[Sammy-Doo's Fam]

For the past two days I have come home to the garbage can spread all over the flor and the cat food can in the living room...

Why all of a sudden so into making a mess of the trash?
How do we discipline when we aren't there while he is "in the act"?

 

[lmtoth2]

I would buy a garbage can with a lid I know that doesn't teach him to not steal trash, but it will accomplish the same end result

 

[Sammy-Doo's Fam]

There is a lid on ours... but he knocks it over and fishes everything out somehow.
And he never used to do this before...

 

[SadieFern]

He's doing it because he can. He learned a new trick! How to knock over the garbage can and get treasure out!
If I were you, I'd put the trash can where he CAN'T get it when you're not home...in a pantry or laundry room, garage, wherever.
When you ARE home, put it where it belongs and IF he goes near it do "Leave it" or "NO" or whatever you use.
Then, after a few weeks, leave it out again and see what happens.

 

[annabelles mom]

we've not had a problem with Annabelle, have a lidded trash can in kitchen and she's never tried to get in it. We do however have to keep bathroom doors closed as she is a kleenix pilferer :roll:

If you do see Sammy near the trash can, give an immediate no or leaveit command or whatever command you use. You can also try putting tin pie plates on top of trash can so they hit floor if Sammy tries gettin in trash, see if that helps

But, since it can be hard to correct a problem when you arent there when it happens, if he continues, I would take the trash out before leaving and keep the kitty food up where Sammy cant reach it

 

[Guest]

It's prob the kitty food. Dogs can't resist cat food. Maya hasn't learned to knock over the trash but she does lift the top to see what's in there. If I notice her doing it a lot I spray the garbage can and lid with bitter apple spray. Keeps her away for a while. (I have a white can so you can't see it. If yours is stainless steel color I don't think this plan will work...sorry!)

 

[doodleallday]

Libby does this, too... especially in the bathroom where the garbage can is at her height with no lid. I intentionally let her watch me throw things away that she would want - bits of food, shiny objects, etc. and then when she goes for it, I tell her "no. leave it." i guess i'm training her so when i can't see her she won't rummage around in there. so far it is only halfway working, but she's still a pup.... maybe someday....

 

[blueteal]

You really have to teach them off when you are home
and hide it while you are not home................till they have learned off
or leave it.

 

[Sammy-Doo's Fam]

The cat food isn't in the trash...
I find the can in the living room, still closed like he couldn't get the plastic cover off???

I don't like it because I don't know what he eats in there...
And he is itchier than usual tonight it seems... straying from his allergy diet by sampling trash is to blame perhaps?

We're working on "Leave it"...
How would we go about teaching "Drop it" when he has junk in his mouth?

 

[annabelles mom]

with AB we just said LEAVE IT and took whatever it was out of her mouth then told her good girl once she dropped it with our "assistance" eventually she got it and now will Drop things or not touch them when we say Leave it

 

[Sammy-Doo's Fam]

Sammy will run away with whatever he has in his mouth like it's a game...
And he growled and nipped at my sister who tried to take it from him.
Yesterday my Guitar teacher (who fosters dogs for a local animal shelter) reached into his mouth and pulled something out because he wouldn't drop it.

 

[blueteal]

The cat food isn't in the trash...
I find the can in the living room, still closed like he couldn't get the plastic cover off???

I don't like it because I don't know what he eats in there...
And he is itchier than usual tonight it seems... straying from his allergy diet by sampling trash is to blame perhaps?

We're working on "Leave it"...
How would we go about teaching "Drop it" when he has junk in his mouth?

Is he treat or ball oriented????????
If so then use a a ball or favorite treat in your hand to get him to drop what is in his mouth.

 

[DebBrown]

You need a big metal can with an attached lid. Instead of worry about this, I got covered cans for the kitchen, office and bathroom. Once less thing to worry about!

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product ... SKU=105720

Deb

 

[lmtoth2]

we have a very similar garbage can to what Deb posted (and the smaller version for the bathroom). I really doubt Sammy could turn something like that over (but then again what do I know )

Dexter also will steal things and run with them like it's a game. Honestly we haven't been overly successful with training him to stop. The most progress we have made is since we got Kirby. We tell him to "drop it" and make a point that we are giving Kirby treats and Dex normally chooses to come get a treat and drop the item. Otherwise we corner him (w/o chasing or making it any fun) and then once we get him by the collar we tell him "drop it" and he will listen then.

I think it's unacceptable that he growled at your sister. I would work on that. On occasion Kirby will do something like that and we are at the point that we can tell him "NO" very firmly and he listens and knows he did something bad...it took awhile though. I had to really take firm control of his food and walks etc so that he know he had to listen to me (in addition to my husband).

 

[momoftwo]

When my dalmation was 10 years old she all of the sudden discovered the kleenexes in the bathroom trash while we were at work. What worked well on her was to take an old fashioned mouse trap and set it such that it would snap but not hurt her and place it in the trash. It startled her enough it solved the trash problem.

Heather

 

[dgeggis]

We've always had our kitchen trash kept under the sink.That is where all the tempting and/or dangerous things go.

We bought a small wooden laundry hamper with a flip up top for our bedroom trash. My husband will often have allergies and by using the bottom half for spare sheets I can put a plastic bag in the top half and he can have it open at night as it lines up with the top of the bed.

Then we bought a small trash can with a swing top for the bathroom. Only tissues go in there so I'm not worried too much about him getting into it.

I have a small trash can like the one in the link for other trash.

Since the under the sink basket is fairly small, it goes out every other day, and we empty all the other baskets at the same time. All recycling stuff goes out side directly so that doesn't take up much room in the trash.

 

[Sammy-Doo's Fam]

Came home today to yet another mess.
Trash was locked in bathroom still but a loaf of French bread was de-tinfoiled and shredded... not even eaten really, mostly the wraooer was shredded.

So he's not hungry...
Why the sudden outburst... is he bored while we're gone?
He wont use the Kong and only likes stuffed toys.
He hated the crate when we tried it, we think it was abused and used as punishment in his former home...
Should we gate an areo off for him?
How do we keep him entertained?

 

[Guest]

I just got Maya a tug a jug from dog.com that has kept her busy today. I make sure that when I leave Maya I leave no temptation for her. Nothing on the counters, tables, etc. I don't really leave her with anything to do as she just usu sleeps. Maybe you can try locking him in an area. Or maybe try the crate again. Maya hated hers as a puppy and now she will go in and not mind it (recent development in the past week, however this happend at BF's house so maybe she would still hate it at my house)