How to Train Your Dog to Stop Getting in the Garbage

Rate: (4 Ratings)

Quite often many people will catch their canines getting into the garbage. There are several reasons for this. The garbage is adorned with attractive smells and potentially tasty treats that your dog wants. Also, many people may have open containers housing their garbage, which allow a bored dog ample entertainment. There is a very easy way to break your dog of this habit, or stop it for good. Here are some tips if you are sick and tired of coming home to a kitchen strewn with trash.

Flag Article

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Closed top garbage can

Step1

Catch them in the act. If you are sneaky, you can usually creep up on your unsuspecting dog and catch them red-pawed in the act. When you do so, capture their attention in a very loud and menacing voice by saying, “No, bad dog! No digging in the garbage!”

Step2

Discipline them. Now that you have caught them breaking the rules it is time to enforce the law. Place them in time-out (a small room such as a bathroom, or their crate if they are crate trained) and reinforce the reason they are there, “Go to time out, you know better than to dig in the garbage!”

Step3

Repeat this process. Much like an infant just learning to crawl, a dog must also learn by falling over. Only through repetition and over time will you see the results that you are looking for.

Step4

Change out trash bins in kitchen. If after weeks of applying these methods you are not curbing your dog from its trash bin escapades, its time to change the playing field. A trip to any local housewares store will provide you with a closed-top bin garbage can that has a foot pedal. If your dog cannot access the open garbage container anymore, the digging will stop as a result.

Tips & Warnings

The best way to get your dog to stop digging in the trash bin is to not afford them the opportunity. A closed top trash bin with a pedal will stop this from ever happening again.
Never use extreme physical force to discipline your dog. They are intelligent creatures and will grasp that you do not want them to do something over time, and with the proper reinforcement. Our dogs naturally want to please us, given the proper training and opportunity.