It happened again! You come home and there’s trash everywhere. The trash can is toppled and your pet is lying in the middle of it with half of it on their face and their tail is a-wagging. You are frustrated. You even went so far as to buy the super trash can with the super-tight lid! You're probably wondering how to keep your dog out of the trash, right?
Here are my best tips for a mess- and trash-free kitchen.
How to keep your dog out of the trash
- Feed your pets on a schedule. Feed them the right amount of food they require to keep them healthy. If they're eating a lot of treats, detox them slowly from foods filled with chemicals that wreak havoc on their blood sugar levels. Many store-bought treats are filled with preservatives and cause a rebound effect.
- Encourage them to drink water. A dehydrated dog will stalk the kitchen for food instead of water.
- Don’t temp your dog! Keep the trash can clean and empty for three weeks. Take all food waste out of the house after every meal. Keep the dog out of the kitchen when you're cooking or preparing food. When your dog sees you throwing food in the trash -- especially if you've just been giving them a treat while you're prepping the meal -- is inviting trouble. You're telling your dog, "what's in the trash is a treat... so go for it!"
- Hide the trash can. Keeping trash out of reach, whether in a cabinet under your kitchen sink or inside a closed door, is key while we teach the new habit of staying out of the trash. Placing your trash can inside a closed space removes the temptation of scavenging. A trash can with a lid helps minimize the smell for you but a dog can smell 200 thousand times stronger than yours so he will smell what's in the can. Remember, too a closed lid just might not keep out a big, driven dog.
- Keep your dog entertained when you're away. Give him a safe chew toy or a Kong-type toy filled with a tasty treat. That just might deter him from surfing the trash can for goodies.
- Safety first. We throw away cans, jar lids, unwashed containers, chicken bones, uncooked meats...there are too many to name... but any of them can cause harm -- or even death -- to our beloved dog.
It might seem like a lot of work to find a way to "hide" away your trash can, but isn't that trouble better than coming home to a kitchen strewn with trash?
