I think it's going to have to be a muzzle *UPDATE*

[Neon]

Having a bad day today.  I thought Toby would stop eating everything he sees once his teeth were through but it seems to be getting worse.  Last July he made himself ill by eating something he shouldn't have.  He had sickness and the squirts but luckily was better after 24 hours.  Last night he sicked up some strange looking piece of plant/twig then was sick again over night.  (he seems fine in himself and so far has been OK today but I'm watching him like a hawk).  Taking him for a walk is a nightmare.  You name it, it goes in his mouth and now we have acorns lying on the ground which are poisonous.  He pulls like mad to get at something and was trying to get toadstools the other day.  I stood talking to someone today and pulled 4 twigs out of his mouth in ten minutes.  I'm frightened to let him off the lead now.  It takes half an hour to walk a hundred yards cos he's grabbing at loads of stuff to put in his mouth and I'm frantically trying to get it out again.  I've come to the conclusion that he now needs a muzzle while out as this is the only thing that will stop him.  I really don't want to but don't seem to have any choice.  I'm so worried he will end up killing himself.  Do you peeps think a muzzle is a good idea?  Would love to know what you think.  Thanks.

[Ninasmum]

Have you tried getting him to carry a ball?   
If Alfie (although he is not a pupster) starts chomping on acorns i get him to carry an indestructable ball, which stops him.  the soft type balls don't work because he will destroy them. 
or you could take a favourite toy/treats out on walks & distract him with this    I think its a case of getting him to focus on you, although tis' not always easy esp. with a pupster. 

[Poppsie]

Awww Mel know how you feel at this moment in time I'm having the same problem, but just think I've got twice the trouble .
Phoebe is a little sod for picking things up mia can be as norty but she will drop them if I say spit it out . Phoebe is very defiant and the more I say something to her the more she will hang on to it . Mia will get a twig and carry it around rather than eat it, but believe it or not Toby will grow out of it, I know wish it was sooner rather than later but you hang on in there girl  x x x

[Neon]

Hi Ninasmum

Toby's not interested in balls but the other day he picked up a leaflet and walked with this in his mouth.  I thought "great, now he'll leave other stuff alone" but after a few minutes he dropped it in favour of something more "interesting".  I know cocker pups can be mouthy but I've had two in the past and they were nothing like this.  He really is worrying me now.  It seems like it's compulsive for him to have something in his mouth at all times.  It's spoiling our walks because everytime we go out, I wonder if he's going to get back in one piece.

I'm also wondering that if I do muzzle him, will he be able to open his mouth enough to pant because he gets very hot on walks.  If not, then a muzzle is out of the question.  

[Neon]

Thanks Di.  It wouldn't be so bad if he just kept it in his mouth but he chews and tries to swallow it.  Our walks consist of me putting my fingers in his mouth to try and get something out. They're really no fun.

[Jonnydog]

When we had the tail trauma with Jonny a couple of years back, we used to muzzle him on walks to stop him sneaking bites at his tail while out and about (having broken numerous lampshade cones!). We got a sort of basket weave plastic one that was big enough for him to pant etc. I worked better than the mesh one for the purpose but didn't allow him to drink. I guess that would be an advantage in Toby-the-hoover's case!

Maybe if he gets out of the habit of picking stuff up you could phase out the muzzle.

Hope you find a solution. Having dogs sure does test your ingenuity!

[Poppsie]

Mel instead of a muzzle what about a halti?? this will also help if he is a puller on the lead  x x x

[Darwin]

Wish there was an easy solution.  I've also considered a muzzle as Darwin will eat anything.   At the moment I'm tending to use a Dogmatic Head Collar, which is helping.  Yet you have to be constantly alert.  But it is amazing how quickly they can grab something.   Last week Darwin was an absolute chocolate monster.    Not little dropped squares, whole great big slabs of it.  One day it's Diary Milk, the next Aero.   I thought he was just sniffing etc, but no he grabbed a jumbo sized bar of green areo from a bush    He was very disappointed as I managed to get the whole thing off him.

[Sherlock]

Sherlock will eat everything he can find too. He will usually just hold it in his mouth or chew on it for a while and then drop it, but if we try to get it off him he'll quickly swallow it.  So if he's got something dangerous (there are loads of conkers around at the mo) it's impossible to know what to do - leave him to it until he drops it, or try and wrestle it off him and risk him swallowing it.

So I know how you feel. I dunno what the answer is except a short lead and constant vigilance. I'm loathe to put a muzzle on Sherlock, but do let us know how it goes if you try one with Toby.

[Neon]

I think I will give it a go and let you know how he gets on.  On this evening's walk I retrieved 1 whole conker, 2 pieces of bark chipping, a small conifer branch, a piece of gauze and the remains of a tennis ball  then of course there was the stuff that I couldn't get. 

Jonnydog, do you have a picture of the muzzle you used for Jonny so I have some idea?  Thanks all.

[Goggins]

Norty Toby...I really sympathise after having a boxer who ate everything she could!! Ended up on New years day at emergency vet having a fish hook and line removed from her tongue when I walked her on the beach. She was a complete dustbin    Thankfully, she was quite good and spat most things out on command.

A friend of mine has a lab who he has to muzzle to stop him from grazing on everything...he uses a Baskerville muzzle made by the company of animals. Allows them to pant and drink through it too But it doesnt stop do-gooders trying to stuff treats through it so Charlie can have something "tasty"  I think his owner dispairs!!!

[Karma]

TBH I'd rather put a muzzle on a dog than restrict them to on-lead only walks...  

The best plan would be to combine the use of the muzzle (a basket muzzle would be the best bet  http://www.snackandtack.co.uk/pets-c5/dog-c6/leads-collars-c135/basket-muzzle-p1331?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=1472&utm_campaign=froogle#1472) with encouraging much more focus on you during your walks (you can feed small treats through a basket muzzle) - I wouldn't stand and talk with someone for 10 mins with my adult dog, let alone a pup, as they get bored and look for mischief!    Do fun training, hide-and-seek, take the muzzle off and play tuggy for a short period (then put it back on!), train him to sit when he sees a specific object, and then see if you can send him out to "find" the object and show you (by sitting) where it is.  The more you give him to do, the easier it will be to break the habit of scavenging.

At home, really focus on training a reliable "leave" and "give".

Then, once you have all that established, you can start phasing out the muzzle...  

[Neon]

I really sympathise after having a boxer who ate everything she could!! Ended up on New years day at emergency vet having a fish hook and line removed from her tongue when I walked her on the beach.

A friend of mine has a lab who he has to muzzle to stop him from grazing on everything...he uses a Baskerville muzzle made by the company of animals. Allows them to pant and drink through it too But it doesnt stop do-gooders trying to stuff treats through it so Charlie can have something "tasty"   I think his owner dispairs!!!

Poor girl, that must have been awful for her (and you). Thanks for that info, I'll have a look at them.

TBH I'd rather put a muzzle on a dog than restrict them to on-lead only walks...  

The best plan would be to combine the use of the muzzle (a basket muzzle would be the best bet  http://www.snackandtack.co.uk/pets-c5/dog-c6/leads-collars-c135/basket-muzzle-p1331?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=1472&utm_campaign=froogle#1472) with encouraging much more focus on you during your walks (you can feed small treats through a basket muzzle) - I wouldn't stand and talk with someone for 10 mins with my adult dog, let alone a pup, as they get bored and look for mischief!    Do fun training, hide-and-seek, take the muzzle off and play tuggy for a short period (then put it back on!), train him to sit when he sees a specific object, and then see if you can send him out to "find" the object and show you (by sitting) where it is.  The more you give him to do, the easier it will be to break the habit of scavenging.

At home, really focus on training a reliable "leave" and "give".

Then, once you have all that established, you can start phasing out the muzzle...  

Thanks so much for the muzzle information, will have a look.  I agree that I would rather muzzle him than keep to on lead walks.  Yes, at home and on walks I'm focussing on "leave".  It's sinking in to some extent but he does get very distracted.  Phew, these pupsters are such a worry!

[Jonnydog]

It was the Baskerville muzzle we had for Jonny. Good luck!

[Sarah.H]

This morning I walked past three dogs with muzzles on. Two of them were off lead and fine meeting our two so I would imagine it's for the same reason  .