The use of a dog muzzle has come to be overwhelmingly associated with restraining an aggressive dog. However, a dog muzzle can be a handy tool to have on hand in plenty of situations, such as a trip to the vet or during a grooming session.
This is equally true for a dog that isn’t usually aggressive as it is if your dog regularly bites or snaps. However, choosing the best muzzle for your dog can be a difficult undertaking, especially if this is new territory for you. We’ve put together a few things to help you make the best muzzle decision for your pet.
Contents
Types of Muzzles
There are two main types of dog muzzle for small dogs: the basket muzzle and the soft muzzle. The first of these is, as the name may suggest, essentially a basket strapped to your dog’s snout. A basket muzzle can be either made specifically to fit your dog or purchased ready-made at a store.
These muzzles for small dogs are made from a range of materials, including plastic, wire, rubber, and leather. Although the basket muzzle might look terrible—even cruel—it’s truthfully the most comfortable muzzle option from the dog’s perspective since the design of a basket muzzle allows dogs to open their mouths enough to drink, eat, and pant. All of these actions not only aid in the dog’s comfort but help make the muzzle safer.
The soft muzzle, on the other hand, is designed to wrap around your dog’s mouth, thereby preventing the dog from opening its mouth. A dog that is wearing a soft dog muzzle is, thus, unable to drink, eat, or pant. Since panting for a dog is equivalent to human sweating, it’s dangerous for a dog to wear a soft muzzle that doesn’t allow the dog to open its mouth for long periods of time.
You should never put a soft muzzle on a dog during hot weather. This type of muzzle for small dogs is generally made from either a fabric (like nylon or mesh) or leather.
How To Size a Dog Muzzle
One of the most critical parts of the selection process for a small muzzle is to ensure that you choose a muzzle that fits your dog well. This means that it’s essential for you to measure your dog to determine the correct size. To get an accurate set of measurements, you’ll need to measure the following in inches:
- The distance between the tip of your dog’s nose and eye.
- The circumference around the dog’s nose, which is measured one inch under the eye.
- The circumference around the neck, immediately behind the ears.
- The height of the snout when the mouth is partly open.
- The distance between the eye line and behind the ears.
- The width of the snout at the broadest point.
Once you have your measurements for circumference, you’ll need to add between one-fourth and half of an inch in length to your measurements to ensure the muzzle will fit properly.
However, you should be aware that this only applies to a small dog. A larger dog would require between half an inch and one inch added. As an additional point to keep in mind, dogs with short noses may require a special mesh muzzle.
5 Best Dog Muzzle Overview
Table could not be displayed.5 Best Dog Muzzle Recommendations
Choosing a muzzle for your beloved pet is always hard to do, no matter how much research has gone into that decision. To ease the process a little, we’ve collected a few muzzles we think are worth taking a look at.
1.Baskerville Ultra Dog Muzzle: Popular Choice
This basket muzzle is made of rubber. It permits unrestricted panting, drinking, and eating, while still preventing biting. This means that if you’re looking for a small muzzle for a biting dog, the Baskerville Ultra Dog Muzzle is an excellent choice.
The muzzle promotes comfort with its Neoprene padded lining and fully adjustable head and neck straps, which come complete with pre-holed webbing. Safety is guaranteed by the ergonomically designed safety straps, featuring a removable overhead strap and two different attachment points. However, from a cosmetic standpoint, this small muzzle may not be an ideal choice, particularly since it only comes in black and tan.
2. Weebo Pets Breathable Nylon Cloth Safety Muzzle: Budget option
This sturdy little dog muzzle is made of easily washable soft nylon fabric. It features an adjustable neck strap and comes with a quick-release buckle.
The padded chafe-free piping acts to protect a dog’s sensitive nose. Not only is the Weebo Pets Breathable Nylon Cloth Safety Muzzle able to prevent biting, but this small dog muzzle works for barking as well. That said, you should also take into account that this muzzle won’t permit your dog to drink.
3. Adjustable Breathable Mesh Bulldog Muzzle: Best for bulldogs and similar breeds
This comfortable mesh and nylon muzzle is an excellent option for dogs with short noses who might not fit in most traditional muzzles. The Adjustable Breathable Mesh Bulldog Muzzle features a skin-friendly nylon strap that can be adjusted for the best fit.
This small dog muzzle provides gentle edges that can keep the mesh from chafing against the sensitive nose and eyes. You should be aware, however, that this muzzle can only fit fairly flat-faced dogs, such as the pug or the bulldog. If you don’t have a short-nosed dog, then this probably isn’t the right muzzle.
4. Mayerzon Dog Muzzle: Affordable, easy to use option
This easily affordable basket muzzle’s soft fully-covered mesh panel is designed for comfort. The Mayerzon Dog Muzzle permits dogs to drink and breathe as they usually would without a muzzle while removing any risk of biting.
The muzzle comes in a variety of sizes, meaning that whether your dog wears an extra small dog muzzle or a large muzzle, you’ll be able to get one that fits perfectly. However, this muzzle only comes in black.
5. GoodBoy Gentle Muzzle Guard: More Gentle option
The GoodBoy Gentle Muzzle Guard guarantees comfort with its soft Neoprene padding and anti-chafing design. The adjustable straps come attached to high-quality sliders, rather than the standard buckles. This grants you greater control over the fit while making it harder for your dog to remove the muzzle alone.
Critically, this muzzle allows your dog to still eat, drink, and pant normally. However, you should keep in mind that while the GoodBoy Gentle Muzzle Guard heavily limits a dog’s ability to bite or bark, it doesn’t completely prevent either.
In Conclusion
The best small dog muzzle for your needs will ultimately depend on what you’re looking for in a muzzle and your personal preferences.
With that said, we hope our list of the five best small dog muzzles has given you some good ideas about where to start looking. All of the muzzles on our list are high-quality products made by reputable brands, so you can be sure that whichever one you choose, your furry friend will be safe and comfortable.
Have you decided which muzzle is right for your little buddy?
