| This can often be difficult because most dogs do not accept a muzzle round the snout. Accustomisation must be complete before protection training begins. Muzzle work is used to ensure that the dog bites even if the helper does not have a protective sleeve for stimulation. Muzzle work is very difficult, so the muzzle is important. The muzzle must be high enough for the dog to be able to bark in it, i.e. so the mouth can be opened wide when barking without being prevented by the muzzle. The dog must not be able to get the muzzle off and bite the helper. When the dog hits the helper, the muzzle must not be unnecessarily painful. The muzzle must be tried and, if necessary, cut away so that when the dog lunges the muzzle does not bang the dog in the eyes, above the nose or in the throat. A basic muzzle such as the police muzzle very rarely bangs the dog, and therefore suits most dogs. The fit is more important with a deep muzzle. Sharp edges must be smoothed off. Usually no soft padding material is needed in a muzzle because a little pain only makes the dog more aggressive. But to solve a problem the hit might need to be softened. The dog might have learnt to turn the muzzle away because it hurts when making a straight lunge. The muzzle might also need to be padded during training. The muzzle can be adapted to individual dogs and must always be tested. The dog must be able to bark and run as well as lunge in it. There are many ways of training muzzle work, and prey drive (hunting/fighting instinct) training can also be done with or with a biting bar in the muzzle. Training can be carried out with an open muzzle, when the dog is allowed to bite the helper on the sleeve or bite clothing. Training can be carried out with line and expander. To achieve the best results all training methods need a muzzle that fits the dog. | 
