until your dog is consistently putting their nose on the target. To add in the verbal cue, lift the target off the ground. Say your cue - something like ‘target’ or ‘press’ are common choices, then immediately place the target back on the floor, mark and reward when your dog touches it with their nose. You guessed it....repeat several times! To check your dogs’ understanding of the verbal cue, leave the target on the floor, wait a few seconds then say the cue again. Mark and reward if your dog targets it with their nose and keep practicing with the target remaining in position. If you dog seems unsure, repeat the process a few more times until the association of the cue and the behaviour is built. Once your dog has got it, you can build on the game by moving the target to different areas or even sticking it to the wall or door. If your dog is muzzle trained you can now practice the nose target to a physical mark whilst wearing their muzzle! Target training to help muzzle training  Nose targeting a pot: If you don’t have a muzzle or are waiting for one to arrive, you can still make a start on building your dogs’ confidence with putting their nose in something! You can use an item like a plant pot or a yoghurt pot to practice! Place the pot on the floor on its side with a couple of treats sprinkled around it. Let your dog sniff and investigate. Once they seem comfortable, put a treat at the opening of the of the pot. Once your dog has taken a couple of treats this way, put the treat a little bit further inside. Repeat several times and only progress if your dog looks happy and comfortable. Now it’s time to see if your dog chooses to put their nose towards the pot themselves! Sit and do nothing for a few seconds! Don’t put any food in the pot and give your dog a little bit of time to see how they respond. If they seem confused or frustrated, then repeat step 1 a few more times. If your dog moves towards, sniffs or put’s their nose towards the pot, mark and reward them! Repeat several times. Gradually be more selective about when you mark and reward your dog - start to only reinforce them for their nose being at the opening of the pot, then when their nose goes inside the pot slightly, and build until your dog is putting their nose right into the pot! You can practice with the pot held in your hand and in different places around the house, garden and on walks!  

Muzzle training isn’t always plain sailing! We are asking a dog to do something really different and quite strange... By trusting us to put their face into this colourful, unusual object, so it’s not surprising that we can sometimes run into some teething problems. Here, we will look at some of the common problems when muzzle training and how to overcome them! My dog is being naughty when muzzle training! If you feel your dog is mis-behaving during training, there is usually an underlying cause to the behaviour. Dogs aren’t just naughty – they are usually responding to the way they are feeling so remember to stay positive and don’t tell your dog off or punish them for ‘bad’ behaviour. If they are feeling a bit overwhelmed and unsure, this can easily make them feel worse and create a negative association with you, the muzzle and training in general. Try to stay patient and consider what reason your dog may have to behave in this way. My dog is ignoring me. If your dog doesn’t respond to you whilst training, it’s important to work out why. Are they ‘ignoring’ your marker word or clicker? It may be that your dog simply doesn’t understand it fully, in which case you can continue to load the marker by pairing it with something great! Simply say your marker word, or use the clicker, then immediately give your dog a high value treat or engage in a fun game of tuggy! Repeat this several times to create a strong association that marker = something great happens. If your dog is responding to the marker at other times such as in another location or when doing other training, non-response to the marker may actually be a stress response. If your dog is ignoring you, or the muzzle, they may be avoiding interaction due to feeling worried or stressed. Avoidance can be really subtle, such as simply not wanting to look at the muzzle, appearing to 'ignore' you, and offering displacement behaviours such as sniffing around, scratching, yawning or perhaps engaging in play elsewhere.  In this case, it's important to take away any pressure and continue to slowly work on building a positive association with the muzzle, before even beginning to work on muzzle training. You may need some support from an accredited, force-free trainer to assist you working through this if you are finding it difficult.   You could take a short break, make a some changes in the environment such as reducing distractions, changing location, or you may need to work on muzzle confidence before training.   My dog won’t go near the muzzle. If your dog is avoiding the muzzle, or is unwilling to engage in training, assess that the issue is definitely the muzzle. Try the exercise in another area, look at your dogs’ body language and ensure they are happy around you and in the space without the muzzle. Read more about understanding your dog's body language here. Once we are confident the muzzle is the problem, you can work on slowing the desensitization process right down.   You can start by simply placing the muzzle out in the room, perhaps on a table or side, carrying it around while you continue your usual daily activities.   You could also use a cheap muzzle, cut up into smaller pieces to start with, until your dog feels more confident. Read more on introducing a muzzle blog My dog keeps running off with the muzzle! Another common problem we come across with muzzle training is the dog grabbing the muzzle in their mouth! If your dog does this, start by marking and rewarding just being around the muzzle, with no grabbing. You may only achieve a second between reinforcement to begin with but you can build slowly until your dog is able to be around the muzzle for several seconds with no grabbing. Here, we are teaching your dog that it is more beneficial to not grab the muzzle. You can also fix the muzzle down by fastening it to a chair leg or using a hook on the wall. This stops your dog from practicing the fun game of stealing and running off with the muzzle, when you will inevitably accidently reinforce the behaviour by trying to get the muzzle back! Also ensure that you are doing training when all of your dogs needs have been met – if your dog has excess energy or wants to play,..   ..if they are feeling hungry and frustrated, this can make it harder for them to focus and concentrate on learning.   I don’t have a muzzle yet but I want to make start on training.   If you are eager to get started on muzzle training but you are waiting for a muzzle to arrive, you haven’t chosen one suitable for your dog and needs, or are unable to get a muzzle right now, you can still make a start on the training process with an alternative object. You could use a cheap pet store muzzle which may not be the best fit, but it is suitable for training. You can also use objects such as flower pots, mugs, empty yoghurt pots, small cardboard boxes or even just your hands!   Basically anything that your dog and safely and comfortably fit their nose into, just to get them used to the feel of it.   My dog seems confused. There are several stages to work through as part of muzzle training and it can be hard to know when your dog is ready to move to the next step. If your dog is required to wear a muzzle by law, or to keep them safe, you will also be feeling a lot of pressure to get your dog to a stage where they are able to wear the muzzle so you rush the process. It is really important to progress at your dogs pace – this means ensuring your dog is fully happy and comfortable with each training step before progressing onto the next step.   If your dog appears confused or worried at any stage, go back to the last step they were comfortable at and repeat that stage again, progressing more slowly.   Muzzle training is different for every dog, some dogs breeze through the process and can feel comfortable wearing a muzzle relatively quickly, whereas some dogs need much more time to work through the stages and progress more slowly – and both are fine! If you have any concerns or need more support on muzzle training, please hire an accredited and force-free trainer or behaviourist to help you.    

Dogs are generally really good communicators and can share how their feeling through their body language and behaviour. It's up to us to learn what they're saying, so we can help them and respond to them in the right way.  A lot of a dogs body language can easily be mistaken for different feelings and emotions so it's also important to look at the dog as a whole and consider the whole picture. Some signs that a dog is feeling comfortable include; a loose posture, a relaxed wagging tail, a soft expression and soft eyes with no signs of tension in the face or body. Signs such as a tucked tail, flattened ears and growling are common, well-known indicators of a dog feeling unhappy, but most dogs will show much more subtle gestures that can often be missed before reaching this stage. These less-obvious signals are called ‘appeasement gestures’ and can include; *Remember that not all dogs will show ALL of these appeasement gestures and these gestures don't always mean that the dog is scared - it's important to consider the context.* It’s also useful to know that a waggy tail isn’t always a happy tail, a stiff or frantic wag can indicate the dog is feeling unhappy! Displacement behaviours are often used by dogs to try and defuse any tension, to distract themselves or as a comfort. The behaviours are often ‘feel good’ behaviours so are replicated in times of stress. Displacements are often shown by people! If we're feeling nervous or worried about something we might play with our sleeves, play with our hair or just try to busy ourselves with something normal to take our minds off what is causing us stress! Dogs are just the same - if they feel worried or nervous they may sometimes do a normal doggy behaviour but out of context or to excess. Some examples include: You can spot if the dog is genuinely doing these behaviours because they are needed (they have an itch, they are tired, they are feeling playful etc) or if they are displacing instead by looking at the whole picture. Look out for appeasement gestures at the same time for more clues as to how your dog is feeling. Zoomies or fidgeting can be a signs a dog is feeling playful and excited, but it can also be an indicator of stress. We see this a lot in puppy/adolescent dogs, but any age dog can show this response. If a dog is worried or stressed they can actually become really bouncy or silly, perhaps gently grabbing you or toys nearby, what appears to be wanting to play chase (but may be avoidance) and just generally appearing excitable. It’s kind of like the dog is saying ‘I feel uncomfortable but I don’t know how to respond so I’ll do this to feel better and diffuse any tension!’ Dogs will often show that they are worried or unsure, simply by avoidance behaviours. This may be really obvious such as skirting around the muzzle or refusing to come near it at all. Some dogs may be much more subtle and simply turn their head or gaze away from the muzzle. If you find that your dog is avoidant, it is important to revisit the basics of building a positive association of muzzle = good stuff happening. You may need to start at a larger distance from the muzzle to begin with, and it’s important to remember that a dog ignoring or seeming disinterested in the muzzle doesn’t always mean they aren’t bothered by it! Watching a dogs’ body language Around the muzzle and during training will give you important information about how they're feeling. Sometimes dogs can have mixed emotions about things – including muzzles! This can mean reading their body language a little more complicated. If a dog is conflicted around the muzzle/muzzle training, they may feel worried by the muzzle but eager to take part in the fun training. You may see signs of avoidance and displacement behaviours. The best way to deal with this situation is to give the dog the option to move away if they feel the need to, take a short break or revisit and earlier, easier step in muzzle training. Further Reading Introducing The Ultimate Muzzle Training Guide – your go-to resource for mastering muzzle training with your dog! Whether you’re a seasoned dog guardian or new to training, this comprehensive digital guide provides a simple, step-by-step approach to introducing and training your dog to comfortably wear a muzzle. Using only force-free, positive methods, this guide is designed to suit any muzzle, making it a must-have addition for anyone looking to ensure their dog's comfort and safety. Instantly downloadable and accessible on any device, this guide allows you to start training right away, no matter where you are! Ready to get started? Download now and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with effective and compassionate muzzle training. SHOP HERE Discover The Muzzle Movement's Force-Free Promise: Committed to ethical training, partnering with like-minded professionals, and supporting force-free rescues and vets. Read More.

Introducing a Muzzle We want our dogs to see their muzzles as a really great thing and to enjoy wearing it. Does your dog get excited when you pick up the lead, or go over to the treat cupboard? This is an example of positive association!  Your dog has learned that when you pick up that lead or approach that cupboard, something really great happens! We can build that same brilliant association with the muzzle by pairing it with fun stuff that your dog thoroughly enjoys, such as food and play. STAGE 1 To start creating this positive association, simply place the muzzle on the floor, and scatter food or toys nearby. If your dog has no guarding issues, you could use some enrichment activities too such as lick or snuffle mats. If possible, you may want to remove the straps of the muzzle if your dog is particularly frightened but most dogs are happy to take part in the enrichment, snaffle up the treats or play around the muzzle. Once your dog is comfortable and happy taking part in enrichment, play or taking treats from around the muzzle on the floor, you can start to use a clicker or marker to specifically reinforce when your dog looks at or sniffs the muzzle. Be careful not to mark and reward anything you don't want such as grabbing or pawing at the muzzle. Take it away and replace it a few times to help your dog get used to the movement and the sounds around the muzzle and offer them plenty of reinforcement on the floor so they continue to see it as a positive thing. STAGE 2 For the next stage, you can repeat the process but start to encourage active engagement. You could do this by placing the muzzle on the floor, marking your dog for any approach towards it, then placing the treat slightly away to reset the position. Gradually increase the distance from the muzzle until you're rewarding from several feet away and your dog is actively re-approaching the muzzle to earn their next treat. Now that your dog has some good reinforcement history of approaching the muzzle, we can also encourage further investigation into the muzzle. Sit nearby the muzzle on the floor and when your dog approaches or investigates it, mark them and place the reward just at the opening of the muzzle. Make sure your slow progress down or split the criteria into smaller stages if your dog is worried by nudging the muzzle and creating a sound or movement. Gradually, we can build the dogs confidence around close contact with the muzzle and encourage them to start putting their nose further in. If your dog is avoiding the muzzle, or is unwilling to engage in training, assess that the issue is definitely the muzzle. Try the exercise in another area, look at your dogs body language and ensure they are happy around you and in the space without the muzzle. Once we are confident the muzzle is the problem, you can work on slowing the desensitization process right down. You can start by simply placing the muzzle out in the room, perhaps on a table or side, carrying it around while you whilst you continue your usual daily activities. You could also start getting the muzzle out at feeding/play times, at a distance your dog is comfortable with, to pair it with a good experience. You could also use a cheap muzzle, cut up into smaller pieces to start with, until your dog feels more confident.   Once your dog has had an introduction to the muzzle on the floor, we can repeat this process with the muzzle in our hand. You may find that your dog is really happy and comfortable at this point but we’d still advise working through each of these steps to solidify your dogs positive association and confidence around the muzzle. Start off by holding the muzzle in your hand and engaging your dog in play with the toy, encouraging them to use nearby enrichment or offering them treats. You don't need to put the muzzle near the dog or try to force any interaction at this point – we are just building that good association to begin with. If you find that your dog is still a little bit worried then by the muzzle now being in a new position, you can fix the muzzle somewhere and repeat this step with a little more distance if required. You can attach it to a hook, stand, chair, or baby gate, then engage your dog in activities nearby. This is also ideal if you're struggling to juggle everything in your hands all at once. When your dog is showing signs of being happy and comfortable around the muzzle being held you can progress to rewarding any movement towards it. This could be as little as looking at it, to actively approaching, sniffing or even nudging the muzzle with their nose. You can take the muzzle away and put it behind your back before representing it in your hand again, to encourage your dog to investigate and explore and gives them a great opportunity to earn more reinforcement. Similarly to the previous step when we had the muzzle on the floor, we can also mark the positive interactions with the muzzle in our hand, and throw or scatter the treats to create some distance between your dog and the muzzle. This sets our dog up to re-approach for another practice and opportunity to reinforce them. Some dogs may be unsure of the noises made by the muzzle. Even if your dog has been muzzled previously you may find that different materials make different sounds. Desensitising to noises made by a muzzle can help at this stage, because when a dog wears a muzzle on their face they will be able to hear noises such as the metal buckle moving, strapping squeaking and bumps and bangs when they knock the muzzle into stuff out and about. Start off by gently tapping the muzzle, jiggling the metal and opening or closing the clasp. You can gently tap the strap on the muzzle or lightly scrape the muzzle on the floor. Pair these strange noises with something great happening such as play or treats and gradually you can increase the intensity of the noises, making sure that you progress super slowly - especially with dogs who are particularly noise sensitive.   Helpful Products The Ultimate Training Guide The Ultimate Muzzle Training guide is an instant digital download which takes you through the muzzle training process from start to finish and is the perfect addition when buying your new muzzle.   The Ultimate Muzzle Training guide is perfect for dog guardians of all skill levels and explains how to train your dog using force-free training methods. An easy-to-read, step by step run through from introducing your dog to their muzzle, all the way through to helping our dogs comfortably wear their muzzle forever. This guide is suitable for ANY muzzle, not just for our Muzzle Movement muzzles!  Once you have purchased the guide, you will automatically receive a link via email for you to download to your phone, tablet or computer – perfect for using on the go or printing out!  KEY FEATURES Get started training straight away with this instant download! Step-by-step guide from start to finish of muzzle training. Available on the go on your phone or laptop - or print a hard copy