Muzzle for public transport in Italy

[IsletsOfLangerhans]

Hello, just looking for some advice, as not sure where to start looking! We are taking our 8 year old dog (Pointer) to northern italy in September and we understand that dogs need to wear muzzles on cable cars and also on public transport. Can anyone advise on best type of muzzle for short journeys? I’d like to get her used to it in the run up, so want to get something purchased soon. I know there are two types of- soft or basket, but don’t know which is best…

i would try both. My terrier had to be muzzled when we went out - diabetic and the only way we could stop him eating random food he found. He got on fine with the basket but hated the soft one.

I'd get a basket type muzzle. Then your dog can still pant and drink whilst wearing it. And you can feed treats through the bars.

Baskerville style muzzles are the only ones that should be worn for any prolonged period.

Baskerville muzzle. Soft muzzles don’t allow a dog to open their mouth to pant or drink and are only meant to be worn for a few minutes at a time.

Yes 100% a basket muzzle. In my opinion the soft muzzles are unsafe for dogs

Get your dog used to it at home. If you look up muzzle training or ‘the cone game’ online it will show you how to make it fun. My dogs race each other to get there first they love the game so much!

Went to Rome last summer and never once saw a muzzle on a dog on public transport. That doesn’t mean they’re not meant to wear them but none of the dogs I saw were.

It's Italy, those sorts of laws are rarely enforced. Like wearing motorbike helmets, driving over pedestrian crossings or tax evasion! But it is advisable, certainly as a tourist, to have a muzzle to hand just in case you meet a jobsworth.

I use a custom sized basket muzzle as my dog has a fairly long snout. She can pant, drink and take treats whilst wearing it.

The Muzzle Movement: Dog Muzzles That Look & Feel Good

I have pointers, greyhound style basket muzzles would be ok for short periods of time. Have a look at The Muzzle Shop, they are great for finding a good fit. For longer periods of time and when exercising I use a muzzle from the muzzle movement as it allows extra pant room.

The muzzle shop is definitely your best option, allows plenty of pant room, drinking and they can have treats while wearing it. If you order soon it means you’ve plenty of time for muzzle training too

OP is going to northern Italy which has more in common with Switzerland when it comes to rule-following. Southern Italy might as well be a different country.

This is very true, although it’s the area that used to be Austria! Very, very different to the south. We’ve been many times before, but never taken the dog. I think on the buses, it’s up to the driver’s discretion, but we’ll definitely need one on the cable cars.

Thank you everyone who has replied so far - it looks like basket muzzles are the way to go!

Practice putting it on.
I took my dog on a return trip from santander a couple of weeks ago. He only needs to wear one between the car and kennel.
I had tried it on him briefly.
On the return trip I realised that I had put it on upside down the first time.
He's a Bedlington terrier and has a long nose. Poor little sausage

I took my lurcher to Italy a few years ago - I got her a lovely purple basket muzzle :)
I think it was just bigger dogs that were supposed to wear them but it didn't seem enforced. It may well depend on the region.