Recently, we wrote an article for our blog about muzzle training dogs. This article helps you get your dog used to wearing a basket muzzle, but if you’ve gone to the store and faced a wall of muzzles to choose from, you’re probably wondering how to get the right size for your dog.
You’re correct in wondering. There are many factors that go into a comfortable fit for your dog. How wide your dog’s face is, how long the muzzle is, and how big their pant is, are all important factors in getting a good fit.
There’s so many differences that buying a muzzle isn’t as easy as shoe shopping. Many people in fact, end up getting a custom muzzle made so it better fits their dog. Whether you are looking for the nearest correctly sized Baskerville, or you’re getting a custom muzzle made, these are the measurements you’ll need and how to get them.
You will need a soft tailor tape. If you don’t have one use a string, mark the end point you want to measure on the string, and then measure the string with a straight ruler.
First measurement: Tip of nose to base of skull.
The tip of the nose is pretty easy to figure out the location of. It’s the very end of your dog’s nose. The base of the skull isn’t always so obvious. You can figure this out by feeling for the base of your dog’s skull, somewhere behind his ears.
It should feel like a bump disappearing into the muscle of the neck. This measurement is used for any straps that go between the eyes for added security, to help with measuring for muzzle length, and to help make sure the strap behind the ears is comfortable.
Second measurement: Around the throat
The next measurement measures your dog’s neck circumference, near the throat latch. To get this measurement right, measure around your dog’s neck snugly, up close to the ears. The base of the skull and where the throat meets the jaw are good reference points to make sure you are getting this right.
This measurement helps estimate how tall the muzzle will need to be, and makes sure any straps that need to go in this area will fit.
Third measurement: Measuring the muzzle
Of course, we need to know how big your pup’s muzzle is if you’re going to make sure a basket muzzle will fit over it! This measurement should be done at the widest point of the muzzle. For most dogs, this will be right in front of your dog’s eyes. The measuring tape should wrap around the muzzle snugly.
Some breeds, like the shar-pei, tend to have a curve in their muzzle that makes the widest point farther down the muzzle. In those cases, the widest point isn’t in front of the eyes, so measure that wider point instead.
For pant room, you’ll want to add 2-3 inches to this measurement. Some people suggest the dog to be measured with a tennis ball in their mouth, but if you’ve ever tried that rodeo with a dog who doesn’t like balls, you’ll know this isn’t really a practical idea. It can also be inaccurate.
A tennis ball worth of space isn’t enough for a Great Dane, while our chihuahuas probably couldn’t even get a tennis ball in their mouth.
Fourth measurement: Tip of nose to corner of eye.
This one is to make sure that the muzzle will not push into the dog’s eyes, and that they’ll be able to sniff without pushing the muzzle into an uncomfortable position. To do this measure from the tip of the nose to the inside corner of the eye.
Other measurements:
Some designers may ask for other types of measurements, but these are uncommon. If you’re not sure, contact the designer and ask for more details. Most muzzle companies, such as Leerburg, have instructions on their website to get the proper measurements for your pup.
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