You might wish to get your American Bully a muzzle for several reasons. He might be like my Australian Cattle Dog and eat anything he comes upon, edible or not.
He can be irritable because he dreads going to the vet. Perhaps he feels nervous around strangers, and you need a muzzle to keep him from snapping.
There are different muzzles available to suit your needs. I found a variety of muzzles for American Bullies while searching for a muzzle for my cattle dog. The best of these keeps the dog from biting or gnawing while allowing him to pant, drink, and eat.
My Top Choice for Best Muzzle For American Bully
Baskerville Ultra Muzzle
Rubber is pliable, so this robust muzzle is both lightweight and adaptable. If it does not fit precisely, warm it enough to make it pliable enough to customize it for a better fit. The Baskerville can be used on any dog with a short, broad nose.
It has a collar loop so you can more securely fasten it. It also means you can take off the muzzle without worrying about losing it while you’re outside.
Whatever purpose you require a muzzle for, the Baskerville is ideal because it:
- can prevent dogs with a strong prey drive from biting and mutilating small animals;
- lessen the risks associated with socializing a new rescue dog;
- Keep a dog from chewing on your furniture or its paws;
- enable you to control reactivity training safely.
Even for a short-haired dog like the American Bully, the Baskerville muzzle’s neoprene lining makes it easy to wear.
If needed, you can leave The Baskerville on all day because it is cozy and safe enough. Additionally, it is an excellent tool for training, especially with aggressive dogs who appear to know instinctively that when the muzzle is on, they cannot attack and start to calm down.
The Baskerville is, without a doubt, the ideal muzzle for American Bullies and most other breeds, excluding maybe Chihuahuas. It is lightweight, adaptable, and reasonably priced.
Best Muzzle for Aggressive American Bullies: CollarDirect American Bully Leather Muzzle
This leather muzzle from Collar Direct is more pricey than the Baskerville but still reasonable and strong. It will also fit better since American Bullies were considered when designing it.
Additionally, you may properly match this muzzle to the color of your Bully’s coat thanks to the variety of color choices!
Best Metal Mask Muzzle: BRONZEDOG Metal Mask Muzzle
Although it may not be as comfortable for your dog to wear for extended periods as the best muzzle for American Bullies, its design is ideal for “short wide snout American Bullies.”
This metal mask is a little more expensive than the Baskerville, but it’s the ideal replacement for people whose dogs find the plastic basket muzzle irritating or uncomfortable.
Best Soft Muzzle For All-Day Wear: Gentle Muzzle Guard for Dogs
Although it weighs nearly the same as the Baskerville muzzle despite appearing considerably lighter, an American Bully is unlikely to be troubled by seven ounces of neoprene on his face.
Although this soft muzzle is not as robust as the Baskerville or a metal mask, it accomplishes its purpose without compromising your dog’s comfort. It is also less expensive and simpler to clean than the Baskerville.
Best Muzzle for Grooming And Vet Visits: Hide & Drink Leather Dog Muzzle Guard
This simple, hand-made leather muzzle is strong and fits an American Bully’s normally small snout.
It is made of premium leather waxed by bees, making it flexible but durable. Since this muzzle only has one strap that can be adjusted, it’s critical to select the appropriate size, which for an American Bully would be the large one.
In contrast to basket muzzles, which allow your dog’s mouth to open significantly wider, the main portion of this muzzle wraps firmly over your dog’s nose. Your dog can still pant, drink, and eat little treats if you properly fit this muzzle.
Since it is safer and frequently relaxes the dog, many dog owners use this muzzle to control their American Bullies when clipping their nails.
This muzzle is a little tighter fitting than the other items we’ve looked at, so it will prevent your American Bully from nipping in addition to biting, making it perfect for stressful grooming procedures and vet appointments. I wouldn’t advise leaving it on for more than 30 minutes.
Surprisingly, given the level of leather used to construct it, this premium muzzle is cheaply priced, costing a bit less than the Baskerville.
6 Reasons Why Your American Bully Should Wear a Muzzle
Many people have false beliefs regarding muzzles, believing their only purpose is to prevent a nasty or aggressive dog from biting. While there are other uses for muzzles, this is just one. You can use muzzles for:
Safety
You can take your dog into social situations unafraid if he is wearing a muzzle that prevents him from biting people or other dogs.
Scavenging
Dogs like Koala risk stomach troubles and potential poisoning by eating anything they come across. If wearing a proper muzzle, your dog won’t be able to consume other animals’ droppings or other disgusting objects.
Control
Due to their high prey drive, American Bullies tend to chase after and occasionally kill small animals like bunnies, squirrels, and other small animals. While a muzzle won’t stop him from fleeing, it will lessen the harm he can do.
Recovery
Some dogs may constantly stress over wounds after getting hurt or having surgery, which delays healing. An option to the traditional cone collar that won’t limit his movement but will prevent him from nibbling on an injured paw or ripping out sutures is a muzzle.
Avoid Chewing
Some muzzles are secure enough to wear for extended periods, increasing the lifespan of your furniture and shoes. For this, a soft neoprene muzzle is preferable over a basket muzzle because it won’t catch on objects or chafe.
Stop Barking
A neoprene muzzle may assist in lessening obtrusive barking, particularly when out on a walk, as it helps with gnawing. Using one as a constant anti-barking device is not advised, though. We advise focus training as a more effective method to calm down a very noisy or reactive child.
What Not to Do With an American Bully Muzzle
While a muzzle can be helpful as a training tool, it should never be employed as a punishment for your dog’s undesirable conduct. Like the last example, before going for a muzzle to stop your dog from snapping at kids or other dogs, you should think about what’s driving that behavior and try to remedy it.
Being pushed and prodded by kids or strangers is understandable for your American Bully, and adopting positive reinforcement training is a more effective and compassionate way to change that habit.
Which Muzzle Type Is Best For Your American Bully?
Your American Bully will always respond best to a muzzle that is properly fitted to him. What behavior you attempt to manage or correct will determine your chosen type.
Even if metal masks and basket muzzles are the most adaptable, scavenging dogs should never use them. Although I use the Baskerville muzzle for this, I have modified it by placing a tiny piece of mesh over the opening in front of the dog’s mouth to prevent scooping up feces and other disgusting objects.
Like the one from Dogs My Love, a loop muzzle is the least intrusive for aggressive dogs likely to bite in particular circumstances, but it might not work on strong dogs like the American Bully.
If your dog is chewing your shoes because of separation anxiety, a soft, neoprene muzzle might be the solution; however, as always, we would advise training over devices.
How To Fit a Muzzle
It is crucial to ensure you’re doing everything you can to prevent chafing and pain when fitting a muzzle, just as it is when wearing a collar. Additionally, you must teach your American Bully to enjoy wearing the muzzle and accept it.
A properly fitted muzzle should be slack enough to slide two fingers through the muzzle strap behind the head, similar to how a collar should be.
Once the muzzle is on, you must make sure your American Bully can’t bite, pick up food off the floor, or have it obstruct his vision.
After your dog has gotten acclimated to the muzzle and it has been properly fitted, remove it again and look for any signs of rubbing.
Conclusion
Although a basket muzzle requires some training to get your dog used to, these are the most adaptable and provide the best control for aggressive dogs and those who eat anything they find, like koalas, from dung to insecticide!
One of the most well-liked and simplest-to-fit muzzles is the Baskerville. It is also inexpensive and adaptable, but you must be cautious to prevent chafing, especially around the nose. The snug fit of the Collar Direct American Bully muzzle provides improved security while still being efficient against biting.
