The point isn’t to take the fear away, the point is just to keep everybody safe while you work on training. Properly conditioned dogs do not mind muzzles and some will even get excited when they come out because they know it means good things. Barring some sensitive dogs who may always have a hard time with them.

Muzzles can also add a confidence boost to the handler even if they’re not aware of it which can influence the dog as well. Handler anxiety etc. can ramp up or cause the issues. I have seen a lot of dogs that way. 

Muzzles can be a great tool, particularly when fitted properly. There are plenty of dogs with pika who are also much safer for having them off. 

blockage was either some trash he found after the snowmelt and ate it, or it’s possible somebody put something in my vehicle when he was in it. There was an odd mix of copper wire, wool type stuff, and a type of plastic I don’t have in my house. I later found some of that wool in my vehicle and since he was kenneled there’s no way he could’ve gotten to it and I don’t know where it would’ve cone from. 
 

I was lucky the wire was in there because the plastic was what was causing the blockage but the wire was what showed up on the x-ray and made the vet decide to operate. He likely would have died otherwise. 

It sounds like someone deliberately tried to harm your dog. Although they could not know he would eat that unless it was hidden in food.