Comfort & Use

Good Fit –> Comfort –> Easy Acceptance

A well fitted Field Guard is easily accepted by most dogs  because it is engineered for comfort:

  • It doesn’t touch the dog’s face or nose.
  • Enough room for the dog to open his mouth and pant.
  • Air circulation all around the dog’s face

THE KEY TO SUCCESS is to adjust the Field Guard to be as comfortable as possible for your dog.   Follow the guidelines below, or download the the latest OutFox Comfort Guide.

SIZEFirst and foremost, it is essential to select the appropriate size Field Guard for your dog. Please reference our Sizing Page for instructions on how to take measurements and choose a size according to your dog’s head shape.

Properly fitted, there will be a 2-3’’ (or 1.5-2’’ for smaller sizes) space between the tip of the dog’s nose and the front end of the
Field Guard. This space is built into each size.  Too large of a size will leave the Field Guard hanging down so far that it might get in the way as the dog walks, making it likely that he will trip over it or that he will step on it and pull it off. Too small of a size will leave inadequate space around the dog’s head, making the Field Guard too close to the sides of his face and reducing space for air circulation.

Room for airflow is necessary for cooling and panting.

Putting the Field Guard On the Gentle WayHold the Field Guard parallel and close to the ground so dog can see treat.

  1. Cinch the elastic Field Guard opening to about the size of your dog’s neck.
  2. Throw a treat in the Field Guard.
  3. Place the Field Guard close to the ground with opening parallel to the ground.
  4. S t r e t c h the opening as far open as possible.    *This is the important part…do not pull the Field Guard over his head.*
  5. Hold the opening parallel to the ground, under your dogs head.  
  6. He will put his head down into it, to get the treat.
  7. Let the opening close around his neck, just behind the ears.

POSTITIONThe position of the Field Guard on your dog is very important in creating a proper fit that ensures comfort.

A common mistake people make is pulling the Field Guard too far down the neck. The Field Guard is designed and shaped to enclose the head only. When it is pulled back toward the neck, it puts the shaping in the wrong places. In addition, pulling it too far down the neck will tilt it upwards and seat it directly against the dog’s muzzle, which irritates the dog and does not allow room to pant. The following images show correct vs. incorrect position:

OutFox correct fit position

With the Field Guard positioned correctly, it encloses only the dog’s head and will remain in its proper forward-facing position and move with the dog as he turns his head. Additionally, when the straps are adjusted correctly, there will be some slack to the straps to allow the dog to put his head down without pulling the Field Guard backward.

ELASTIC OPENINGIf the elastic around the opening of the Field Guard is too tight, the dog will be uncomfortable, and very likely to take off the Field Guard.

Contrary to belief, the elastic is not designed to secure the Field Guard on the dog; instead, its function is to create the pouf shape that “cups” the back of the dog’s head.  The elastic around the opening of the Field Guard should not be tight.  It should be the same circumference as the dog’s upper neck, no looser, no tighter.  Once adjusted, you will simply stretch the elastic opening to slip the Field Guard on and off.

STRAPS The Velcro straps are designed to secure the Field Guard to the dog’s collar. But for safety, they are designed to release if the Field Guard becomes caught on something so the dog will not become entangled. See the Safety Information page for more information on the Velcro straps.

GATHER ADJUSTMENTSAdjust gathers for more room for tall ears, or for more room for extra long ears

POINTED EARSDogs with ears that stand up generally don’t have a problem with the Field Guard. It is designed to have a generous amount of space around the dogs head and the mesh is flexible but not stiff or soft.  The Field Guard is light-weight and won’t be tight on their ears, but the ears will naturally fold down on their own.  Their ears fold down the same as when they duck under a fence or go through a low dog door.

The following images shows a dog with pointed ears and how his ears naturally fold down.

Pointed ears do fine in the Field Guard because it is lightweight and loose fitting