Muzzel

[Oliver Crisp]

I am looking for a muzzel for my 4.5 lb. Yorkie. He eats the mulch the landscapers put down. The mulch gets stuck in his gums or he is digesting it. I need to keep him from doing this before he really gets sick. The little sucker is too quick to stop him. I need a suggestion for where I can get a muzzle for him. Thanks for the help.

[Bammabits]

Originally Posted by Oliver Crisp

I am looking for a muzzel for my 4.5 lb. Yorkie. He eats the mulch the landscapers put down. The mulch gets stuck in his gums or he is digesting it. I need to keep him from doing this before he really gets sick. The little sucker is too quick to stop him. I need a suggestion for where I can get a muzzle for him. Thanks for the help.

Yes, I have the same question today - but because we are experiencing SKUNKS in the night!!! Two hours of barking at 3 a.m. is just not good for anyone...poor baby...poor mama and papa...zzzzzzz

[mimimomo]

A dog muzzle probably won't work bc there's a small hole @ the end for them to breathe. There's cat muzzles that are mesh & breathable & it covers the whole mouth. They should sell it @ petsmart/ petco or pet shops. Just FYI, please don't leave muzzles on for too long, esp in hot days bc it prevents them from breathing properly. Even for grooming, I don't leave it on for more than a min for those that try to bite me when I clip their nails.
I think it would be better to teach him the 'drop it', 'leave it' command(s). It will come in handy, like when walking by the park & they find a chicken wing bone! The command didn't work for Momo when he found the treasure, but he knew what it meant & just held it in his mouth until I pried it out loll. The whole time, I can see in his eyes he's saying, 'no mine mine, no I found it 1st!'

[yorkietalkjilly]

I couldn't do it - would have to train the dog not to bark or use ear plugs and run the fan loud. A muzzle won't really keep a dog from barking anyway as far as I can tell. But muzzle on all night? I just couldn't. What if he gets his mouth hung on it, trying to get it off. Or gets his paw hung in it overnight?

[spiritwings1202]

I couldn't do it either. I don't believe in them at all. Every problem has more than one solution and in my opinion a muzzle is not it for the eating mulch thing and barking at a skunk.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

I couldn't do it - would have to train the dog not to bark or use ear plugs and run the fan loud. A muzzle won't really keep a dog from barking anyway as far as I can tell. But muzzle on all night? I just couldn't. What if he gets his mouth hung on it, trying to get it off. Or gets his paw hung in it overnight?

Oh, geez, I got OP's post mixed up with post #2 about the skunks, etc.

As far as the mulch, I would stop using it or put a fence around the garden or just shoo him away from it as he starts toward it and treat him every times he turns away. Also teach him the "Leave It!" command and when he does take up a piece, tell him "Leave it!" and immediately treat when he does.

I considered using one when my neighbor's cat was pooping in my yard and Tibbe ate and threw it up once with some grass! But ten seconds later, I knew I couldn't ever do that to him and was going to have to find another way. So, I started combing the yard for it, watching him everywhere he went, told him "Stop" when he approached an area first until I could get there and check it out and told him "Leave It!" if he approached a stool before I could get to it and quickly treated. In time it got through to him to avoid the stools and then, the cats stopped using our lawn for a restroom finally. But I think if he were eating mulch, I'd just have to forego its use rather than make his time outside unnatural in a muzzle. I'm afraid he's hear the word "outside" and think "Oh, no! Here comes that muzzle!" and learn to hate to go out with me.

[kimp5]

I found a mesh one at pet smart. I don't let my dog out without being on a leash but let me tell you in two seconds she has her face in bird poo or something nasty. I think if you want piece of mind get one. I just pulled three huge mushrooms out of my garden around the pool my daughter saw yesterday. We only knew to pull them out as the breeder I got her from lost a yorkie to yard mushrooms.. I think if you walk around with the muzzle and she sniffs something bad and u say leave it eventually she will get the message and maybe you can disguard it. They are just too darn fast and my husband would never give up his mulch...
now I don't think muzzling a dog to not bark unattended is a good idea as too many things could go wrong, esp if they get sick and need to vomit they could aspirate the vomit. Try getting up and spraying her with water. They don't like it and it shouldn't take more than a few nights for the dog to get the message...

[My Sophia]

They are just quick as can be aren't they? FYI be very sure that your landscaping isn't Cocoa mulch. It's poisonous for dogs!

[BabyGirl Rosie]

Originally Posted by spiritwings1202

I couldn't do it either. I don't believe in them at all. Every problem has more than one solution and in my opinion a muzzle is not it for the eating mulch thing and barking at a skunk.

I couldn't do it either. I have never used one before and never will. I know some do but it's just not for us.

OP is the mulch at your owned home or are you renting? We don't use mulch. We use white rock instead in our flower beds.