Muzzle Recommendation Please

[cowanbree]

I have a sheltie who has throat issues and can’t eat normal food. This is controllable within my own house but there seems to be food everywhere I go outside the house so I am looking for a muzzle for him that will prevent him eating the food. I am not concerned if it also restricts drinking as he will only wear it while I am with him but I would like it to be as unobtrusive as possible while still doing the job. All the muzzles I have seen either wouldn’t stop him eating or look extremely heavy and uncomfortable. Can anyone recommend a brand?

[dancinbcs]

My only suggestions woud be to see if you can find a racing Whippet muzzle or find someone who makes greyhound muzzles that might custom make one to size.

[Staff'n'Toller]

Baskerville? They don't look the greatest but are very lightweight and allow plenty of ventilation.

If you can't find online your Vet should be able to order one for you quite easily.

[Nekhbet]

http://www.absaustralia.com/ordering.htm

take a look at the plastic basket muzzles here, lightweight and he can still drink in them

[cowanbree]

I have looked at these muzzles but they all seem quite open with reasonable gaps at the end. Wouldn't that allow him to get to the food?

[mokhahouse]

I have a sheltie who has throat issues and can’t eat normal food. This is controllable within my own house but there seems to be food everywhere I go outside the house so I am looking for a muzzle for him that will prevent him eating the food. I am not concerned if it also restricts drinking as he will only wear it while I am with him but I would like it to be as unobtrusive as possible while still doing the job. All the muzzles I have seen either wouldn’t stop him eating or look extremely heavy and uncomfortable. Can anyone recommend a brand?

I hope you can find what you are looking for. I understand your need for it. It is amazing how much discarded food you come across on a single walk, I am always saying "leave it" but in your case I can see why a muzzle would be a good solution. I saw a muzzle on a border collie the other day that was some sort of black heavy fabric, it looked quite restrictive so even though the end of the mouth was uncovered I would think it would be very difficult to pick up food with this on.Perhaps your local pet supply might let you try different ones on to see what works.

[Staff'n'Toller]

Baskerville's have an extra piece at the front on the inside, so I don't think he'd be able to get food from the front section.

[Nekhbet]

no the ones from ABS also have an extra piece just inside where the nose and mouth is.

If you are so concerned keep your dog on a lead whilst out walking and also teach it the 'leave' command. Training a dog to eat only out of its own bowl would be a very useful thing to do in this case.

[cowanbree]

Thanks everyone

[Loving my Oldies]

I don't have much to add, but I hope you can find something the fits the bill.

Because I've always had dogs for whom food doesn't seem to be an issue, I have been a bit shocked lately to find Sari and Kisho picking up stuff from the street: Kisho I held his muzzle and made him drop it, but with Sari you'd lose a hand if you tried to do that. I think it was just a piece of crust though and she is still with us, so couldn't have been too bad. Kisho's was possum poo and he dropped it when I told him to. Good boy.

[hopenfox]

I started Hope off with a light-weight home-made adapted nylon muzzle (shade cloth at the end so she could still drink and pant), then once she was comfortable with that and was able to eat slightly lumpier food, I changed her to a stronger, but still light plastic basket muzzle.