Basket Muzzle: Why Your Dog Needs One and Which One to Buy

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Most dog lovers are hesitant to buy a basket muzzle for their pets. A muzzle can look cruel on a dog; it would look like the poor thing has been unnecessarily restricted. Can it even breathe well with that contraption on its nose?

The use of a basket muzzle might be controversial, but it can be a necessity. If you own a dog, you would know that there are a lot of times you'd need it.

We can understand how horrified dog lovers would be the first time they see a dog wearing a muzzle. It looks barbaric, and it seems like he can't drink, breathe, or pant. Most of all, it looks limiting and even painful.

However, there are times when putting on a dog muzzle is necessary. There are times when it can help protect people and other animals. The American Kennel Club recommends that as a responsible dog owner, you should know how to put on a muzzle on Fido.

When a dog muzzle makes sense

At the end of the day, we are the ones accountable if our dog ends up biting someone. We all love our furry babies and, sometimes, we think that they can never do wrong. But there are times when they get stressed and anxious, reactive, or unfriendly. Ethically and legally, we are required to make sure nobody gets hurt.

There are several instances that will require the best basket muzzle you can find. First is when your pet becomes injured or is in pain. By instinct, dogs bite when they are in pain or when they experience fear. A basket muzzle can prevent unpredictable biting accidents during these times.

There are times when you would need to correct your dog's behavior with the help of a trainer, a veterinarian, or a behaviorist. For instance, if your dog has been aggressive in the past and has bitten a person or another dog. But while waiting for the behavior to be corrected, you can use a basket muzzle to prevent aggression.

A dog muzzle can also come in handy at times when you think that your dog might feel threatened or when you take it to the groomer. Some dogs are desensitized to grooming, especially when they are groomed since they were puppies. However, some dogs never seem able to get used to it.

Then there are those that do their own grooming, such as clipping their nails. If your dog becomes anxious and aggressive during these sessions, a basket muzzle can keep both of you from injury.

The law may also require you to use a dog muzzle

Under certain circumstances, some states or provinces have laws that require you to put a muzzle on your dogs. These laws are only active when there is a rabies quarantine issued. For instance, in Illinois, the Department of Agriculture might require that all dogs be kept muzzled to prevent the spread of rabies. New Hampshire, Arizona, and Arkansas have similar laws.

Utah has the strongest law, allowing the killing on site of any dog that is not muzzled within a quarantined area.

Dog muzzles are not just for aggression

We have touched on how you can use muzzles while waiting to correct your dog's biting behavior, or when you take them to a grooming salon. But did you know that shy dogs can benefit from a basket muzzle, too?

According to Emily Levine of the Animal Behavior Clinic of AERA in New Jersey, most people who see dogs in muzzles often tend to avoid interacting with them, thinking that they are dangerous or untrained. As such, muzzles are an excellent deterrent for unwelcome attention.

It's really more about protection

Your job as a dog parent is to keep your doggies safe. If they do not feel like interacting with strangers, they can get snippy, and they may end up biting people. A muzzle will be able to keep them from snipping and it may discourage people from coming up to your dog.

When your dog bites, you might face a lawsuit. Or worse, you might get involved in a reportable incident and end up losing control of what happens to your dog.

What's more, training your dog to wear a muzzle in case of injury could even save your pet's life.

Basket muzzles are not suitable for long term wear. You should only use it briefly, as it can inhibit drinking, panting, and eating.

You should also avoid using muzzles to change your dog's behavior, like excessive barking or chewing. It will not work. You should consistently train your dog and use behavior modification exercises to fix unwanted behaviors. Figure out the root cause of the barking and chewing, and address these to change your dog's behavior.

Lastly, you should never use a basket muzzle to punish your dog. Doing so will only make your dog anxious and fearful when you try to put on the muzzle in case of an emergency or when necessary.

The basket muzzle is probably the most popular type of dog muzzle. It is more humane because your dog can drink, pant, and eat even when this is on.

You can buy a plastic basket muzzle for smaller dogs. Big dogs are better off with a wire basket muzzle. The wire variety is also ideal for preventing bites.

Soft muzzle

​Soft muzzles are made of nylon, leather, mesh, fabric, and other soft materials. You should avoid buying a soft muzzle as much as possible because it is not comfortable to wear. What's more, it can prevent panting.

Homemade

Remember that fit is one of the primary considerations when buying a dog muzzle. If you cannot find an appropriately sized basket muzzle for your pet, then you can create your own. You should also avoid using a homemade muzzle for an extended period.

This type of muzzle should be used only as a last resort. If you do not already own a muzzle, you can follow the instructions in this video to improvise.

When choosing a basket muzzle, there are a few things you should remember. First off, you should get a basket muzzle that fits perfectly. It should have the right style and size so that your dog can wear it comfortably.

The right basket muzzle should allow your dog to drink water, enjoy treats, and pant naturally. If you can, talk to the manufacturer to get assistance on what size is just right for your pet.

Why the best basket muzzle should allow panting

It's easy to understand why you need to use a basket muzzle that lets your dog eat or drink. But what about panting? Panting helps your dog regulate body heat. They pant to disperse heat, in the way that we sweat to cool our bodies down.

To complete this list of the best basket muzzle you can buy for your beloved pet, we scoured dozens of listings on Amazon and included only the highly-rated products. We also checked the recommendations coming from credible sources.

Now that you know that owning a basket muzzle is often part of being a responsible dog parent, you may be on the lookout for one. Let us tell you that there are a lot of dog muzzles out there and it's easy to drown in options. So how about you allow us to make life a little bit easier for you by giving you a short list of recommendations?

One of these products is the best basket muzzle for your dog.

Being a responsible dog parent means that you will be spending for a basket muzzle for your beloved pets. These products can prevent them from biting, can help train them to get rid of negative behavior, and can help save their lives in an emergency. While any one of these recommendations is an excellent choice, you might want to try out the MoonPi Dog Muzzle if you have a large dog because of the adjustable mouthpiece and neck collar.

For smaller dogs, you can trust the Company of Animals Baskerville Ultra Muzzle, which comes highly recommended by pet bloggers, credible sources, and pet owners. Do you have a favorite basket muzzle? Which one is it? Tell us about it!