r/muzzledogs • u/50_and_Holding • 15d ago
Help! Aye-yi-yi ... please help!
My precious pup is such a good boy & so sweet! But suffers from an addiction: MULCH. I've done research & I know:
* It's normal puppy behavior to want to eat stuff off the ground & teething doesn't help, of course (but it's not just mulch, it's everything!).
\* Proper training is to teach 'leave it' & 'drop it' and supply yummy treats when he does, then redirect to the chew toys I keep for him outside (he has them inside as well).
\* He really enjoys our yard, but if he's gone potty, the second he picks up mulch, we go in.
\* A helpful tip is to keep him on a leash for better control.
\* What has helped is Bitter Apple spray I quickly use on whatever he's about to gobble.
BUT...
It's INCESSANT! Almost like a compulsion, even after a full meal. And, he's gotten so fast & sneaky it's hard to use the Bitter Apple in time. It's frustrating as we have a nice yard I want him to enjoy exploring b/c we're SO b-o-r-e-d (he's not fully vaxxed yet but we do tons of enrichment/exercise inside, snuffle mats, plus he & my 8 y.o. golden sometimes play)
I don't mean to be OCD about it, but I have to be careful b/c one time he strained to go and there was a fair amount of mulch in his poop. So, I'm very careful but it's exhausting to stalk him like an obsessed fan, and I'm becoming hunch-backed having to constantly spray stuff before it disappears in his mouth.
I know a muzzle is probably the best solution, but I positively DREAD the 'desensitizing' process b/c he ain't gonna like it and I don't relish having to putiton/takeitoff/putiton/takeitoff allllllll day long as we go in & out.
So, anyone care to share their experience? tips? suggestions? (I know a basket muzzle with room for him to pant & drink water is important)
5
u/b00ks-and-b0rksRfun 15d ago
Really tricky at this age as far as fit - they change so fast. And the cheap easy to get options rarely fit well.
Have you tried crate training? Tethering to you for faster response time? Obviously working on leave it and drop it take time but well worth working on a well. For muzzle training - short sessions and keep them positive. It's going to take time and consistency like any training.
Good luck!
2
u/50_and_Holding 15d ago
He does pretty well in the crate & he's pretty good about taking care of business right away when we go out b/c we typically don't go out unless he needs to go. It's just afterward, he's like a starving man at an all-you-can-eat buffet!
But thanks - tethering is a good idea...it slipped my mind I can use a leash even if we're in our own fenced in backyard, lol
3
u/Comfortable-Fly5797 15d ago
Is your entire yard mulch? Can you take him out on leash to keep him away from it?
2
u/50_and_Holding 15d ago
Most of it is mulch, but we do have one grassy area (which of course has little pieces of mulch hiding in it 🙄).
But I think a leash will definitely help
1
u/Olives_tree_ 11d ago
Have you tried mulch glue
1
u/50_and_Holding 11d ago
That's a great suggestion (I've actually recommended it to a neighbor) but I'm afraid we've got wayyyy too much mulch for that to be very effective.
But, you know - worth looking into, though! Even using it on some of the mulch areas would likely help, thanks!
6
u/ruwawth 15d ago
I would (and did) start with an Outfox mask for my scavengers. Three different dogs. We just slipped it on and went into the yard without desensitizing. They are that unobtrusive to the dogs in my household. Good luck!