Trash Raiding
Trash Raiding
Q: How do I keep my dog out of the trash?
I. Introduction
There are several methods that alone or in combination are usually very effective at quickly modifying the behavior of trash raiding dogs. Nevertheless, before selecting amongst the methods, we recommend first diagnosing why your dog performs the behavior.
II. Causes
The most common reasons that dogs raid the trash are:
- A general lack of structure,
- Lack of knowledge regarding household rules,
- Curiosity,
- Availability,
- Alluring odors,
- Hunger
- Self-reward,
- Attention-seeking behavior
- Boredom,
10) General under-stimulation,
11) Separation anxiety.
III. Solutions
If your dog lacks structure or a daily routine, put him on a regular schedule for his key daily activities, such as eating, walking, play, and exercise. In addition, institute impulse control training protocols, including teaching him to sit and wait for feeding, exits through doorways, petting, and play.
If your dog lacks knowledge regarding household protocols and/or is very young, then you need to be present to teach him the rules. Too much freedom too soon leads to a misbehaving dog. If you observe him investigating the trash, say “No” in a deep growling voice, make a sudden startling noise, rattle a shake can, or blast an air horn. When he ceases investigating the trash, praise him. In addition, confine him to a safe room or a crate when you can’t effectively supervise him and he is apt to get into trouble.
If your dog starts to investigate the trash out of simple curiosity, before the behavior progresses to outright trash raiding, preempt the behavior by diverting him with enticing chew toys. Antlers, sterilized bones, kongs, or rope toys may sufficiently attract your dog, so that he is not compelled to inspect the trash, especially if you add to the allure of the chew item (hollow bone, kong) by stuffing it with food.
If you don’t wish to confine your dog, teach rules, or administer punishers or aversive conditioners, then you may wish to simply make the trash unavailable. Close bathroom and bedroom doors. Place small bathroom and bedroom trash cans atop vanities or furniture. Obtain a kitchen trash can with a heavy lid or with a foot pedal that denies access to a dog or purchase a mechanical compactor that the dog can’t open.
If your dog only raids the trash when there are alluring odors (chicken bones, beef, feminine products), then at those times quickly empty the indoor trash bag into an inaccessible outdoor garbage receptacle. In addition, you may wish to use the newer low-odor indoor bags for your kitchen and bathroom trash.
If your dog is overly hungry, then switch to a lower calorie diet while increasing his food intake. In addition, increase his walks, exercise, and play to divert him from his hunger pangs and to burn off any additional calories that he may obtain from higher volume feedings.
If your dog raids the trash simply because it is fun and he has been rewarded frequently with delectable food scraps, tissues, or feminine products that he finds tasty, we need to make the trash less available, divert or stimulate him so that he is otherwise occupied, supervise him more closely to better teach household rules, and/or administer aversives or punishment for inappropriate behavior. One passive aversive conditioning technique that can work quite well with trash raiding uses balloons. Blow up a long, thin balloon so that only minimal pressure will get it to pop. Then, attach the balloon(s) to the inside of the top of the trash can by using double-sided tape. Next, you may wish to entice your dog by placing some lunch meat deep inside the can, underneath other items, so that the meat is not quickly accessible. Then, lay back and wait. When your dog searches for the meat with his nose or mouth, the balloons should pop. The sudden unexplained noise and the rush of air should create a fear-startle response that after a few repetitions permanently keeps him away from that specific trash can. Moreover, the double-sided tape should prevent your dog from eating the balloon remnants. By quickly and consistently re-attaching new balloons and applying the technique to other trash receptacles that he raids, within several days to several weeks you should modify his actions, whereby he adopts a generalized trash avoidance behavior. Concurrent with employing the balloon method, whenever you observe your dog saliently move away from the trash bin, provide him verbal praise.
If your dog raids the trash primarily as an attention-seeking behavior, so that you will yell at him or chase him, then make sure you do not inadvertently reward him with attention. Instead of verbally admonishing or chasing, pre-stimulate him constructively with walks, exercise, play, and obedience training. In addition, relocate the trash receptacle, purchase a new trash can that he can not access, and/or use passive aversive techniques that do not conspicuously provide him inadvertent attention.
Similarly, if your dog is bored or generally under-stimulated and raids the trash because in his opinion he has nothing better to do, provide him something better to do. Regularly schedule longer walks, more rigorous exercise (running, cycling, outdoor retrieving, swimming), and obedience sessions. In addition, provide him better indoor play toys and chew items that will sustain his interest and make your backyard more interesting with a sandbox, tennis balls, soccer balls, tunnels, jumps, and/or a wading pool.
If the trash raiding behavior occurs only when you are not home and you believe the behavior emanates from more than just opportunity or boredom, but from separation anxiety, then relocate your trash can or purchase a new one and contact a CPT behaviorist for a in-home private lesson on separation anxiety. Separation anxiety is a complex problem that in such a case will need to be addressed first before we can permanently modify the trash raiding behavior. Therefore, in the interim, incorporate management procedures to prevent the continuation of the behavior.
IV. Conclusion
Although trash raiding is usually just a messy behavior, with the cleanup of spilled garbage the most notable aftermath, trash raiding can also result in poisoning or severe internal injuries due to eating long, thin objects (e.g., string) that cause intestinal obstructions or sharp objects (e.g., splintered chicken bones) that cause intestinal perforations. Therefore, we strongly recommend that pet owners extinguish trash raiding behavior. Fortunately, by incorporating one or a combination of quality of life remedies that treat origins, management procedures that prevent the continuation of the behavior, and punishment or aversive conditioning methods that make the behavior less attractive, we can quickly keep your dog away from the trash.
© Copyright Mark Spivak and Comprehensive Pet Therapy, Inc., September 2010, All rights reserved.
Please note that the above article is written principally for informational purposes.