You have gotten a dog muzzle for your dog. It is of the perfect fit, designed out of a comfortable material with airways at the right places. Yet, when you try wearing it onto your dog's snout, your dog gets frightened and expresses stressed behaviors. You wonder where you have gone wrong. In fact, this is not surprising to dogs that are new to the constraint. It takes time for them to get accustomed to it, providing that you do it right.
Whether they are basket, leather, nylon or plastic dog muzzles, your dog can learn to get comfortable with wearing them. To start off, select a time when the weather is cool and surroundings are serene. You would not want them to get excited or thirsty, and begin to naturally pant.
You would want to wear one that fits well but allows their mouth to still open by several inches. Make sure the muzzle is securely strapped to prevent your dog from pulling it off. If necessary, use additional straps made out of nylon to hold the straps to the collar. You would also need to be prepared for him to try to detach the muzzle using you or the things around him, so doing this outdoor may be more suitable.
Allow your dog to attempt to detach the muzzle. Once he gets tired and finds that his attempts were futile, your dog will settle down. It may take a while, but once he has settled down, he will not think of removing it. If he does not show signs of settling, use the commands you usually use to get him to sit still, and reinforce the good behavior the way you usually do.
The process is not instantaneous. You may begin with a 5 minute session of wearing the muzzle. For each successful weekly session, add a couple minutes more to the following ones. Once he is used to it, you can reduce the number of sessions a month. Try not to do it too frequently, as being muzzled can instead become a traumatic experience.
Once he is accustomed to wearing a dog muzzle, he will be able to try different types, be it basket, leather, nylon or plastic dog muzzles.
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