dog in the garbage

danibeth_2000 · 03-12-2008, 10:56 PM

Hey all,
i have a question for all of you, lately my German Shepherd has been getting into the trash. even when the lids are on, is there any thing we can do to discourage her from doing this? i'm afraid that she is going to get into something dangerious. any clues???

Dakota Spirit · 03-12-2008, 10:59 PM

It's possible to train out trash digging, but easier to just get the trash out of reach.

Do you keep it in a cabinet (like under the sink)? If not then I would try that first. Installing child safety latches on the cabinet doors also works really well.

danibeth_2000 · 03-12-2008, 11:10 PM

its not the inside trash thats the problem suprisingly, it's the outside trash. we let her out to use the bathroom and call her back in to find that she has been in the trash.

Sugar Daddy Otis · 03-12-2008, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danibeth_2000

its not the inside trash thats the problem suprisingly, it's the outside trash. we let her out to use the bathroom and call her back in to find that she has been in the trash.

Is there somewhere else you can put the trash cans outside? If you are leaving your dog unattended outside, you need to make sure that area is safe of all things she could get into. Is she tied out or loose? Yard fenced in? If you tie her out, put the garbage cans out of reach. If it is fenced in, move them so she cannot get to them.

Curbside Prophet · 03-12-2008, 11:17 PM

This is an owner absent problem, and there's no real training for that. Either you supervise the dog and discourage him for the trash, or you relocate the trash to an acceptable area. There are sprays you could use to deter animals, but the reviews on those are mixed. Perhaps you could fasten the lids down in some fashion?

Dakota Spirit · 03-12-2008, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curbside Prophet

Perhaps you could fasten the lids down in some fashion?

I was thinking that. In the past, I've seen people use short bungee cords to clip down the lid while it wasn't in use.

Elana55 · 03-13-2008, 08:51 AM

I have a cat who can open every cabinet door in the house and who has taught the other cats to open doors and drawers.. and HE showed 'em how to get in the garbage.. I have no children but have to child proof all the doors and drawers in my house to be cat proof.

If I forget to latch and cat proof the kitchen I come home to a house with the trash strewn and the doors all open.. stuff out of the cabinets.. It truly looks "Cat"burglarized!" And, it has been.

Dogs are scavengers. They will eat where opportunity allows them to eat (sometimes to their detriment). To end this behavior you need to remove the opportunity by either being present OR by relocating the trash OR making the trash inaccessible some other way.

The dog will not stop the behavior. He has initiated something and been INSTANTLY rewarded with food. He has LEARNED by himself the same way we train!

I have a GSD too, but she is far too refined to get into the garbage... (Just kidding.. she never has had the opportunity).

wvasko · 03-13-2008, 10:17 AM

Some problems can be changed with training, other problems change the environment.

danibeth_2000 · 03-13-2008, 10:58 AM

thanks for the ideas, she is on a teather, but it streaches to all reagions of the yard (3 1/2 sides are fenced in but the area across the drive way isn't so we have her on a 65 foot teather. so moving them won't help, i'll try the bunji cord idea though it looks like a good plane. thanks y'all