How do I keep the dog out of the garbage??

[KalamazooMom]

Here's my latest problem. When we first got the dog we had a regular garbage can (open at the top) which of course she got into. So I ended up buying one of those "simple human" ones with a lid that stays closed. That worked for several months. Well the other day when I was gone she figured out how to tip it over and get the lid open and she made a big mess of course. And since then she's done it every day. Is there some kind of garbage can I can buy that she won't get into? Do I have to put the garbage can outside when I leave? How would I train her to stay out of the garbage? Or is the best answer to get a crate and work on crate training her?

[Ola_]

Can you put the garbage can inside a cabinet in the kitchen? Some folks even put it behind closed doors in a closet, pantry, or any room that is closed off from the dog.

[oneKnight]

Crate training solves a multitude of problems. She's likely bored, and if it isn't the trash then she will find some OTHER way to entertain herself - that you won't like.

Most dogs learn to sleep in the crate, and you can provide a Kong and/or toy for her while still being sure that the dog won't make up their own toys while you are out.

[SevenVeils]

If that's the only problem, then I don't think she needs to be crated when you're gone. Just put the trash outside or something. If putting the trash outside (or in the laundry room if it has a closing door, or somewhere else that she can. not. access) is too hard, then it will have to be crate training.

If, after you remove the trash, some other problem crops up (it likely won't, actually, but this depends on the dog), then you can address that problem or crate her.

[KalamazooMom]

Originally Posted by SevenVeils

If that's the only problem, then I don't think she needs to be crated when you're gone. Just put the trash outside or something. If putting the trash outside (or in the laundry room if it has a closing door, or somewhere else that she can. not. access) is too hard, then it will have to be crate training.

Well honestly it isn't the only problem. She has gotten things off the kitchen counter-- ate a bag of brown sugar, ate a bowl of strawberries, and recently got a bottle of antibiotics -- chewed the bottle open and ate all the pills. We had to give her peroxide to get her to vomit. So when I think about all this stuff together I lean toward trying the crate.

[SevenVeils]

Oh, well certainly you can't expect to keep food or hazardous items on your counter, trash where it is accessible, and not crate your dog!

[june'smom]

I vote crate. I can't always clean my counters before I leave, but I know my puppy with get at anything when I am gone. I have to crate her. (Unless she has been running all day long and is too tired to move).

It really isn't mean to crate them. It saves everyone a lot of trouble.

[lifeguard]

We just keep the garbage out of reach. ime once a garbage lover always a garbage lover & their persistence means they will eventually figure out any lid.

[KalamazooMom]

Originally Posted by june'smom

I vote crate. I can't always clean my counters before I leave, but I know my puppy with get at anything when I am gone. I have to crate her. (Unless she has been running all day long and is too tired to move).

It just seems so random when she has gotten stuff off the counters. I leave a bowl of sugar up there all the time and she never touched it. But then she took the whole bag of brown sugar. The day she got the bottle of pills the peanut butter was right next to it and she never touched it.

[CarrieMF]

We don't crate our dogs. If we're gone & they're inside we usually put the baby gate up so they can't get into the kitchen, living room, bedrooms. They have full access to the basement though. The older dog only knocks the gate down if there's a thunderstorm & we're on vacation.

[onlyzombiecat]

Can you put your trash in a room with a door or put up a baby gate?
Take the trash out when you are not home.

Confining the dog to a crate when you aren't there is a good idea.
Keeping stuff off the counters is a good idea.

Maybe something like this that goes in a cabinet.

Or maybe a tilt out trash cabinet thing?