Effective Tips to Stop Your Dog from Chasing the Trash

One: How to Correct the Behavior

Dogs often have a strong fascination with garbage, a trait inherited from their ancestors' foraging instincts. Puppies, in particular, love to dig, hide things, and explore the various smells within trash bins, leading to a mess around the house. What should you do when your dog rummages through the trash? To tackle this issue, consider addressing the problem from three key angles to correct your dog's bad habit.

1. Utilize a trap with a loud snap to deter your dog. Position the trap near the trash can, ensuring it's set up correctly and covered with paper. When your dog triggers the trap, the loud snap will startle it. However, be cautious to adjust the trap's direction so it doesn't harm your dog. After a few such incidents, your dog is likely to become more wellbehaved.

2. If your dog has already started the habit of flipping through the trash, consider placing leftover food and other items in a different, more concealed or difficulttoopen trash can.

3. Place items your dog dislikes in the trash can it tends to dig through, such as orange peels or other odors it finds repulsive. Alternatively, you can use a remotecontrolled device (to keep your dog in the dark about your involvement) that releases an unpleasant scent or sound when it approaches. Over time, this will diminish its interest in rummaging through the trash.

Two: Avoid Punishing Your Dog

It's important not to punish your dog, as there are several drawbacks to doing so:

1. Punishment is often ineffective, as dogs may not understand why they are being punished. The worstcase scenario is that your dog will become fearful and tremble, even urinating out of fear, losing trust in you.

2. If your punishment is not severe, some dogs might intentionally misbehave to gain your attention. To them, being hit might be "painful but enjoyable," as they fear being ignored more than the pain. They might even risk being hit just to have you engage with them.

3. A dog that has been punished for flipping through the trash might continue the behavior when it's not caught, viewing it as a lucky escape. It may enjoy the thrill of getting away with it, much like a person who might act out more in secret after being reprimanded openly.