Surely one day you have come home and found that your dog has thrown everything in the rubbish bin on the floor and you have had to clean it up, or you have seen how your can would sneak into the kitchen and steal leftovers for a snack.
Well, if this is your case or something similar happens to you, we recommend that you continue reading this article on our site where you will find the reasons why your pet has this behavior, the risks it may have for your he alth and the guidelines you must follow if you want to end this habit.
How stop my dog from opening the garbage can? Find out with these tricks below.
Why is my dog eating garbage?
The reason why your dog eats garbage is not unique and can be due to several reasons, whether he does it when you are at home or not:
- The main (and most common) reason why your dog opens the rubbish bin to eat whatever is in it is because of his animal instinctEveryone knows that dogs have a highly developed sense of smell and that it is between 10,000 and 100,000 times more powerful when compared to ours. For this reason, what for us is a simple rubbish bin, for them is a set of millions of odors that are more or less pleasant to them but that ultimately whet their appetite, and they trace those odors from the leftovers of food that come from the garbage can and then try to get them, as if it were a prey.
- Another reason why dogs eat rubbish is because of the pleasant sensation that comes from putting food in their mouths that they are not used to. Just as we like to eat different things every day and try different flavors and not always the same, dogs also find more attractive to eat different things than are not their usual feed, and that is why some take what they catch from the garbage can and eat it nervously, as if it were a treat in the form of a treat.
- The fact that the dog is left home alone and suffers from separation anxiety can also be one of the reasons. This is more common than we think and many times they open the garbage can to eat food or simply throw everything inside on the floor, in such a way that when you return home, they manage toget your attention and they let you know that they don't like it when you go away and leave them alone because they get nervous, among other things.
- And another reason why dogs open the garbage can is simply because they're bored and whether you're at home or if not, they think "stealing" food from the garbage can is a fun game. Many times this is due to the fact that these dogs do not do enough activities during the day, whether they are physical exercises, games for fun or the corresponding walks to relieve themselves and socialize. That's why it's so important for dogs to get the physical activity they need on a daily basis.
He alth risks
In addition to the rubbish that they have been able to take out of the bin and throw on the floor that, logically, you will have to clean, there are many more problems that can affect your pet's he alth when they eat some of the garbage and they are:
- They can eat foods that are toxic to their body, such as coffee or chocolate, or some toxic plants that you have thrown away, such as daffodils, and this can affect them with different diseases to a greater or lesser degree.
- They can also eat foods that are not toxic but are in poor or rottenfor spending several days in the bucket of the garbage, and that can also lead to serious intestinal consequences.
- They can cut or prick themselves with glass, broken metal, cardboard or plastic, their nose or legs when they are inserted into the garbage can, or even the entire digestive system if they happen to swallow it.
- They can also choke on any of these objects or on a very large or chipped bone, which would seriously affect their he alth.
- Likewise, they can suffer from poisoning, and in the worst case, die, from ingesting a chemical that we have thrown into the garbage and that has impregnated the leftover food or other objects.
At the slightest sign that your dog has ingested something harmful to his he alth by eating from the garbage can, quickly go to a good veterinarian to help him as soon as possible.
Prevent my dog from opening the garbage can
To prevent your dog from opening the rubbish bin and eating everything he catches, prevention is one of the easiest solutions, but no less important, that we must take into account. To do this, one of the best options is to take out the garbage every time you leave the house, thus preventing your pet from finding the full bin.
If you can't do this because you can't fill the garbage can every time you go outside, Place it in a kitchen cupboardor in a closed place that your dog cannot easily access and cover it well so that it gives off as few odors as possible, this way we will avoid much more that it manages to open the bucket.
If the reason your dog rummages through the garbage can is because of separation anxiety, as we have seen in the first section, a good solution to this problem would be to use the kong, a toy which is filled with dog food and also helps them relax.
Although prevention is very important, canine education is at the same level and therefore, every time you are at home and you see that your dog opens the garbage cansay "NO" firmly and emphatically so that he understands that it's something he shouldn't do.
Also, you can try put a little ground pepper on the lid of the bucket so that every time your pet sticks its head sneeze and thus, associate rummaging in the garbage can with sneezing. In the long run he will understand and he will know that if he puts his head in the trash, he is in for a good sneeze. It is the same method that is used with people who bite their nails for example, putting on a nasty polish or a little garlic spread to make them smell bad.
But if your animal also tends to rummage through containers and rubbish bins when you take him out for a walk, you should also correct him with a powerful "NO" and a light tug ropetowards you. This way, your pet will know that he has done something wrong and that you are scolding him for it. Of course, you should never hit him in the snout, or in the butt, or anything like that because that would be animal abuse. The best option is always to educate animals through positive reinforcement.
Finally, another good trick to prevent your dog from opening the garbage can or rummaging through the containers if you are walking him down the street giving him some bitter or unpleasant-tasting dog treat for your pet, so he will end up associating the bad taste in his mouth that the candy produces with the garbage food and will stop doing it over time.
