[Tofu_pup]

My roommate's dog, Hughbert, loves eating used tampons and dirty underwear. Yesterday, he destroyed one of my favorite pairs of underwear. I didn't care about that particular problem before that because it was always her underwear, her dog, her problem. Now I'm pissed.
My roommate can't seem to grasp the concept of closing the bathroom door. So I walk in to find used tampons all over the floor. Not only does Hugh make a mess of the house with them, he eats some of them! Then comes lethargy. The other day, I had to assist him in pooping by pulling a string of three tampons out of his rear!
What can I do to actually solve these problems rather than just preventing his access to such things?

[Teela Brown]

Other than prevention?

For the bathroom garbage...
Hmmm oh maybe try spraying the garbage with something like bitter apple? That might make the dog not want in there? I believe the smell is um tempting for dogs, so it may not work - but worth a shot.

Other than that...smack your roommate and keep your undies out of reach.

OH you may want to avoid the "assisted tampon poops" pulling it out can damage the intestines. Let is pass naturally. If it can't she needs to bring her dog to the vet.

[Elana55]

You CAN get a scat mat http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...fm?pcatid=3452 and put this in the door way. You will need to set it on "High" and keep a good 9V battery in it at all times. You have to keep it clean. You have to avoid stepping on it yourselves as you will get a shock when you step on it too.

You could install a spring on the door so it is self closing. Beware that someone else could accidentally shut the dog in such a room.

You could put those things in a dog crate so that the dog cannot get at them (sort of reverse crating, with the dog on the outside).

The best way, however, is to keep the place picked up with dirty clothes in a dog proof hamper and trash in dog proof containers or rooms (or take the trash out before you leave for the day and b4 you go to bed at night).

If it were me, I would re-home the room mate and her little dog too.....

[cshellenberger]

OK, first of all your roomie is gross for not making sure her waste is properly disposed of (as in FLUSHED down the toilet!!!!) and leaving her dirty undies around.

Keep the undies in a hamper or keep a baby gate in the doorway so the dog can't get in. Angel like to snack on undies too, and we just keep doors closed so she can't get to the them (she can actually dig them out of the hamper as shes figured out how to flip the tops open).

[Tofu_pup]

We're short on cash so it's going to have to be the bitter apple. I've told the roommate time and again to shut the frickin bathroom door. Gah! I think I'm an enabler to a bad dog owner. I exercise, feed, and train hugh. It's been months since she's so much as taken him to the dog park that is only eight blocks away. She doesn't reinforce anything I teach him so the second she comes home, he's back in shithead mode. He's a smart dog but he's also a little dog. He gets away with little dog things. *grumblegrumble*

My other roommate left the closet door open yesterday so that's how he got to the dirty clothes. I'm a neat person and I have high expectations for every dog I live and work with.
</rant>

[Teela Brown]

Originally Posted by Tofu_pup

We're short on cash so it's going to have to be the bitter apple.

I bought a cheap baby gate the other night. Cost around $23. Might actually be better than the bitter apple route. (or hide the garbage under the sink?)

Eeew...yeah smack your roommate. Poor dog

[cshellenberger]

Tell your roomy to FLUSH the tampons!!!!!!

[lovemygreys]

Tell your roommate that closing the bathroom door is a heck of a lot cheaper than emergency surgery for an intestinal blockage. Tampons and underwear are NOT designed to go through a dog's digestive tract and they can't be broken down by their system. She's gotten lucky so far, but one day her luck may run out.

You're looking at, at least $1000 for treatment of a blockage for diagnosis, surgery and recovery. Not to mention the pain and suffering (and possible death) of her dog.

So, um, yeah...it's just easier to shut a door.

Might be a good idea to put a sign on the door to remind her.

eta: you can try bitter apple, but I wouldn't bet on it. The smell and taste of tampons and underwear is probably a LOT more enticing than the brief sourness of bitter apple. Plus, I have had dogs that either didn't care or actually seemed to like bitter apple spray. Little weirdos! LOL

Carla - I think there are some septic systems that can't handle flushed tampons...possibly either the poster lives in such a situation or her roommate used to and it's just a habit now

We just always just our bathroom door. It's a habit to develop, but there's really no reason for a dog to be in a bathroom and there's usually only trouble in there (chemicals, etc...)

[Tofu_pup]

Originally Posted by lovemygreys

Tell your roommate that closing the bathroom door is a heck of a lot cheaper than emergency surgery for an intestinal blockage. Tampons and underwear are NOT designed to go through a dog's digestive tract and they can't be broken down by their system. She's gotten lucky so far, but one day her luck may run out.

You're looking at, at least $1000 for treatment of a blockage for diagnosis, surgery and recovery. Not to mention the pain and suffering (and possible death) of her dog.

EXACTLY! I was pissed about losing one more article of clothing in my already limited wardrobe but I'm going to be livid when we can't make rent because hugh needs an emergency vet trip. How many tampons will it take to really screw over a puggle? He already has a very sensitive digestive system. He poops more than any dog I've ever met.

[agility collie mom]

Originally Posted by cshellenberger

Tell your roomy to FLUSH the tampons!!!!!!

Or if that doesn't work flush the roomy!

[pugmom]

I spent $7,000 trying to save and ultimately lost my dobie to a sock.....shut the freaking door or find a better home for the dog