Why I Bought a Dog Proof Trash Can for My Kitchen
If you own a dog, the idea of getting some dog proof trash cans has probably occurred to you already. Why? Simply put, to dogs, a lot of the stuff we throw into the trash can is food. A lot of the time, they are right. Think of how much food gets scraped into the kitchen garbage can just because some human got full, or tired of eating whatever was on their plate. Not many dogs think like that (at least not mine). Dogs cannot understand why we crazy humans have decided to put these delicacies off limits. Their ultra sensitive noses lead them to a delicious buffet of tasty morsels, they fall into a feeding frenzy, and the next thing they know, they are getting hollered at by the favorite humans in their life just for eating. Geez!
Seriously though, if you’ve ever had to clean up after your dog ransacked your kitchen garbage, you know how gross things can get when a dog is hungry and motivated. Later, I’ll be recommending some possible solutions to your garbage dog problems, and I could earn a commission for the recommendation. Please know that I’ll only recommend products I believe in myself.
What Garbage Can Should I Buy for the Kitchen?
Not sure which can to buy when you want to keep the dogs out? I recommend checking out one of these two options depending on the size you need.
simplehuman Butterfly Step Trash Can, Stainless Steel, 45 L / 11.9 Gal
simplehuman Butterfly Step Trash Can, Stainless Steel, 10 L / 2.6 Gal
Buy a Can with a Heavy Metal Lid
The solution I found for my dogs (I’ve got 3 now) getting into the garbage cans was to buy a metal garbage can with a lid that is opened by stepping on a pedal. The metal lid is heavy enough to stay shut, and I figure that if my dogs are smart enough to figure out and operate a foot pedal, they probably deserve whatever treats they find. I have tried plastic trash cans, but the dogs knocked them over. Since we switched to a metal can with a foot pedal, there have been no more garbage raids by the paw patrol. Here are two trash cans I recommend checking out. Remember to look at the various sizes when buying garbage cans. You can usually get away with a small dog proof can in the bathroom if that’s your dog’s favorite place to look for food, but the kitchen usually requires something a little bit larger.
Who Do You Think Raided This Kitchen Garbage Can?
How I Stopped My Dogs from Emptying the Garbage Cans
I’m definitely a dog person. I’ve had them as pets for most of my life. (If you’ve got a minute, read about my goldendoodle clipping experience) I’ve noticed something though, even the best dogs seem to reach their limit of self control when it comes to good smelling human food. Personally, I’ve found that purchasing dog proof trash cans will go a long way toward keeping my furry friends out of trouble. The key to buying a dog proof kitchen trash can seems to be finding one that has a lid that is heavy enough to resist prying noses. If you try to simply purchase one of those cheap bins with a plastic flap on top, your dog will make short work of getting to the scraps you threw away after dinner. If you want to keep dogs out of indoor trash cans, you’ve got to be smarter than your dog! Your pet doesn’t have your discriminating tastes. They don’t get the concept of “garbage” when there’s a bunch of perfectly edible dinner scraps sitting right in front of their nose!
How a Kitchen Garbage Can Helps to Keep Your Dog Safe
I know I’ve joked around a bit about why you should buy one of these dog proof cans, but there is also a serious side to the issue. Some dogs really seem to lose control when they suddenly gain access to large amounts of what they see as food. What finally convinced me to buy one of these metal cans with a lid, was finding one of my dogs chewing on a chicken bone after a recent wing night. I saw the bone splintering in her mouth and then imagined what might have happened if she had gone ahead and swallowed a bunch of them. I bought the our new garbage can within the next couple of days. Like I said above, we haven’t had a kitchen garbage raid by our dogs since we got the new dog proof garbage can.
A Demonstration of the Butterfly Lid Garbage Can
I found this nifty demonstration of how a butterfly lid garbage can operates. You can probably see for yourself how it might help to keep dogs out. I also like that the design will let it slip into tight places and narrow openings in the kitchen.
So why do dogs raid the garbage can and what can we do about it?
Dogs are naturally curious animals and the garbage can can be a source of interesting smells and potential snacks for them. Unfortunately, getting into the trash can also be a bad habit that can be hard to break.
One way to stop this behavior is to make sure the garbage can is kept in a secure place, such as a closed cabinet or locked room. You can also try using a garbage can with a tight-fitting lid or using a bungee cord to keep the lid closed.
Another way to stop this behavior is to give your dog plenty of exercise and mental stimulation throughout the day. This can help keep them occupied and less likely to get into mischief. Additionally, you can train them to understand that the garbage can is off-limits.
Finally, it can also be helpful to keep your garbage can clean and empty it frequently. This will reduce the number of tempting smells that may attract your dog to the trash.
Overall, it may take a combination of these methods to effectively stop your dog from raiding the garbage can, but with patience and consistency, you can help break this bad habit.
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