A muzzle is one of the few pieces of kit that gets bought in a hurry and then used badly. The point of a basket shape is that a dog can still pant, drink and take a treat while wearing it, which is what makes it safe to leave on through a vet appointment or a walk past something they cannot yet cope with. A fabric sleeve that clamps the jaw shut does none of that.

This one is moulded from soft rubber rather than rigid plastic, so it flexes when your dog bumps it against a leg or a doorframe, and the basket is vented across its face for airflow. The shape is drawn for flat-faced breeds, which matters: a pug or a French bulldog has almost no muzzle for a standard basket to sit on, so a conventional one rides up into the eyes. An adjustable strap takes it round the head.

• Soft flexible rubber rather than rigid plastic
• Vented basket lets a dog pant, drink and take treats
• Shaped for flat-faced breeds
• Adjustable strap round the head
• Four sizes, S through to XL
• Item weight ranges from 185 g to 530 g by size

On fit, and on training. Just as important, introduce a muzzle over days, with food posted through the vents, rather than strapping it on before the vet trip. A dog who first meets a muzzle in a waiting room learns that the muzzle is the bad part.

Who it's for: Owners of flat-faced dogs who need a vented basket muzzle for vet visits, muzzle training, or a dog who scavenges on walks.