Elizabethan collar, known as E-collar looks like a lampshade on the head of the dog. However, even though it might look strange, E-collar prevents pets from scratching, licking or anyhow irritating an area that should heal. It is named after the ruff that surrounded the collar of women back in the Elizabethan days, E-collar will restrict your dog’s movement. This product is often used after neutering or spaying or if the dog had some eye injury. There are several types of E-collars and the rigid plastic lampshade is the most common type. Soft E-collars for dogs are easier for your pet to get used to even though they might be less effective than rigid ones. Whatever you decide to buy, choose the size that will fit your dog perfectly and not the smaller collars that are too tight for your pet’s neck.
However, dogs do not prefer wearing E-collars, so you have to help your pet adjust to wearing it. In case you use two-bowl (one for water, one for food) feeder, your furry companion will not manage to eat and drink while wearing E-collar, so you should change it and use two single bowls: narrower and taller, filled to the brim. Anyhow, the whole bowl has to fit inside the E-collar when your doggy’s head is down so that he/she can get the food/water. You can also try with elevating the bowl, but some dogs prefer leaning while eating and drinking. It is important to keep your dog’s E-collar clean, so you should wipe it down the inside and out after each drinking or feeding. Otherwise, E-collar will collect crumbs and it could irritate your pet’s neck. You can also remove your dog’s E-collars from time to time, but only if you are willing to monitor his/her movements completely. When putting the E-collar on, you should care about your pet’s comfort and calmness. If you make the application process to be relaxed and not so traumatic, your dog will feel more comfortable wearing it.