Many people find the prospect of muzzling their dogs rather daunting and even cruel. Although some dogs may have aggressive tendencies, many dogs will not require a muzzle whilst out for their daily exercise - either because they are generally very friendly and good-natured, or because they rarely mix with other people or dogs anyway.

The truth is, that even the most docile dog could at some time find itself in a vulnerable situation where it feels threatened by another dog or human. It could be that you are expecting visitors with young children and your dog is not used to having youngsters around, or that you need to find a way of preventing your pet's destructive chewing habits, or he/she hates visiting the vet and has been known to snap.

Some countries have even made it compulsory to keep certain breeds of dogs, such as Pit bulls, on a leash and muzzled at all times whilst out in public places. So, even if you feel that your dog doesn't generally need a muzzle, it won't do any harm to get it used to accepting one in case the need arises

Muzzles are a perfectly acceptable means of restraining your dog and provided they are comfortable and suitable for your companion, they will serve their purpose. It may take a little time to find one that suits your dog, but it is worth being patient to ensure that you obtain one that fits well. The biggest problem of all is getting your dog to accept one and wear it without a fuss; this is where a gradual and positive introduction comes in.

There are two main types of muzzle - basket and nylon. Nylon muzzles do allow you to feed your dog small treats through them, but the basket type allows more freedom in that your friend can pant, drink and receive small treats through the wire openings. Incidentally, muzzles should not be confused with head collars. These are completely different, allowing the dog plenty of freedom where the mouth is concerned. Head collars fit on the dog's head and around the nose - very much like a bridle or head collar worn by a horse. These are actually designed to prevent the dog from pulling and a number of other behavioural issues, but not biting.

When you first purchase your muzzle make sure that you begin to familiarise your dog with it. First of all, bring it out for very short periods of time over a few days and allow your dog to sniff around it and get used to the sight and smell of it. You could place a few small treats inside it too and allow your pet to put its face inside the muzzle and eat them. Every time a positive response is met make sure that you praise your dog well and produce a further treat.

Once your dog has learned to accept the muzzle being around and will quite happily put his/her face in it, you could try placing the muzzle on for a minute or so and then taking it off again. You must still continue to reward all the positive responses you receive to ensure that the muzzle is always seen as a safe and acceptable item.

Once you are happy with your dog's response to the muzzle you can start to place it on for short walks and gradually build up the process. It may take a few weeks for you to reach a completely satisfactory point, or it may only take a few days - it all depends on your dog.

If your dog ever tries to remove the muzzle for any reason, perhaps during a confrontation with another dog, never take it off; always try to calm your pet down first. Once he/she is calm again and not bothering with the muzzle, reward with a treat and then take the muzzle off as normal when you are ready It is obviously very important for your dog to understand that once the muzzle is on, it only comes off when you take it off; otherwise the process will break down. It is also worth remembering that once your dog has learned to accept the muzzle you must continue to use it, as if you stop doing so for any reason and your dog has not seen it for a long time, you will have to go through the whole process of re-introducing the muzzle before you can commence using it again.

Being able to use a muzzle either for regular walks, or just in certain situations makes you a more responsible dog owner. It would be a great pity if your dog were to cause an Injury to another dog or human simply because it felt frightened or threatened, when a muzzle could easily have avoided the situation. These days it is not worth taking any unnecessary chances where your valuable canine companion is concerned.