Muzzle Training For Police Service Dogs

By Rodney Spicer

The muzzle is and excellent tool. It is not a fix all; it’s just another tool.  And how you use the tool determines your success. This is how I introduce and train with the muzzle:

First, find out which type of muzzle is best for you. There are several styles and brands, including a leather basket muzzle, ram muzzle, and muzzle with a built-in bite bar. All muzzles have their own purpose and function. I prefer and use the leather basket muzzle because it allows the dog to breathe easier while working and is big enough so that the dog can bark while wearing it. Also dog’s need to pant to alleviate stress/ tension and dispel body heat so the muzzle must not be to small or tight on the muzzle of the dog.

Now that we have selected a type of muzzle, it is important to have the right size. If you are unsure of the size, ask your vendor or another handler who has the same size dog what size they recommend. When putting the muzzle on the dog, always test the fit of the muzzle by grabbing the front of the muzzle and lifting the dog off its front feet. If the muzzle comes off, then it is too loose and must be tightened. You do not want it so tight that the dog is unable to breathe, but you do not want it coming off either.

Now that you have a properly fitted muzzle, you must desensitize the dog to the muzzle, and this is one of the most important aspects of muzzle training. Dogs that are not desensitized to the muzzle will try pulling the muzzle off with there feet. Also, you will notice when dogs only wear a muzzle during bite work, that as soon as the muzzle is on, they will begin to whine and bark while looking for the agitator and have developed a negative association while wearing the muzzle.

I always start by having the handler take the dog for a walk while wearing the muzzle. If the dog starts fighting with the muzzle, I have the handler place the dog in a down or sitting position and pet him until he begins to relax. I will then have the handler again start walking the dog and repeat if needed. Depending on the dog, I might also apply a correction each time the dog tries to fight the muzzle until the behavior stops and the dog accepts the muzzle.

Once the dog accepts and is comfortable wearing the muzzle, we then begin transporting the dog from training locations while muzzled. After a few days of the dog wearing the muzzle while being transported and taken for walks, we then begin doing obedience while muzzled and will do this throughout training and add the obstacle course as well. This will go on for a few weeks until the dog accepts the muzzle and is comfortable wearing it. There should be no negative associations when the muzzle is on; it should be like having another collar on. The length of time desensitizing the dog to the muzzle varies with each individual dog.

During this time we have been doing building and area searches, as well as handler protection exercises, with no muzzle so that the dog has now developed associations. The handler sets up to make an announcement before sending the dog into search. The dog is released to search and finds the agitator hiding. The dog has now, after many searches, developed an association as to what to do when directed by the handler. We will then begin doing building searches while muzzled. After the dog alerts the handler that the agitator is behind a door, I then have the handler praise the dog and put his leash on while backing him away from the door. I then have the agitator open the door and stimulate the dog as needed. The agitator will then go back into hiding and the handler will praise the dog and take him away and start another search. I will repeat this several times throughout the session.

Now that the dog is desensitized to the muzzle and there are no negative associations with having the muzzle on, I then start apprehension work.  Before we start the apprehension work, I always brief the agitator on what I want them to do.  This is generally what I say, excluding the scenario:  When the dog hits you, I want you to immediately drop to the ground. Interlace your fingers and put your hands over your head, protecting your ears and face. When you are on the ground with your fingers interlaced protecting your ears and face, I then want you to begin rolling on the ground like you are on fire. If the dog is on one side of you, then roll the opposite direction. You are its prey trying to escape and at no time do you ever try to grab the dog because he is much faster than you, and he will go right through your hands and hit you in the face.  And, yes, I have seen someone get knocked out and sent in the back of an ambulance.  So always - and I mean always - keep your arms and hands over your head protecting your face. If there is a muzzle malfunction, stop rolling, and the handler will get to you as fast as he can.  If he can’t see you, yell out calmly “real bite, real bite.”

I never want the agitator in a defensive posture squaring off on the dog and threatening him while off lead because the dog cannot grab the agitator while muzzled and may soon realize there is no success.  The dog will then begin barking and not engaging the agitator. All of my muzzle training is in prey except passive apprehensions. Once the dog makes contact with the passive agitator, I then have him start rolling with his hands over his head.

Now that the dog is desensitized to the muzzle and has not developed any negative associations while wearing it, I then do less apprehension training while wearing the muzzle but still continue to transport the dog with the muzzle on to obstacle courses, going for walks, searches, etc.

This training is not set in stone, but this is how I train with the muzzle and have had much success with this method. Remember, the muzzle is another training tool.  It is not the fix-all. Be realistic in your training and remember that some dogs have courage and many don’t.  You may disguise a weakness, but in a real scenario, the dog will revert back to what he truly is.

Muzzle Training Tips

• Have the correct type of muzzle for what you are doing. 

• When you put the muzzle on the dog, always grab the muzzle and lift the dog off his front feet to see if the muzzle is on correctly.

• Desensitize, desensitize, and desensitize the dog to the muzzle.

• Agitator is always in prey.

• Always look  out for the safety of your agitator.

• Check your muzzle frequently for wear and tear. 

• If the dog is panting very rapidly and appears stressed take the muzzle off and give the dog time to recover.

• The dog engaging the agitator should be very brief and only last a few seconds.

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