Garbage Eater...
But after lunch today, I dumped a few bones in the trash. Go to the back of the house to do some normal cleaning up, and hear him in the kitchen coughing. Mind you, he was sleeping in the other room when I left the kitchen! He just won't stop. He's ok for a few days, maybe a week, then he's back at it. We've done the whole nine yards of punishment. Yelling, smack on the butt, rolled up newspaper swat, used the "mean" voice, tossed him outside, put in his cage/box for "time out". But he just won't stop! What the heck am I doing wrong??? Last month, he got into hot sauce, had a red/orange face for 3 days. Funny, but I bet his tummy didn't think so. He seems to have a pretty tuff stomach, he almost never gets sick, but I can't stand it anymore. I hate picking up yucky trash out of the floor but most importatly I'm really affraid he'll get into something bad one day and get really sick. Thanks, Jenny mom to a naught sheepie 
Any ideas? |
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| The easiest way is to not put the garbage where he can get to it. Growing up we had a trash compactor...so the dogs couldn't get into that. Plenty of people on the forum keep their garbage in cabinets or on top of the counter or refridgerator. Obviously this isn't teaching him anything, but it does stop the foraging. |
Anything that isn't garbage needs to be put away. Growing up people were always amazed at how clean our kitchen counters were...if only they knew it was because if any food was out the dogs would get it.  Anything in general was put away so they couldn't chew on it. |
| My sister had to get a fancy trash can because her airedale kept getting things out of the old one. She got one that the lid snaps on over the base, and you have to step on a pedal for the 2 lids to open...
Anyway... Maybe look for a new trashcan, or put yours under the sink, but make sure you don't have a cabinet opener on your hands too. |
Putting the trash in the cabinet is a good idea. I just wish he would stop! Our house is mostly dog proof. Never is anything food realted left out for the mosters to eat! Now that winter is almost here, I have to start worring about hats and gloves! Biggy ate my favorite sock cap already!!  |
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biggy-n-gilbert wrote: Putting the trash in the cabinet is a good idea. I just wish he would stop! Our house is mostly dog proof. Never is anything food realted left out for the mosters to eat! Now that winter is almost here, I have to start worring about hats and gloves! Biggy ate my favorite sock cap already!!
Nothing you do in terms of punishment will make him stop because the reward (eating garbage) far outweights pretty much anything you can do to him. As has already been said, only thing that solves it is to put the garbage out of reach and keep a rolled up newspaper handy for when you forget (not for the dog! To smack yourself with for not putting it out of reach )
Think about it...how did the dog human bond begin? They were (are) scavangers who were (are ) attracted to our garbage. (And you thought he loves you for your sweet personality?  ) Dogs are four-legged, hairy/furry world class opportunists. Period.
Not that I don't feel your pain - I'm one of the people whose garbage can sits on top of the fridge. NOT handy at all. I bought a metal can that can only be opened with a foot pedal. Please! It took Belle 3 minutes to figure that one out
She says it's in her genes...Yeah, whatever. Kristine |
| Yep, hide the can! My parents actually had a step can that Maggie figured out how to step on and open to reveal her buffet. So they ended up having to get a different style trash can altogether, but it worked and it could be left out in the open because it was too sturdy for her to knock over and she couldn't lift the lid to get in... |
| We keep our waste basket in the kitchen cupboard under the sink...the dogs don't open the door and go in, but the cat knows how to open and get in...so have to slide something through the handles to keep her out.
My brother keeps his wastebasket/garbage can out in his attached garage. No garbage is kept in the house at all. It can be a pain but worth the trouble in the long run. |
| Yup... everytime he gets the garbage, he's been rewarded for a naughty behavior so you need to make the garbage inaccessible.
One rescue of ours came to us with a fondness for garbage too. We put the garbage in another room in a cupboard. Even the bathroom wastebasket has to be kept on the tank two years later. Just make up your mind to secure the garbage and you'll be happier. It's a pain in the neck at first but you'll get used to it and you won't have to scold him anymore either. It also prevents accidental poisoning and life threatening and expensive surgery for an obstruction. Good luck you! This is coming for the owner of a dog that ate an entire cantaloupe rind and all, an entire bunch of bananas (she learned to peel them along the way), etc. |
| My Andy loves garbage too-I am looking for a better lid for my trash as the one I have he has found out how to bump up and get into.
Also he just loves kitty litter-clean kitty litter is like candy to him! I have to put barriers in front of the litter box so the cat can get in but not Andy! |
I have a garbage drawer so don't have that problem with Dutch but prior to the drawer my OES Dudley (he's playing at the bridge) was a garbage hound and I put a mouse trap in a garbage bag, covered it with a newspaper so he wouldn't get hurt, it snaped and that was the last time Dud went for the garbage  |
| I think sheepies are hardwired to get into the garbage. You are fighting a losing battle. My solution is to keep the garbage out of sight, |
| einy figured out the pedle on the bin too i bought a really cheap white lift top bin about $6 is a full sized kitchen bin pain in the !^$ to keep lifting the lid but einy seems to leave it alone hes only been in it once and that was when i had forgotten to empty it and he had been in all day by himself (he is rarely in all day alone) and we don't crate him ( i think he to scared of them after being shipped from the uk to florida in one 6 moths ago) but the homemade lasagne was just to much temptation.
other than that keeping in the bin in the utility or washroom ? may be the garage and have a small on in the cupboard thatyou can empty into the garage bin. zoe and einy |
| Maggie the coon hound is our garbage girl. She was starved by her previous owner, so food is highly desirable. She also is one very smart dog who sees the garbage as a personal challenge to get to!
We have a plastic kitchen garbage can with the step pedal. Thankfully, the pedal broke long ago - so the dogs that knew to step on it are out of luck. It sets in a narrow spot between the sink cupboard and the stove. So no tipping side to side. Maggie has learned the garbage is a no-no (before she never had a clue) and leaves it alone except if there is something really yummy smelling in it. Until we can take it out, we set something heavy on the lid, and she leaves it alone. Kristine - Chewie has never touched the can. He must have missed that family gene. Thank goodness! (And yes people, Kristine's garbage can really is on top of the fridge ) |
got sheep wrote: Kristine - Chewie has never touched the can. He must have missed that family gene. Thank goodness!
(And yes people, Kristine's garbage can really is on top of the fridge )I don't know how...His great-aunt is dedicated, but his grandmother is a GENIUS who once managed to pilfer Gale's training treats out of a zipped cooler - and it was still zipped when Gale discovered the thievery! Then again, his mom doesn't necessarily have the gene either. If something is really, stupidly obvious and available, she'll take advantage. But it has never been her mission in life, nor Macy's. Mad's big thing is diving headfirst INTO the fridge when you open the door and snagging things off lower shelves. Macy doesn't steal, she just likes to sleep on tables. Sybil and Che are the counter surfers extraordinaire. And all of that combined is why my living arrangements are so - hm - "interesting".
Oh, and current foster dog? Has no respect of baby gates. Those he cannot move, he leaps over. I'm home today because of the ice storm and have Mad, Mace and Belle in the den with the 4' high x-pen secured across the opening, while Sybil and Che teach Bear the fine art of tearing up and down the stairs, chasing each other and generally being obnoxious. Oh, and he marks like crazy, so has a towel with some depends stuck in there taped around his waist. I'm hoping the urge to mark will subside some once he gets the snip-snip, and from there it's a training issue. He does not, however, appear to have the garbage gene. Though lord knows he would love to pass on whatever genes he has. Even Che and the cat (both neutered, as it happens) are looking mighty nervous
Kristine |
| Thanks everyone. I never put the two together - Garbage food=reward. Makes sense now. No wonder he keeps doing it! Food is his favorite thing. He learned to sit after 2 attempts when he learned there was a treat involved!
Guess he wins (as always) The trash can will be under lock and key, double chained, and bars on the cabinet! Maybe that will keep him out!!  |
| As with the mouse trap idea (but perhaps less potentially painful), you can purposely put bad things on top to dissuade him from getting into the garbage. I have read about putting a papertowed doused in hot sauce, but since you said he ate some on purpose, that probably wouldn't do the trick! I know you can buy a bitter apple smelling product that is intended for spraying on furniture legs and so on to keep the animals away. It is harmless but smells awful and most dogs hate it. Again, you could soak a papertowel with it and place it right on top of the garbage. Hopefully he'll smell that several times and "yuck!". You could even put a fake garbage bag there (i.e. without any actual garbage in it, but just balled up empty bags or something) so that you don't have a risk on your hands in case it doesn't work.
Did he actually ingest any of the chicken bones???? They can be really dangerous, even fatal because they're so brittle and break inside the body really easily, so if he did eat some you may want to pay the vet a visit  |
| Melanie and Tucker-
No he didn't eat any of the bones, thank God! He had one in his mouth, but I got it out before he swallowed. YUCK! I haven't had a chance to get the trash can under the cabinet yet, but since the last "dumpster dive" he's stayed away. I guess when my boyfriend yelled at him, must have hurt his feelings! Now he won't walk by it! One thing I've learned since having our OES, it's hard to stay mad at them! He's really good at giving that sad puppy look! |
| Hm.... Okay, first of all I honestly cannot imagine my life with the trash can on top of my fridge....and you may think I'm nuts but I would advise you to do the opposite. Instead of locking it with double chain, etc. put it out there for him!
My boys would never touch the trash, never drink out of the toilet and would NEVER touch my lunch on the coffee table. And you know why? Let me explain... The way dogs think about anything - food, toys, people, animals, etc. - is either safe or dangerous. Anything that I give the dogs or let them have is safe. Trash can is obviously DANGEROUS! So, I let them go to the trash and as they sniff at it I clap my hands, yell, make the biggest and loudest sound ever and scare the @#$% out of them. It may sound bad but I do want them to be scared of the trash can, I want them to think the trash can is one of the most dangerous things in the world - including toilet bowls, my lunch, children's toys, etc. BUT as soon as they turn away from it after I scared them I give them hot dogs, cheese or whatever they love to praise them for looking at me. This will also teach them to rely on you. You know what is safe and what is dangerous. I can drop food on the floor and the boys will look at me to see if it's safe to eat or not. When I tell them it's okay, they go eat it if I don't say anything they don't eat it. Their lives are in our hands it's up to us how we protect it. |
| Kata, Thanks! Good advice. Since the last incident he's been good. I think he did get the crap scared out of him. Now, he's more worried about toys. Since he's learned how to play fetch, he won't go anywhere with out a toy! I guess he's moved on.... |
biggy-n-gilbert wrote: Kata, Thanks! Good advice. Since the last incident he's been good. I think he did get the crap scared out of him. Now, he's more worried about toys. Since he's learned how to play fetch, he won't go anywhere with out a toy! I guess he's moved on....
Great! I'm glad it worked! Keep up the good work! |
Prof. Boni wrote: My boys would never touch the trash, never drink out of the toilet and would NEVER touch my lunch on the coffee table. And you know why? Let me explain... .
Eh, Kata, get an OES bitch and then get back to me on that one
Mine aren't dumb enough to not figure out that the only "danger" is when I'm there...Shoot, even the boy dog isn't that dumb. The ones who naturally don't care won't challenge you. I have a girl like that. I could leave an open bag of garbage on the floor and she wouldn't touch it. No big deal if it's not worth their while. The ones who do care won't be that easily deterred. Trust me on this one. I wish!
I have a rescue I'm fostering right now whom won't touch a thing. Because he's not interested. Girls interest him. I've explained to him that he can't have them (his latest thing is to jump Belle - she's spayed, enough said re intelligence level - and it's not just her, he's up my neutered male dog's behind as well ) I can have him on a 2 foot lead and he'll still try to jump her. He's sweet and very deferrential, but that particular drive is just that strong.
Thank heaven's for the snip-snip on Monday. All training "issues" should be so easily solved. Kristine |
| All right, I know I'm late to the game on this one, but let me share anyhow. Growing up we didn't have room in a cabinet to put the trash away. We went to a craft show and got a very heavy wooden trash can that the dog couldn't tip over (which was our problem). Also, there was one available with a small latch on it so that the dog couldn't pop the top open with their nose. On top of this, the trash can looked nice, and was painted to match the kitchen! |
Quote: Eh, Kata, get an OES bitch and then get back to me on that one The 6th dog that came into the pack was the ONLY one that had garbage issues. Not one of the others including Nikki ever paid any attention to it other than to take a sniff on occasion. Panda was a totally different story... I have never in my life experienced a dog like her Maybe it was because we didn't raise her and she arrived knowing absolutely no limits or boundaries. She was fearless and thought everything was fun so intimidation and loud sounds had no effect on her (it was said she went to work with her groomer owner so I think she was used to all kinds of sounds). Quote: Girls interest him.
Maybe a garbage issue isn't so bad after all. It's not like you can put the dog in the cupboard to correct this challenge |
| Kristine, I hold you to that!
I do have to say that when we got Lumpi (lab/greyhound or some kind of hound mix) he was 6-7 months old...I had to teach him not to eat from the bin (or trash) and he did eat my lunch about three times when left unsupervised. It didn't take him (very-very ) long to learn what he was allowed to sniff/eat/etc.
I think I had a huge advantage with Boni that he came to us at 2 months. Lumpi was a hard one but he is a very good example for Boni now, which makes my job a LOT easier. |
eiramnosila wrote: All right, I know I'm late to the game on this one, but let me share anyhow. Growing up we didn't have room in a cabinet to put the trash away. We went to a craft show and got a very heavy wooden trash can that the dog couldn't tip over (which was our problem). Also, there was one available with a small latch on it so that the dog couldn't pop the top open with their nose. On top of this, the trash can looked nice, and was painted to match the kitchen!
Well, that beats the heck out of what one of the writers for Front & Finish reported as her solution in last month's issue: she finally found a garbage can her Whippet bitch couldn't get into - it only cost her $100, which she definitely balked at, but it was evidently well worth it. I sense an untapped market here
Kristine |
6Girls wrote: Quote: Girls interest him. Maybe a garbage issue isn't so bad after all. It's not like you can put the dog in the cupboard to correct this challenge Well, you would be correct except for the blessed little fact that he is a rescue dog so his problem could be surgically corrected. Thank God! I have never, ever seen a dog this keen. As a last resort, me having locked all of my girls in Belle's bedroom, he decided my long-suffering neutered male would do. Che really wasn't keen on this. Fortunately he's the type of dog who looks for approval first: "Can I bite him?" "No" "Yell at him?" "Absolutely" "OK - wrowwrowwrow" Bear jumps him again. "Are you sure I can't bite him?" "Sorry, yes." I told him he'd get the last laugh when Bear returned devoid of any reason for this behavior And it really is procreational in his case. He bows to my girls - shoot, he flirts with Che! He's just a Love Machine <wannabe > Fortunately, he respects the human. But that's about it Even the cat was starting to look a little nervous.Kristine |
Prof. Boni wrote: Kristine, I hold you to that!
. It takes a combination of smart (usually female - ouch! Did I just say that out loud? ) and determined to make you doubt everything you hold near and dear in terms of training. Jaci knows what I'm talking about.
My garbage can has been on the floor since the last time I cleaned on top of the fridge. Unmolested. Because there is nothing in it of interest. Belle knows that. She's got a nose. It's not worth it. Sooner or later I will slip up. She knows it. I know it. She's watching. It will take her less than three minutes upon me closing the front door for her to have it open and the garbage on the floor to sift through. I know. I've caught her in the act and we've had words about it. She could care less: she's supremely food driven and so it's worth it to her. I do have what used to be a diaper pail built into a small stand which swings out which I have in the grooming room for dog hair. If I could find a place for it in the kitchen and I thought it would take her more than five minutes to figure out how to grab the handle and open it, I'd use it. Kristine |
| How about those mats with the shriek alarm attached to it that you can put in front of the bin (trash can), cover it with a rug and when the dog steps on it, it makes a loud noise to scare the dog. Do you know what I'm talking about? |
Quote: It takes a combination of smart (usually female - ouch! Did I just say that out loud? Laughing ) and determined to make you doubt everything you hold near and dear in terms of training. Jaci knows what I'm talking about. Amen... it's probably just one of the reasons we were Panda's 3rd home. Quote: "Can I bite him?" "No" "Yell at him?" "Absolutely" "OK - wrowwrowwrow" Bear jumps him again. "Are you sure I can't bite him?" "Sorry, yes." We don't have any boy dogs so we don't have that type of behavior. Thank goodness none of the girls have ever demonstrated any humping or that type of dominance behavior so I have no advice I can share... shame on me for laughing.  Quote: My garbage can has been on the floor since the last time I cleaned on top of the fridge. Unmolested. Because there is nothing in it of interest. Belle knows that. She's got a nose. It's not worth it. Sooner or later I will slip up. She knows it. I know it. She's watching. It will take her less than three minutes upon me closing the front door for her to have it open and the garbage on the floor to sift through.
I know. I've caught her in the act and we've had words about it. She could care less: she's supremely food driven and so it's worth it to her. That is exactly it! They're opportunists... one misstep and they're ready to take advantage of it. The owners go through a training phase of their own. This challenge seems to be with dogs that are intensely food motivated. All of mine LOVE food/treats but Panda's devotion is more in hyper-drive. She will do the haunch-thumping-while-sitting maneuver, squirming around, raising a foot, drooling all over when it's treat time. If she happens to get a treat first, she moves to the other side of the pack for another opportunity. I had never experienced a dog like this before.
She has learned to leave the garbage alone while we're at home... through her thorough training (of US!) we just know not to trust her with it when we leave. Gotta love them sheepies! |
| I was thinking about an alarm of some sort... where can I get one? (okay maybe six) |
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