can my dog eat stuff with a muzzle on?

PS: how did you hear about the dog issues here in china?

We have been following it on TV and on the internet. It is so hard to watch and so frustrating to feel so helpless. We've witnessed your suffering and we are sorry for it.

Paula

thanks everyone... i do feel better knowing that people at LEAST know what's going on here. it's is so frustrating, and it's breaking my heart knowing that i might have to give at least one of my dogs away. i have never been afraid of the police before. but now i catch myself getting so nervous, when i see a police car, even when i'm not out with my dogs. i walk them almost exclusively at night and at the moment i don't even dare take them out to see the vet.
anyways, i'm planning to get one of them registered to my mother's house. maybe that will work...
 
about the head halter though. i'm not sure i understand.. my problem is when my dog is OFF leash. on the leash i can always enforce my drop it command anyways..

I'm sorry about your situation. You're right, the head halter won't work off leash.   I can't offer any advice, but just wanted to say I understand about the food / trash issues.  I walk my dogs on leash, and I have the same problem of trying to decide if they are just sniffing or eating something.  Very frustrating.
 
That's a good idea about registering your other dog at your mom's house.  You might have to take one dog to the vet under your mom's name as well.  I hope it doesn't get to the point of having to exercise them seperately. 
 
I worry about what they could be eating - I don't want them getting hold of something that will make them sick.   If you can, I might try not feeding them dinner before you take them out.  Take their kibble / dinner with you.  Use this time as much as you can in training them to keep coming back to you.  So, that they learn that you always have food on you.  Initially in training sessions like this, you want to start with really fantastic treats to call them away.  But, I have also found that my hungry dogs will also come just for their regular kibble.  All I can suggest is to keep them coming back to you regularly and to learn the "leave it" command.  And lots and lots of praise when they do "drop it".   
 
I wish people wouldn't throw trash around - what a bad problem for others to put up with.   Has this area always had lots of trash?  Is it just the people in your apartment complex?  Do you think if someone cleaned it up and put out trash cans that the people might start keeping it clean? Maybe it's just been trashed for so long, that the people living there just don't think any better of keeping it clean?   That is going to be the best answer -- if you can get the area cleaned up and get the people to keep it clean.  I know, that's a difficult solution, and unlikely - but may be worth trying.  Good luck.

yes, i hope i dont have to exercise them seperately as well. i am a student living alone, and i don't have THAT much time for my dogs. in fact i would never have agreed to taking these dogs if i didnt know, they didnt have anyone better... it's just such a messed up situation right now..
 
about the littering... well i am fortunate to live in a good building complex, and there's staff, that cleans up garbage and such. thing is, those small "treats" that are lying around in the grass are often missed... heck, i dont even see them. as for trying to get people to litter less, oh boy, i won't even try. people here just dont have that way of thinking (yet). i dont mean to sound mean, but it's just a fact.
 
and i have been training them with treats (again) since about 2 weeks already. i AM seeing progress, but as i said. moca is a slow learner. she is super hyper (not being able to walk her enough, out of fear of being caught, doesnt exactly help either) and easily distracted. i guess it will come with time. this issue just bugs me a little, cause my dogs are actually very obedient, and i have gotten so used to it. it makes me feel a little, like it's a step backwards. but hey, i know it's normal. just gotta put in some efford
 
anyways, it's really nice to see how much people care and i am glad i registered to this forum (this was my first post). i was subscribed to another site before and it changed to paid membership and i kinda missed having support from experienced dog owners. it not only helps getting answers, but also motivates me to work more with my dogs.

as for trying to get people to litter less, oh boy, i won't even try. people here just dont have that way of thinking (yet). i dont mean to sound mean, but it's just a fact.

I live in NYC and our situation's not much different from yours. Have to fight over chicken bone wing or pizza crust at least a couple times a week, and that only b/c I eagle eye everything and "uh uh" every couple blocks. DH thought about a muzzle too, guess it's not the best idea...

Don't give up.  If you need to, just keep posting here for moral support.  []    We're glad you joined here, and your little dogs in your picture are really cute!   While I'm sorry that having two is more trouble, I am glad that they have each other.  Dogs are pack animals and they are definately happier with another dog around.   So, I am so glad that you are taking this extra effort for them.  Keep at it, Moca will come around and pick up on things soon.

my problem is when my dog is OFF leash

 
perhaps the best solution to the garbage eating would be to keep them on leash. i know it does not sound like fun, and it isnt, i have to leash my bird dog at all times because he will chase things, but it is the price i pay to know my dog is safe.
 
good luck, i am really sorry about the new dog law you have there, i hope you find a way to keep both of them.

If your dog is wearing a basket muzzle, then they can still eat, drink, and pant.  I'm also inexperienced with muzzles, and have never used one, but I read this online.
 
[linkhttp://www.leatherbrothers.com/Muzzles/M180-2.htm]http://www.leatherbrothers.com/Muzzles/M180-2.htm[/link]
This doesn't say anything about the dog eating or drinking, but it has many different sized muzzles - from Yorkies to Great Danes!

ORIGINAL: janetmichel3009
about the head halter though. i'm not sure i understand.. my problem is when my dog is OFF leash. on the leash i can always enforce my drop it command anyways..

 
Well, a head halter is something that you put on your dog's head, just like on a horse.  It makes it so that you have better control of your dog, and they also won't pull so much.  You attach the leash under their chin.  Be sure to never, ever, EVER, use a head halter while if they are on really long leashes/lines, or on retractable leashes, as they could take off running, hit the end of the line, and snap their head sideways.  You mentioned before that you didn't want to take your dogs to the vet because of a law for owning a certain number of dogs?  Well, if this happened, you would have no choice, really.

oh well, how complicated it is.
i won't get a head halter anyways, cause to be really i dont see the point so much. i have very good control of both of my dogs on the leash. they are taught not to pull and obey most times (unless there's other dogs around, but it's a work in progress []).
 
and yes, before this new dog law thing, i would often just do long walks on leash to excersise instead of letting them off leash. but now i don't dare leaving my apartment complex with them and i also dont dare stay outside too long in fear of being caught by police. so i do let them run together (they run like CRAZY. i have never seen any of the other dogs here run so fast) to at least get some of the energy out.
 
anyways, what i'm doing now is this: i ALWAYS keep treats with me, and i let them run, but not very far (i'm working slowly, slowly, slooowly to let them go farther from me every time). because i noticed the closer moca is, the better her response. i guess basically i have to train her recall and drop it command again.
anyways, i'm already seeing improvement. things are going better. i just had 3 wonderful walks off leash in a row. and yesterday she actually spit out some nuts, when i told her to drop it. i didnt even have to "go after them". i praised her for it, and rewarded with a whole handful of treats. so YAY!! [] i'll get there eventually.
oh yeah, and i'm complimenting this with some basic obedience of commands she already knows. i'd like to teach her new tricks, but i'm afraid, i'm way too busy at the moment. but come christmas, i will teach both of them a new trick each. any suggestions for a funny trick? a guy told me once, he trained his dog to smile (baring his teeth on one side). i think that's a cute trick, but i have no idea, how i would go about teaching that...

ORIGINAL: janetmichel3009

oh well, how complicated it is.
i won't get a head halter anyways, cause to be really i dont see the point so much. i have very good control of both of my dogs on the leash. they are taught not to pull and obey most times (unless there's other dogs around, but it's a work in progress []).

and yes, before this new dog law thing, i would often just do long walks on leash to excersise instead of letting them off leash. but now i don't dare leaving my apartment complex with them and i also dont dare stay outside too long in fear of being caught by police. so i do let them run together (they run like CRAZY. i have never seen any of the other dogs here run so fast) to at least get some of the energy out.

anyways, what i'm doing now is this: i ALWAYS keep treats with me, and i let them run, but not very far (i'm working slowly, slowly, slooowly to let them go farther from me every time). because i noticed the closer moca is, the better her response. i guess basically i have to train her recall and drop it command again.
anyways, i'm already seeing improvement. things are going better. i just had 3 wonderful walks off leash in a row. and yesterday she actually spit out some nuts, when i told her to drop it. i didnt even have to "go after them". i praised her for it, and rewarded with a whole handful of treats. so YAY!! [] i'll get there eventually.
oh yeah, and i'm complimenting this with some basic obedience of commands she already knows. i'd like to teach her new tricks, but i'm afraid, i'm way too busy at the moment. but come christmas, i will teach both of them a new trick each. any suggestions for a funny trick? a guy told me once, he trained his dog to smile (baring his teeth on one side). i think that's a cute trick, but i have no idea, how i would go about teaching that...

 
Sounds like you're making progress![]

WOW! This has to be the funniest post ever!
 
LMAO

yes i am making progress.. so happy []
 
and why is it funny?? i dont get it...

It is best to keep them on leash and safe.

that's easy for you to say, when you have the opportunity to exercise them outside and on leash. i don't. i don't dare stay outside with them for more than 10 min at a time in fear of having them confiscated. so i'd much rather let them run (the are no cars, where i let them run) with each other like crazy in that time to make the most of it..