Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsThe Best of Current Choices
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2012
My one-year-old dog, a black lab/greyhound mix, eats rocks. Lots of rocks. And after an expensive surgery to alleviate the latest mineral meal, we knew it was time to try something different, before she killed herself or our bank account. We purchased this muzzle, along with a plastic "Basket Cage Dog Muzzle", hoping one of the two might work.
The generic one was a bust--the strap mechanism was awful, simply sliding off, and construction was cheap. We dumped it within a day.
This, on the other hand, has much more possibility. The rubber is flexible yet tough, much more reliable than the first one. And it feels like it would be more comfortable (although, of course, she hates it--who wouldn't, except perhaps Hannibal Lector?). Now, on the downside, she's already broken on of the ribs/spokes/bars of the cage, not in a way that helps her eat rocks, but we've only had it for three weeks, so I'll admit I'm concerned about its longevity.
The straps, too, are rugged, but they also present the biggest issue. It's a belt-like design, with a tongue that slips through holes. And the holes are hidden in a strange fold-like construction of the strap. So every time you're starting out from ground zero, with different tightness, sliding the strap back and forth, hoping to catch a hole on the tongue. Which doesn't sound like a big deal, until you remember ... it's a dog. And dogs aren't that patient, particularly when they want to go outside. My children get so frustrated with the issue they often "forget" to put the muzzle on, and my wife complains about it as well. I keep telling them, "with use, I'm sure the holes will open up," but so far, they really haven't. An alternative construction, with one of those snapping clasps on the same rugged strap, would make all the difference in the world.
There is an additional strap, which runs over the dog's head between the eyes and attaches to the main strap. A good idea for stability and snugness, but the design of the clasp doesn't actually fit well on the main strap itself, and it's constantly coming off, leaving that strap to swing and bap our dog in the face.
Now, the final element--besides rocks, she also eats poop. Yes, I know. Ech. And since she's worn the muzzle ... we've still witnessed her eat poop, through the holes. The holes in this muzzle are much larger than those in the cheap "basket" one referenced above, and they allow entry of much more than water. So, is she still eating rocks? We haven't seen her do it yet, poop's a bit more malleable, but I'm not guaranteed she hasn't.
So I give it a three, probably would choose three and a half if available, based on our limited experiences, but even with the promotion of this muzzle as a breakthrough device, I think there's great room for improvement in this particular product area.
