Trash Trouble!

Okay I know I posted pictures of Daisy sitting in trash that she has tipped out of the can and it may LOOK cute but it's not funny anymore! Lately, she has been doing it anytime we step out of the house unless we put the trash up on our counter, and we forget sometimes. Every time we come home to a mess we yell at her and send her outside for a while and we think she learned her lesson, but the next time we leave the trash can down when we go out, there's another mess. What can we do!? My mother is getting really mad and we know it is our fault for saying how cute it was the first time she did it... boy are we regretting that now!!! Help!

As my daughter would say, I feel you. Same thing with Jeffrey. We have started keeping the trash can in the laundry room which is next to the kitchen. The door to that room always stays closed A friend of mine keeps her can in the cabinet under the kitchen sink. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Daisy's mom:
My vet told me to put ammonia in the garbage can. I thought he was crazy, but my garbage hounds have not been in it since!

I had this trouble with Shaianne once or twice, no she just gets into if something smells too good.
I read this in a dog training book, the lady used it for her great danes.
Take the trash and layer it with newspaper and Cayenne Red Pepper.(you can buy it relatively cheap) put it in the middle of the kitchen, and leave for awhile. Fill up the dog's bowl with water, maybe even 2 bowls, of course, milk works best for hot stuff, but you can use water.
Shaianne just went over and sniffed it and has left it alone ever since. But some need more!
Shai has never bothered the trash here at home since then, she has went thru the trash at my parent's house, like after Thanksgiving, or when my mom puts onions or meat juices in the trash.
I swear I did not come up with this torture test myself, the lady used it with her great
danes!!!!! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

Another thing that works with some dogs is to put 4 or 5 mousetraps on the top of the trash and put a sheet of newspaper on the top of these - the thing is to do it ALL the time and only leave the dog for very short spaces of time, as when they realise that they don't hurt and stop after a while they carry on with what they were doing. But it works for some.

At www.thatpetplace.com they have a spray called trash guard repellent it says it is very bitter,hot tasting liquid and it has a fragrance that reminds the dogs of the hot tast.
I have not tried it yet but I'm going to order some. My dogs also go in the garbadge

Whew!! I love this site cause I never feel alone! Cody has learned how to open the lid to 3 different trash cans. I swear! He only does it when we're home, he has no seperation anxiety, in early morning on the way out, after he comes in, and to get my attention, (poor thing gets none) We put mustard around the lid (it dries and comes off) as he hates it. Question!! Is the cayenne pepper or hot sauce dangerous????? I'm hesitant to try it, tho it certainly sounds like it'll do the trick!!!!

Karen:
I've heard that they never get past the smell. That's why the ammonia works so well. My dogs don't even go near the can anymore cause they know the ammonia smell makes them sneeze. Works like a charm!

I would imagine if they get it in their eyes, it will burn them just like it would me or you. But Shai never licked it, she just sniffed it, and hasn't bothered it since.
In case they do lick it that is why you have the bowl of water there so they can drink it in case they do get ahold of it.

Thanks for your ideas everyone! You're all great. We're going to try the ammonia first. The whole trash thing has been a problem for everyone. It makes a mess that my sisters and I have to clean, gets my mother very angry at Daisy, and gets my father very angry at my mother for being mad at Daisy! He just got home from the hospital and when he found out Mom had sent Daisy outside into the snowstorm one day after making a HUGE trash mess, he got very mad http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif My Dad and I love Daisy the most in the family, you see!

I'm with KarenI. Maybe I'm a big softee, but I would probably cry and feel guilty for days if the pepper got in their eyes. I did try the spray. It didn't work, and ammonia makes me sneeze, so I don't want to be around that smell. I guess my boys are spoiled rotten. It's funny, I've been called "dragon lady" at work but at home I'm a wimp http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif I just put the trash out of their way. Maybe I'll give the mustard a try.

Well, it's funny, Cody just SEES a jar of mustard and will bark at it (ok we try not to laugh) and will ignore the can for a short time after it's applied. Yet, there's no hesitation to eat a piece of sandwich with mustard, go figure. After the mustard dries, he's right back at it, so Genia, maybe your pups will LIKE mustard. Amomnia makes ME SICK. I have hot sauce so maybe I'll try that. He's getting better at a very stern "Don't you dare!!!!" when he's trying to put his head in, but he will (on spite) fly into the kitchen and stick that huge goofy head in!!! Then the chase is on! Actually, before Carrie beats me to it, I think I unconsciencely started a game. My fault as usual. Genia.."DragonLady"? YOU??? GET OUTTA HERE!!!

With my luck, Star will learn to love cayenne pepper and ammonia! After yesterday's "episode" I'll give anything a try!

I'm begining to feel like Barbara Woodhouse!!! Do I really come across as that scary and forceful?
Power - at last!!!!!!!!

Really though, it makes me smile - you all have so much insight into your own problems and very little confidence in your own ability! Nobody knows your dog like you do and if you have a feeling about the cause of a problem - go with it! You have as much chance as anyone else - probably more. Let's see some owner power! You can't do too much wrong - don't hit, don't shout and have agood think before you do anything and then stick to it for three weeks. If it's going badly wrong before then you'll know!