Open at the front, so they can pant and drink.
The open front is what makes this wearable for any length of time. A muzzle that holds the mouth shut stops a dog panting, and panting is how a dog regulates its temperature.
Taxes calculated at checkout
Colour: Blue
Size: XS
Why you'll love it
Dogs lose heat by panting, so a muzzle that holds the mouth shut is genuinely dangerous in warm weather. Leaving the front open is the difference between a muzzle you can walk in for an hour and one you cannot.
The commonest reason a British dog wears one is that it eats things off the pavement. That job needs a basket that blocks the ground, not a strap that clamps the jaw shut.
A muzzle first worn at the vet becomes part of a bad memory. Fed treats through the front for a week beforehand, it becomes furniture. The open front exists partly so you can keep rewarding through it.
Good fit if
Look elsewhere if
Dogs do not sweat meaningfully through the skin. They cool by panting, which moves air across a wet tongue and the surfaces of the mouth. A muzzle that holds the jaws closed removes that entirely, and a dog that cannot pant will overheat far faster than one that can, particularly in warm weather or under stress.
Leaving the end open means the dog can open its mouth, pant normally, take water and be given a treat through the front. That last point is not a small one: it makes the muzzle trainable, because you can reward the dog while it is wearing the thing you want it to accept.
A muzzle put straight on a dog becomes a thing the dog fights, and that association is difficult to undo. The standard approach is to build it in stages: let the dog see the muzzle and be paid, then put its nose near the opening for food, then briefly into it, then fasten the strap for a second or two, always ending before the dog objects.
Across a week or two of short daily sessions most dogs will push their own nose into a muzzle willingly. That is the goal, and it is worth reaching before you need it, because introducing a muzzle in the vet's car park on the day it is needed produces a bad first experience at exactly the wrong moment.
Measure the snout circumference at its widest point and the length from just below the eyes to the end of the nose. The muzzle should sit clear of the eyes, allow the mouth to open, and not press on the nostrils. The head strap wants to be snug enough that the dog cannot paw it off, with room for two fingers underneath.
Air mesh is considerably more breathable than solid nylon, which matters for a dog wearing one on a summer walk. The reflective strap is a useful addition for winter, though it is worth remembering that a muzzled dog is often one that needs more space from other dogs, and a bright colour on the strap communicates that better than reflective does.
In the box
How it works
Shop by pet or category to find exactly what your cat or dog needs, no wading through thousands of listings.
Check out securely with card, PayPal or one tap Apple Pay & Google Pay. Free delivery over £45.
Fast, tracked dispatch straight to your door, and a happier pet before you know it.
The details
| Size | Snout circumference | Typical dogs |
|---|---|---|
| XS | 14 to 18 cm | Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier |
| S | 18 to 22 cm | Jack Russell, Miniature Schnauzer |
| M | 22 to 27 cm | Cocker Spaniel, Beagle, Border Collie |
| L | 27 to 32 cm | Labrador, Boxer, Dalmatian |
| XL | 32 to 37 cm | German Shepherd, Rottweiler |
| XXL | 37 to 42 cm | Great Dane, mastiff types |
Measure the snout about 2 cm below the eyes, with the dog's mouth closed, then add a little room. The dog must be able to open its mouth fully and pant while wearing it. Flat faced breeds need a short snouted design rather than this pattern.
Loved by real pet parents
The whole reason I looked for an open front one is that he wears it for an hour on the field and closed muzzles hold the mouth shut. He pants normally in this and took water from a stream halfway round without me having to take it off. Two months in he barely notices it is on.
Six sizes sounds generous and it is, but the difference between the medium and the large is not much and I guessed wrong first time. Measured properly the large is right for him. Since then it has done exactly what I wanted, which is stop him eating whatever is on the pavement.
I spent a fortnight feeding him bits of sausage through the open end before we ever used it properly, which is what the description suggests, and he now pushes his nose into it himself. Being able to keep rewarding through the front while he is wearing it is the whole trick. It weighs almost nothing so he does not paw at it.
The solid nylon one we had before soaked up drool and rain and smelled awful by the end of the week. The air mesh dries out on the radiator in an hour and has not held any smell at all. He is also visibly cooler in it on a warm day.
For walking and sniffing about it is comfortable and he tolerates it happily, and it has put a stop to the eating of rubbish, which is all I wanted from it. When he runs flat out it shifts sideways on his face and I end up straightening it. The head strap is adjustable but there is only so much a soft mesh muzzle will hold at that speed.
I did not buy it for the reflective head strap but on a dark morning it is the brightest thing on him and it shows up in car headlights. The strap adjusts under the ears rather than behind the skull, so it stays put when he shakes himself. The grey is smart enough that people do not stare.
It is a proper bright blue rather than the muted navy in the photos, which draws a bit more attention than I wanted on a first walk. Everything else has been good. She can pant, drink and take a treat through the front and she stopped trying to rub it off after three or four outings.
At 100 g there is nothing to it, and after the first five minutes he stopped pawing and got on with the walk. The strap has enough adjustment that I could get it snug without it pressing anywhere near his eyes. Six weeks and no rubbing at all on his face.
We introduced it at home over a couple of weeks with treats rather than springing it on her at the surgery, and that has made an enormous difference. She walks into it now. The open front means the nurse can still give her something while she is being looked at.
Good questions
Measure the snout circumference about 2 cm below the eyes, and the snout length from just below the eyes to the tip of the nose. Size up if you fall between two, because a muzzle that pinches gets refused.
It can nip forward, which is why this style suits scavenging and mouthing rather than a dog with a bite history. For that, a rigid basket muzzle fitted by a behaviourist is the right answer.
No. A pug or a French bulldog has no snout for this shape to sit on. They need a short snout specific muzzle.
It restricts biting rather than making it impossible, since the mouth can open. For situations where a complete barrier is needed, a basket muzzle is the appropriate choice.
Measure the circumference of the snout about 2 cm below the eyes with the mouth closed, then add a small allowance so the dog can open its mouth to pant.
No. Pugs, French Bulldogs and similar need a muzzle designed for a short snout, since this pattern relies on a snout long enough to sit in it.
Last reviewed 30 August 2026