Muzzling Demonstration from Dogs Playing for Life
From Aimee Sadler: "Our preferred method for muzzling dogs revolves around handling which minimizes conflict to avoid creating a defensive response in the dog. For the purpose of introducing sheltered dogs to playgroup, or for structured introductions for dogs with a known history of aggression with other dogs, pre-acclimation to the muzzle is not necessary. The muzzle will serve as a safety tool to minimize the risk of injury to dog or handler in the case of fractious behavior, allowing more dogs the opportunity to socialize with other dogs successfully. Often times we anticipate the muzzle being removed quickly if the dog shows pro-social engagement after initial interactions. DPFL uses rubber basket muzzles (preferred brand is Baskerville) rather than nylon muzzles so that the dogs can easily pant, breath and drink since they might be wearing the muzzles for a longer period of time during active play and/or in warm weather. The purpose of the muzzle is to minimize injury from aggressive contact more than to tightly restrict their mouths."