3 Easy Ways to Keep Your Dog Out of The Trash Can
Does your dog get into the trash? Coming home to find your trash all over your house is annoying to say the least, but it also poses a potential health concern considering all the dangerous stuff your dog can get into. The good news is there are a few simple ways you can keep keep your dog out of the trash. Here’s 3 ways to keep your dog out of the trash.
Why You Need to Keep Your Dog Out of the Garbage
One of the most common ways our pets get sick is by eating something they’re not supposed to, and many times it comes from something in our own home — the garbage can.
There’s a lot of stuff in our trash cans that can make our pets sick. Foods that are poisonous to pets (chocolate, grapes, coffee, candy with xylitol), medications, choking hazards such as bones, glass, cleaning supplies. Our garbage contains all sorts stuff that’s harmful to our pets.
If you have a dog I’m sure you’re aware that they don’t always make wise decisions when it comes what they put in their mouth. Often times they’re led by their noses, and the garbage is a treasure trove of interesting smells. And unfortunately there’s a lot of stuff in their that can make them sick.
If your dog gets into the garbage you do have a few options — you can move it, you can modify it, or you can buy a new one. Here’s how to keep your dog out of the garbage.
Keep Your Trash Can Out of Reach From Your Dog
Does your dog get into the trash when you’re gone? The best way to guarantee your dog can’t get into the trash is by keeping it out of their reach. If your dog likes to get into the garbage make it a habit to move it out of their reach whenever you go out.
Not sure where to put the garbage can so it’s out of your dogs reach? When you leave you can put your trash can:
- In the closet
- In the garage
- On the counter
- In the bathroom
- Under the kitchen sink
- Lock the room with a baby gate
- Use a deterrent like bitter apple spray
You know your dog best and what they can get access to when they’re determined. If they’re able to get things off of the counter put the trash in a closet or pantry, if they have access to the bathroom put the trash in the garage or a room blocked off with a baby gate.
Buy a Trash Can Your Dog Can’t Get Into
When looking to buy a dog proof trash can, look for a durable one that your dog can’t get into. For dogs that really love getting into the trash you’ll want one that’s too heavy to knock over, too tall to be gotten into, and that it has a lid that stays locked.
Some dogs are pretty crafty when it comes to getting into the garbage, and if that sounds like your dog you’ll want to consider getting a can that opens with a pedal.
We’ve had the same Simple Human can with a pedal & lid lock for a few years and my dog hasn’t been able to get into it. She has knocked it over a few times, but the locking mechanism stayed intact. But that little one we have in the bathroom? Well that’s a different story, and the reason we always keep that door shut.
Keep Your Trash Can Closed With Safety Locks
The easiest way to keep your dog from getting into the trash without much effort is to just put a safety lock on it. One easy way to modify your trash can to make it dog safe is by using child safety locks. Now if your dog is like mine and super crafty you might want to use 2 locks, one on each side, to ensure that they can’t just tip it over and get into it.
Child safety locks use adhesive to lock onto a surface and have a simple latch system that you press to release. So don’t worry if you’re like me and have troubles opening child safe bottles, these are much easier to use.
You can buy child safety locks on amazon, at most home improvement stores (Lowes & Home Depot), or chain stores like Target & Walmart in the kids section.
Baby proof locks are put in place with adhesive & use a single latch release system. This one is by Secure Home.
If you’re don’t want to buy locks you can make your own if you’re a little crafty. For a metal trash can you can use this method to add a latch yourself:
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It’s like you read my mind–I just spent hours last night researching new trashcan options. Barley is forever going in and taking out paper towels and napkins. She doesn’t touch anything dangerous for her–not that I could ever imagine throwing out something amazing like chocolate in the first place 😉 But she makes me BATTY going in and taking out napkins and depositing them around the house. I bought one similar to the one you mentioned and she still learned how to nose the top up (and I hate the skinny round design because I always have to wrestle with it to get the full bags back out)–I’m considering the Simple Human butterfly open trashcan, but I’m having trouble convincing myself to spend $120 on a trashcan. I had no idea trashcans could be so infuriating until I got Barley!
Yes it is indeed frustrating. I contemplated adding “train your dog not to get into the trash” but that’s just not an easy option for certain dogs, especially since they have a tendency to sneak around to get at it.
I’ve been lucky with Laika in that she doesn’t even bother with our trash can anymore. She gave up pretty easily once she noticed she couldn’t get the lid open easily & just reach in there. But I have seen some dogs that are so determined that they’ll keep coming back.
And as far as trash cans go you are so right; some of them are so annoyingly thin which makes it a hassle to remove the trash.
I also read something recently that might explain the fascination with napkins & tissues: ):
“Dogs, particularly puppies, explore the world, first with their noses,
and then with their mouths. Somewhere encoded in the canine genetic
makeup is some kind of memory or preference for certain touch sensations such as the feel of fur or of feathers in their mouths. Such touch sensations seem to give dogs a
thrill and can trigger a desire to mouth, tear, and shred things
associated with those feelings”
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201512/why-do-dogs-shred-tissues
I guess I should be glad Barley only shreds if there’s something really amazing on the paper towels or napkins. Most of the time, she just takes them and drops them around the house. She is determined, though. If I catch her the second I hear the click, click, click of her nails on the kitchen floor and happen to have treats near me, I can get her to turn around, but the second I am distracted or try to get her attention when there’s not a treat waiting, she’s right back there with her nose in the trash can!
Great post! So many people have this issue! I think I’m pretty lucky that I don’t have it with the girls, they don’t counter surf either…. but our previous family dog loved “dumpster diving”!
Oh my goodness my previous dog Carter was a nightmare when it came to getting into the trash. I feel lucky as well with Laika; she’s obsessed with the garbage in the bathroom because it has tissues, but it’s so easy to just leave the door shut. So much easier than trying to remember to hide the main garbage can every time you leave the house.
Our foster dog would dig in the trash. We switched to trash cans he couldn’t reach (so anything that wasn’t a tiny wastebasket). Our food trash is composted so that’s most of the temptation anyway.
We used to keep our kitchen trash in the nearby bathroom so we could just keep the bathroom door closed at all times and keep Ace and my cat Beamer out of it. We used to blame them both but I’m pretty sure it was always Beamer who got into it. Today, we have a sturdier trash that is out in the open in our kitchen. Ace doesn’t touch it and can be left loose. Beamer … has to be confined to the bedroom whenever we’re not home. Oh Beamer!
We put our trash can under the sink and then had to put a safety latch on the cabinet because a certain chocolate lab figured out how to open that door. 🙂
I never thought about using child proofing products. That’s a great idea! Haley’s a little better about not bothering the trash now, but when she was younger, she was a persistent trash can raider.
Thanks god…my dogs are about 6″ above the ground so I don’t have to deal with this issue but I did remember seeing a YouTube video featured Cesar Millan, talking about a dog play with trash can: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgueAfLIROQ. His solution was to teach a dog to do something. Give a purpose to a dog. What is your thought?
For outdoor cans I use a Strong Strap… Tucker doesn’t stand a chance of opening the lid and getting to the trash inside. Check it out: blazerbrand.com
Also, it’s lasted for so long, very durable. I tried too many cheap hacks. This is the real deal.
I put a cake pan on the lid of the garbage can when a friend’s dog came to visit. The next time he tried to open the can, that pan came down with a loud crash. Since dogs are so notoriously terrified of loud, sudden noises, he never tried to get into the can again.
Thanks for sharing. I would appreciate, dog owners taking more ownership of their dogs. Setting a better example for their community.
Thank you for the ideas! I have 2 3 month old Bulldogs who have me picking up trash off the kitchen floor every morning! Moving the can is not an option as there is a two year old human on the other side of the room wide baby gate who also loves the trash can 🤦. But I have already been considering sizing up my can and possibly putting some bricks in the bottom to make it harder. The baby proofing with a flat lid could definitely help too. I distract when I catch them, but when Momma goes to sleep, they party!