Basket Muzzles: Creating Safety to Help Dogs Thrive
Basket muzzles are a safety and prevention tool reached for by dog owners, behavior consultants, trainers, and grooming and veterinary professionals. Myths and misconceptions surrounding their use may result in negative outcomes for dogs, their families, and the broader community. In this article, we’ll dispel the myths and stigma, and provide educational information on different styles of basket muzzles, sizing/fitting, and getting started with a conditioning process.
The WHYs Behind Basket Muzzles
Basket muzzles can be useful in a variety of applications, to create physical and emotional safety - for the dog and others. They can also allow the dog to enjoy more freedom of movement, agency, and ability to express natural behaviors — all are essential to achieving a “Good Life” (Total Welfare).
Gene’s basket muzzle helps him investigate new friends in safe environments
Some of the most common applications for basket muzzles include:
Effective management — There’s an old saying, “dogs have teeth - will use!”. Behaviors like mouthing, biting, chewing, nipping, and snapping are natural canine behaviors. A basket muzzle can reduce likelihood for injury from mouthing or bites. An animal’s behaviors are dynamic, adaptive, and necessary for their survival (and that of future generations)— they cannot be “cured” or “fixed”. A properly fitted basket muzzle can one of many management strategies to help keep a dog and others safe in our modern world.
Mitigates risk and liability — This is especially important for dogs who’ve displayed aggressive behavior or signs of fear/anxiety. It can come down to a simple trade-off: the cost of a dog bite lawsuit, $50,000 on average, OR, a $50 basket muzzle. Additionally, a reported dog bite may involve a declaration issued from a local animal control or municipality, depending on circumstances and local ordinances. ‘Potentially dangerous’ and ‘dangerous’ declarations come with strict statutory (legal) requirements. Homeowner’s insurance coverage can be negatively impacted as well. Although no muzzle is 100% bite proof, and needs to be combined with other layers of safety, it can significantly reduce risk of injury if your dog does snap or bite. In some cases, a muzzle can literally be a life saver!
Effective signaling to unfamiliar people — Many dogs may not feel safe being approached or reached towards by those they don’t trust. A basket muzzle is a signal to strangers to think twice about trying to approach and/or pet a dog they don’t know, and instead give the dog more space. An effect can then be that the muzzled dog learns strangers tend to not “come too close for comfort”, and thus aren’t perceived as a threat and an aggressive response may not be necessitated.
Management for maladaptive or repetitive behaviors — A basket muzzle may prevent ingestion of toxic substances, and foreign body obstructions from objects like clothing, rocks, shoes, household items, etc.; thereby, reducing health risks and often costly veterinary surgical procedures. For dogs with a history of pica - a disorder marked by the compulsive ingestion of non-nutritional objects or substances - a basket muzzle is an essential safety tool. Muzzles can also prevent self-injury from other (complex) repetitive behaviors like tail chewing, excessive grooming, and more.
Types and Styles of Basket Muzzles
In this section, we'll review various styles, materials, and features of basket muzzles — the pros and the cons — with links to some of our favorite basket muzzle companies. We recommend working with a certified dog behavior professional for specific guidance in this area.
Note: A properly fitted basket muzzle allows for normal eating, drinking, breathing/panting, and even vomiting. We won’t be discussing nylon muzzles, as they’re not appropriate for in-home or day-to-day use, but may be used, for example, for short durations, such as in a veterinary or grooming context.
Basket muzzles come in many styles, shapes and sizes!
A few notes on the measuring process…
Most dogs tend to be a bit shy with hands suddenly reaching toward and touching their face...not to mention, measuring tapes! You’ll want to gradually and gently introduce your dog to measuring tools first. Here’s a step by step process, from our friends at The Muzzle Movement.
Each manufacturer (see below) will have measurement instructions specific to their own products.
Now let's dig into some different styles of basket muzzles, and the pros and cons of each.
Biothane muzzles — a soft but durable vinyl material:
Pros: Most companies offer custom muzzles, made to fit the specific (actual) dimensions of your dog’s snout. These provide greater comfort and ‘full pant’ room. There may be less skin chafing with biothane, compared to other materials.
Trust Your Dog and Tye Dye Muzzles , both sell high quality custom-made and pre-made biothane options and offer treat holes, which are HUGE benefit for the conditioning process for delivering food rewards. Trust Your Dog offers urgent production/ship for a nominal fee.
Cons: not highly protective, so they may not be suitable for dogs with high level bites and severe behavior history. Custom-made, in general, is more expensive and typically takes longer to ship (~4-8 weeks).
Archie with his fancy custom-fitted Trust Your Dog biothane muzzle!
Vinyl muzzles — made with vinyl material:
Jafco basket muzzle — These are pre-made, durable vinyl (clear or white)
Pros: excellent for short-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds! They come in hard plastic or flexible vinyl material, are affordable, and generally ships quickly through Pet Expertise.
Cons: universally sized, and therefore, not the best fitting for most (non-brachy) dogs, as the measurements only take into account length and circumference (not height)
Mia’s vinyl muzzles — These are custom-made, durable, and thicker material than other vinyl muzzles
Pros: many cool and psychedelic color options; various safety features and straps; nose opening options; accommodations for Brachycephalic breeds; and highly durable/flexible, thicker, and protective vinyl material compared to other companies.
Cons: a bit more costly, and they may be a bit harder to feed food through the holes versus a slotted design.
Plastic muzzles — ranging from flexible to harder material
Greyhound racing (Italian basket) muzzle - basic plastic muzzle
Pros: great for longer-nosed breeds! They're suitable for dogs with low-level or no bite history, affordable, and widely available through many websites.
Cons: little pant room and tends to be more difficult with fit and comfort. They do not offer forehead strap option, and they're not as durable as other plastic muzzles, so not a protective option.
The Muzzle Movement - a hard plastic basket muzzle with a full or open mouth pant style.
Pros: larger holes for food delivery; options by size or measurement range— technically not custom-made for your dog’s snout (some offer strap adjustability); forehead and chin safety straps available; nose options; and they're thicker and more durable than most other plastic muzzles. They also have a reasonable shipping time.
Cons: may not be the best option for dogs with a serious bite history where open or full mouth pant room is a safety risk (muzzle slipping off).
The darling Ruby, with her Muzzle Movement muzzle 😍
Baskerville basket muzzle — a popular, durable hard plastic muzzle
Pros: a hard, plastic material that can be reshaped with boiling water. They are very quick to ship and affordable!
Cons: universally “sized” by breed, which is a bit arbitrary (versus size or measurement range) and may not fit longer or wider snouts well. The locking mechanism is finicky.
Rosie “Champagne Party” with her Baskerville — safety for veterinary procedures.
Isn’t she adorable!! 🥰
Highly protective muzzles — made from leather or metal materials
Dean & Tyler basket muzzles — reputable company, highly protective wire cage muzzles
Pros: highly protective muzzle for dogs with high-level or severe bite history, or guardian breeds. They include a forehead strap for extra safety and are quick to ship. They're affordable, extremely well made, and a reputable brand!
Cons: less pant room (by design - for safety and protection), are not custom-made, and have fewer strap adjustments than most other hard, plastic muzzles.
Leather muzzles from The Muzzle Store* - wide selection of durable and protective leather material options
Pros: more protection for dogs with high-level or severe bite history, or guardian breeds; most have forehead strap option for extra safety
Cons: less pant room (by design - for safety and protection) and are not custom-made
*The Muzzle Store also offers various other pre-made styles.
Not sure which basket muzzle you might need? Watch Michael Shikashio’s muzzle review video, or book a consult with us for further assistance.
Basket Muzzle Conditioning - How to Get Started
Basket muzzle conditioning isn’t always so straightforward. Likewise, for dogs with a history of resource or food guarding and/or sensitivity, or aggression with handling, attempting to introduce a basket muzzle may complicate behaviors and present safety risks. If your dog has behavior concerns, we recommend consulting with a certified dog behavior professional FIRST, for specific guidance and support.
To help a dog feel comfortable with wearing a basket muzzle, it needs to be paired with food and other rewards through a gradual, systematic process at the dog’s own pace. This generally takes anywhere from 4-8 weeks or more.
Starting with cups can be an effective way to help dogs gradually become used to putting their mouth in a dark, enclosed space.
Chirag Patel’s muzzle conditioning video outlines an effective process to help you get started. Ensuring the dog develops a positive Conditioned Emotional Response (CER+) with the muzzle — indicated by a loose/wiggly body (“happy”), at each step of this process — is important to help the dog feel comfortable with it and not invoke avoidance. The sequence of presenting the muzzle first, then food, is very important.
Need Help With Basket Muzzle Conditioning?
There are many tips and tricks to help successfully condition a basket muzzle and navigate setbacks. In addition to Chirag’s process, above, we have a number of educational videos on our muzzle playlist on YouTube, or you can find more resources at The Muzzle Up! Project.
We also offer an online basket muzzle conditioning course! And, we provide specific support through our behavior consult , along with other critical safety, management and other recommendations.