I need to stop my dog eating stuff while out walking

[mymatejack]

Hi, my dog ended up at the vet in a bad way last week with an obstruction after eating a fruit stone.  He finds all sorts of crap(sometimes literally) to eat while out walking and he's too fast for me to stop him every time.  I think a muzzle is going to be the best option, although i don't like the idea of people thinking he's aggressive I think for his own safety it's necessary.

 

What muzzle would you recommend for this purpose?  

 

He's a Staffordshire Bull Terrier

[asal]

so many stories about people whose dogs have eaten meat with pins or glass or poison in it... so you have the right idea and yep staffies like labradors are food vacuums

 

maybe have a dog coat on with im a rubbish guts, or

 

 im a food guts.... get em laughing if nothing else

 

maybe,  'I'm a garbage guts" perhaps?
'

Edited May 19, 2019 by asal

[Rebanne]

who cares what other people think as long as your dog is safe? A muzzle will solve your problem. Try googling muzzles for staffies and you should find something that will fit. Or follow the link Snook provided or try a large pet shop. Maybe send off an email to your states Staffordshire club, explain your problem and ask them if they can point you to a good muzzle.

[Two Best Dogs!]

A muzzle is definitely your most reliable way, because  if your attention flags or dog is offlead or something just smells that good before you notice - you got that back up. I use mine in 1080 baiting areas, I'm not leaving anything to chance.

 

Make sure it is one that allows your dog to open their mouth to breath.

 

I find they're very difficult to correctly measure so your best bet is trying a bunch on in the pet store. I find none of my online ones really fit as well than the ones I buy in person then alter to fit (e.g. you can boil them to change the shape a bit). Best friends, pet barn, pet stock, pet warehouse. Baskervilles are the usual good ones because plastic is soft. A staffie would probably be a size 3 in baskerville.

 

You want them to fit something like this with space between nose. Kind of like this page but even slightly looser:

https://muzzleupproject.com/2014/07/15/muzzle-faqs-measuring-for-a-proper-fit/

 

 

Then, after getting a good fit, use something like duct tape to fill in the gaps so they can't squash food in (pet stores don't sell the food guards and the jafco muzzles aren't very good for walks/extended use as they allow NO airflow whatsoever. shitty muzzles especially on hot days)

(if you need to reward, practice slipping food in from the top to land in the "bowl" for the dog)

 

I find nobody is really concerned about the muzzles in person. Might get some comments if you share photos on social media, but in person the kind of person to comment on your muzzle would prob find something else about your dog to nitpick in its absence.

 

If it bothers you a lot, lots of people decorate to make for a more friendly appearance:

 

 

Mine looks decorated but actually I was just making it softer for my dog so it didn't bother her:

Edited May 19, 2019 by Two Best Dogs!

[persephone]

You have made a wise decision  Now it's a matter of getting a good muzzle , FITTED  properly . Then a bit of training for you both , and hey, presto ... walks with no fear of possible surgery! It makes such a difference ...been there, done that !

[persephone]

2 minutes ago, Two Best Dogs! said:

Then, after getting a good fit, use something like duct tape to fill in the gaps so they can't squash food in:

I don't like this idea..it cuts way back on airflow  a decent muzzle won't have huge gaps like those greyhound muzzles do , and a decent muzzle, like THIS ONE is made to allow for proper breathing , NOT to be modified . 

[Two Best Dogs!]

I disagree, the jafcos are absolutely shocking for airflow. The condensation from the dogs own mouth rebounds back on itself, the whole area heats up quick, it's not good for drinking through and near impossible to reward in. It's really bad for extended walks or anything of duration, especially in warm weather. Night time and cooler weathers possibly suitable but I wouldn't risk it person.

 

Buying a good open muzzle and then filling in the gaps yourself necessary for the dog (it likely won't need as much as those poop eating greyhounds) allows much more airflow. Plus, if it restricts it too much the tape is easy enough to remove and start over.

 

Jafcos....not much adjustment option at alls.

 

(I really hate jafcos sorry!! any other muzzle but a jafco or those fabric bite restriction ones. so badly designed for activity)

[Two Best Dogs!]

Add your own food guard over about these areas would likely be more than sufficient. You don't needs to do up the sides like the greyhound person did, just the bottom areas so dog cannot smoosh face into the food and get that way.

 

Tape between these gaps as an example:

 

Still able to drink, relatively good airflow, can reward from above. Much like the UK yard muzzles for greyhounds, except those would not fit a staffie at all. Baskerville size 3 or maybe 4 would likely fit.

 

Sorry Perse I REALLY hate the jafocs and my bias shows

[persephone]

1 hour ago, Two Best Dogs! said:

Sorry Perse I REALLY hate the jafocs and my bias shows

fairynuff

[mymatejack]

Thanks everyone for the replies  

 

The main reason why i don't want people judging him is he loves to say hello to other dogs and I can't imagine too many people coming close enough to him wearing a muzzle for that to happen.  But it won't stop me putting one on him to save him from his stomach.

 

I'll take a trip to the local pet store and try a few on.  Thanks again for the replies

[PANDI-GIRL]

@mymatejack  have you tried  a Halti or Gentle Leader head harness for your dog,  With one on you have good head control 

[persephone]

11 hours ago, mymatejack said:

 I can't imagine too many people coming close enough to him wearing a muzzle for that to happen

is he walking on a nice loose lead ? Or is this when he is in a dog park/off-lead area ?

maybe he can be rewarded with some treats YOU give him for NOT saying hello to other dogs , or trying to pick up stuff ? Saying hello to other dogs  can sometimes lead to misunderstandings between dogs and humans  

make it a fun time with muzzle time ... make it a time when you maybe teach some tricks ..rewarding him with lots of play/praise, or treats , so he has other things to think about! 
Some of our working sheepdogs wear muzzles on occasion ..and you should see how excited they get when  The Boss asks them to come put  their "helmets" on !! they know what comes next  

[Papillon Kisses]

The Baskerville Ultra. You can pretty it up if you want. You can also teach your dog to drop items for high value treats, which you can take along with you on walks. Then if he nabs something you can swap it for something safe.

Edited May 20, 2019 by Papillon Kisses

[mymatejack]

9 hours ago, persephone said:

is he walking on a nice loose lead ? Or is this when he is in a dog park/off-lead area ?

maybe he can be rewarded with some treats YOU give him for NOT saying hello to other dogs , or trying to pick up stuff ? Saying hello to other dogs  can sometimes lead to misunderstandings between dogs and humans  

make it a fun time with muzzle time ... make it a time when you maybe teach some tricks ..rewarding him with lots of play/praise, or treats , so he has other things to think about! 
Some of our working sheepdogs wear muzzles on occasion ..and you should see how excited they get when  The Boss asks them to come put  their "helmets" on !! they know what comes next  

It's just for when he's on lead walking around the neighbourhood.  I find it amazing how many bones and other things somehow end up in people's gardens and on their nature strips(this is suburban Melbourne!) plus the fruit bats take fruit to non-fruit trees to eat and then drop the stones on the ground so they can be anywhere.  We're careful about interactions with other dogs and try to communicate with the other owner beforehand(not always possible when you meet on a blind corner) and most people are happy for the dogs to say hello, generally those who aren't have already crossed the street before we get to them 

 

The only time he's really off lead is at the beach and there isn't much there for him to eat so I won't be using the muzzle there.

[mymatejack]

10 hours ago, PANDI-GIRL said:

@mymatejack  have you tried  a Halti or Gentle Leader head harness for your dog,  With one on you have good head control 

His walks are his time to have a good sniff around and enjoy and I don't want that to change plus he can find something and have it in his mouth before I've had a chance to see it - the more I try to stop him the faster he swallows   I think a muzzle is the best option, aside from other people being worried about him there isn't really any downside to it and the upside is we can keep doing what we do with peace of mind

[kamuzz]

@mymatejack Yes, I can SO relate to what you are saying. In our suburb there seem to be people that dump their food scraps onto the nature strip. There is also a local  KFC, and the amount of chicken bones that get discarded along the foot paths is staggering.

 

My dog once managed to sniff out a packet of sandwiches that some kid had stuffed into a hedge. By the time I realised what was going on, they were consumed cling wrap and all. 

[mymatejack]

On 01/06/2019 at 2:35 PM, kamuzz said:

@mymatejack Yes, I can SO relate to what you are saying. In our suburb there seem to be people that dump their food scraps onto the nature strip. There is also a local  KFC, and the amount of chicken bones that get discarded along the foot paths is staggering.

 

My dog once managed to sniff out a packet of sandwiches that some kid had stuffed into a hedge. By the time I realised what was going on, they were consumed cling wrap and all. 

Yep, that's pretty much how it is here, KFC left overs in all sorts of places, kids sandwiches discarded in random places although it's the things like lamb chop bones on nature strips and gardens that puzzle me lol.  We also have lots of fruit trees around the neighbourhood which is what caused the recent problem but the random cooked bones worry me too

[Jumabaar]

On 19/05/2019 at 6:51 PM, Two Best Dogs! said:

I disagree, the jafcos are absolutely shocking for airflow. The condensation from the dogs own mouth rebounds back on itself, the whole area heats up quick, it's not good for drinking through and near impossible to reward in. It's really bad for extended walks or anything of duration, especially in warm weather. Night time and cooler weathers possibly suitable but I wouldn't risk it person.

 

Buying a good open muzzle and then filling in the gaps yourself necessary for the dog (it likely won't need as much as those poop eating greyhounds) allows much more airflow. Plus, if it restricts it too much the tape is easy enough to remove and start over.

 

Jafcos....not much adjustment option at alls.

 

(I really hate jafcos sorry!! any other muzzle but a jafco or those fabric bite restriction ones. so badly designed for activity)

Love this and super true!

I do use jafcos- for training because they hold food in them quite well. And I will use them when a dog is a significant bite risk while I am waiting for sedation to kick in. But for every day life they are not a great option. 

[teddybeans]

what kind of muzzle do you recommend for dogs with beards.  I use something like this one - https://www.amazon.com/Small-Muzzle-Downtown-Pet-Supply/dp/B003MROHZW but its horrible for my schnauzers and they hate it.

[persephone]

22 hours ago, teddybeans said:

what kind of muzzle do you recommend for dogs with beards.  I use something like this one - https://www.amazon.com/Small-Muzzle-Downtown-Pet-Supply/dp/B003MROHZW but its horrible for my schnauzers and they hate it.

 
Those muzzles are purely to stop dogs biting  at a vet visit or similar short period of time  ..they  do not let a dog pant to cool down/breathe properly ..and can be dangerous
Why do you need to muzzle your dogs ? 

To get a correct fit , you need to measure your dog accurately .
have a look at these ...  *click here*

Edited June 10, 2019 by persephone