Dog Training

[Kooshdakhaa]

Yeah, get the kind of trash can where you step on the pedal and the lid opens. That way it isn't a hassle when you need to put something in it.

I have five dogs and them getting in the trash is a nonissue. That's because every trash can in my house is either in a cabinet (like in the bathroom) or a covered trash can, like in the kitchen. I did this for their safety...wouldn't want them getting chicken bones or something out of the trash! And...in the kitchen it's much nicer to have a covered trash can, anyway. So it's a win-win situation! : )

 

[Connery]

Well see, I DO 'punish' her when she does that...she only gets in the garbage when she thinks no one is around to see her...I do the same thing consistently with her when it comes smacking her snout and telling her no, and then I make her go to my room and tell her to lay down and stay, that she's been a 'bad girl'...she lies down and stays. Every other time when it comes to just regular every day commands she minds me...it's when she thinks shes alone when she tries to get into the trash.
Just the trash...that's my only problem with her.
The scavenger instinct in her seems to over rule her when it comes to the garbage.

I am talking about training,. That takes love, commitment and patience. Every dog I have ever had wanted love and boundaries. It was up to me to provide both. It was also up to me not to set them up. If I did not want them to pee in the house I take them out, if I do not want them in my garbage I cover it or remove it.

I do give her lot's of love and attention...and I am patient with her. I do let her out to pee and poop...she does not do that inside...like I said, or rather should have put it...is that she knows I am the 'boss' or' alpha female'...I have no other issues with her at all...just the garbage, that's it.

So, what I get from this thread is that the solution is to go out and buy covered garbage cans.
I will do that first thing tomorrow.

I was not inferring that you are not attentive, loving or caring toward your pooches. I was really saying get a can........ man... with a lid...

 

[syrenn]

funny cat in the trash story. This was before we started putting the trash in the cabinet under the sink.


We cleaned out the freezer and tossed a couple of squabs. They were frozen like a couple rocks. We are watching and the cat starts looking loving at the trash and starts the slow moves checking it out. She he gets his little paws up on the edge and knocks it over... and the squabs come rolling out. He stalks the squabs....and then decides to take a lick.

He was not expecting the squab to bite back. His tongue got stuck. I never saw him leap so high....or hiss so loud.

that was the last time he got into the trash.

 

[Wolfsister77]

Well, the best answer is to make sure the dog can't get into it. If there is something yummy in there, they will go for it. So either take it out frequently, keep it covered, or put it in a place the dog can't get to it like under a cupboard with a child proof latch on it-it this is at all possible.

If not, then something that will make the dog associate the garbage with something negative-like a squirt bottle, loud noise, even the mousetrap trick-all will work.

If all else fails, maybe lock the dog out of the kitchen when you aren't around with a baby gate.

Good luck.

PS Moth balls work but then you have to deal with that smell which isn't pleasant but they do work-dogs don't like them.

 

[CMike]

Cover the trash, or put it in a cupboard

 

[April]

First, thank you ALL for your responses and advice...

I have decided that the best solution to this, is to get covered trash cans for each room and hope that she (and the cat) do not figure a way to get into them regardless...never underestimate the minds of cats and dogs...they are smarter and a bit more clever than we humans give them credit for.

 

[HUGGY]

I have a year and a half old female American Pit that WILL NOT stay out of the garbage...no matter what.

I have heard that hot sauce and chili powder sprinkled onto the garbage helps, because they don't like the scent...it gives a burning sensation in their nostrils when they stick their head in and sniff it.

Should I try that? I really don't know what else to do...it's starting to get old and I am pretty frustrated with her right now....

My two pit bulls love hot sauce. It sounds to me like you haven't established yourself as the Alpha in the pack. My dogs(male 2 yrs 8 mo and female 3yrs 9 mo) used to get into everything when they were very young. Now they never touch anything I designate off limits. If your dog believes you are in charge and not her she will mind you.

So how do I discipline her and get her to know this? When I catch her in the act I 'spank' her...I am pretty strict with her in other ways...she listens to me very well when it just comes to telling her "no, don't get on the couch" (when she was in heat... I really need to get her to the vet to get fixed) and other commands...shes just coming out of her heat, she stopped bleeding about a week ago...could that be what affects her? She's been more ornery this time around (second heat) with 'not listening'.....especially when it comes to the garbage.

My experience with Pit Bulls is that they are extremely two things. Head strong and loyal. They never give up trying to get something they want. What you need is for your dog to "want" to please you. Just give em lots of love and attention and a scolding if they repeat behavior that you do not desire. If the pup craves your approval it will show intense remorse when it makes a mistake. What I would do in your case is take her right to the garbage can and have here sit right in front of it. When she even looks like she is even THINKING about sticking her nose in there.. give her a stern "NO". I would repeat this lesson several times a day until she shows no interest in what's in the garbage can.

 

[Zoom-boing]

I agree with the covering the trash, and w/Huggy's last post.

You should NEVER hit a dog, especially on their snout. Use your voice, use your alpha-ness, never use your hands.

 

[MikeK]

I agree with the covering the trash, and w/Huggy's last post.

You should NEVER hit a dog, especially on their snout. Use your voice, use your alpha-ness, never use your hands.

While that might be true for most dogs I know for a fact there are exceptions.

When my late wife and I were first married we went to buy a dog and she was seduced by a black poodle pup who knew exactly how to get around her, but when we got him home he turned out to be a monster. We would take him for long walks and he would do nothing, but as soon as he got home he would piss and shit on the floor. Sometimes he would look me right in the eye while he was doing it -- and I know he was fully aware he was doing wrong.

After replacing a wall-to-wall carpet he'd ruined I bought a puppy gate to confine him to the kitchen when we were out. That worked out because he couldn't ruin the tile floor (although he did tear up one mat). But I didn't realize he was growing and one day while we both were out he managed to jump over the gate and destroy an expensive sofa. Tore it to shreds. And he shit right on the new carpet.

When we came in and I saw what he'd done I recall feeling like my face was about to explode with rage and I fully intended to kill that dog, whom I had come to despise. He seemed to know that and he tried to get away, but I caught him by the scruff and I became oblivious to my wife screaming at me not to him. I beat that dog so hard my hand was swollen and red.

When I let him go he ran terrified behind the sofa he'd destroyed and stayed there for the rest of the day. My wife was very upset with me but agreed to give the dog away (because I vowed to toss him off the terrace). About nine that evening he slowly emerged from behind the destroyed sofa and skulked over to the door where we had his leash hung on a hook. I watched as he looked at the leash, then looked at me, then back at the leash, and so on, as if to say he wanted to go.

My wife threw on her jacket, took him out, was back in ten minutes, and with a tone of complete resignation said he'd gone right to the curb and did what he'd refused to do for all the months we'd tried every possible way to train him. And from that day forward he never did it in the apartment, or the corridors, or the lobby, or the elevator, again. He would quietly wait by the door when he had to go and he would go right to the curb.

For the next fourteen years Johnson's behavior was exemplary. We became friends and I really felt bad when we had to put him down. We had Yorkies after that and never a problem with any of them. Wonderful little dogs.

 

[Zoom-boing]

I agree with the covering the trash, and w/Huggy's last post.

You should NEVER hit a dog, especially on their snout. Use your voice, use your alpha-ness, never use your hands.

While that might be true for most dogs I know for a fact there are exceptions.

When my late wife and I were first married we went to buy a dog and she was seduced by a black poodle pup who knew exactly how to get around her, but when we got him home he turned out to be a monster. We would take him for long walks and he would do nothing, but as soon as he got home he would piss and shit on the floor. Sometimes he would look me right in the eye while he was doing it -- and I know he was fully aware he was doing wrong.

After replacing a wall-to-wall carpet he'd ruined I bought a puppy gate to confine him to the kitchen when we were out. That worked out because he couldn't ruin the tile floor (although he did tear up one mat). But I didn't realize he was growing and one day while we both were out he managed to jump over the gate and destroy an expensive sofa. Tore it to shreds. And he shit right on the new carpet.

When we came in and I saw what he'd done I recall feeling like my face was about to explode with rage and I fully intended to kill that dog, whom I had come to despise. He seemed to know that and he tried to get away, but I caught him by the scruff and I became oblivious to my wife screaming at me not to him. I beat that dog so hard my hand was swollen and red.

When I let him go he ran terrified behind the sofa he'd destroyed and stayed there for the rest of the day. My wife was very upset with me but agreed to give the dog away (because I vowed to toss him off the terrace). About nine that evening he slowly emerged from behind the destroyed sofa and skulked over to the door where we had his leash hung on a hook. I watched as he looked at the leash, then looked at me, then back at the leash, and so on, as if to say he wanted to go.

My wife threw on her jacket, took him out, was back in ten minutes, and with a tone of complete resignation said he'd gone right to the curb and did what he'd refused to do for all the months we'd tried every possible way to train him. And from that day forward he never did it in the apartment, or the corridors, or the lobby, or the elevator, again. He would quietly wait by the door when he had to go and he would go right to the curb.

For the next fourteen years Johnson's behavior was exemplary. We became friends and I really felt bad when we had to put him down. We had Yorkies after that and never a problem with any of them. Wonderful little dogs.

We had a dog once who, due to circumstances at the time, never got enough attention or exercise. She also destroyed things ... except on the days she got enough exercise and attention. I'm guessing there's more to your story. I don't believe you 'tried every way possible to train him'. You did, however, resort to beating and terrifying your dog into submission. Congratulations, you literally scared the shit out of your dog. Would have never been my choice and I do not advocate hitting an animal in order to get it to behave. "When I let him go he ran terrified behind the sofa he'd destroyed and stayed there for the rest of the day." That's an awful thing to do to an animal.

 

[Sallow]

I have a year and a half old female American Pit that WILL NOT stay out of the garbage...no matter what.

I have heard that hot sauce and chili powder sprinkled onto the garbage helps, because they don't like the scent...it gives a burning sensation in their nostrils when they stick their head in and sniff it.

Should I try that? I really don't know what else to do...it's starting to get old and I am pretty frustrated with her right now....

That..and Mouse Traps.

Also carry around a water pistol and squirt her when you see her near the garbage.

 

[Si modo]

I have a year and a half old female American Pit that WILL NOT stay out of the garbage...no matter what.

I have heard that hot sauce and chili powder sprinkled onto the garbage helps, because they don't like the scent...it gives a burning sensation in their nostrils when they stick their head in and sniff it.

Should I try that? I really don't know what else to do...it's starting to get old and I am pretty frustrated with her right now....

Cesar Milan. Get a book of his or watch a few episodes of Dog Whisperer. What he does, works. And it works fast.

He is amazing.

 

[koshergrl]

I love Cesar.

What it almost always comes down to is this...you need to devote yourself to addressing the problem. That means taking some time, employing the assistance of helpers if you need them.

For garbage, I would always start with just removing the trash and securing it somewhere the dog can't get at it.

Every morning before I leave my house, I make sure my trash is in my garage. otherwise, my dog will get into it.

The air horn is a really good idea; but it's going to require you spending time so the dog thinks you aren't there, when really you are, so he associates the noise with the trash and not with you....and then doing it enough times that the dog doesn't think it's just a freak occurrence. Dogs are great gamblers; if he thinks it's only going to happen some of the time, he'll risk it.

 

[koshergrl]

And then he might just get desensitized to it. It sort of depends on how committed he is.

Also it helps to make sure he's got something better to keep him occupied. A bored dog is going to go through the trash. Get a kong and put peanut butter in it. Maybe get a couple of them. And make sure you don't leave him any longer than you have to...people will get all surprised that their dog who never bothers the trash, got into the trash when they didn't bother coming home from work and ended up leavign the dog alone in the house from 8 am until 2 am the next morning. I'd get into the trash, too. And i'd also take a dump on the carpet.