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Post by _Linda_ on Apr 15, 2010 20:55:32 GMT -5
Ok, I am just going to rant for a while. Why is it that animals seem to think they need to help with the chores? My black lab pulls things back out of the trash can after I have thrown it away. All three of my cats feel that they must inspect everything as I am cleaning. It is just discouraging that I am redoing work that I have already done.
As far as the trash goes, the dog will take the lid off of the can to get to whats inside. I have no where that I can put the can so that she can't get to it. And, to make matters worse, her favorite thing to get is the used tissues. yuck! There is nothing else to say about the cats, but cats think we are here for their amusement. With the exception of locking them all in a room as I try to clean, I am at a loss as to how to deal with them. Please don't get me wrong, I love my pets dearly. It's just sometimes they are annoying.
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Post by eagle on Apr 15, 2010 21:32:33 GMT -5
I know this was a rant, and I hope you don't mind, but it made me think of something that I just love about the wild animals that co-exist within my realm.
Whenever Hubby and I do any work in our yard that even moderately changes how things are, the creatures always come to watch, chatter and investigate. I always figured that they are so interested in our activities because they firgure we are altering their environment, which is, of course true.
My favorites for this display of interest are hummingbirds. They are even more vocal about changes to the shrubbery and so forth than even squirrels.
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Post by Magpie on Apr 15, 2010 23:50:53 GMT -5
Just saw an episode of "Its Me or the Dog" with something similar - dog was knocking over and pulling trash out of can.
You might try their idea of making it difficult for the dog to tip over the can, by putting some very heavy weights in the bottom of it.
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Post by howardsgirlfriend on Apr 16, 2010 1:54:16 GMT -5
I have bungee cords on our trash cans, a childproof lock on the refrigerator and all the cupboards, and a steel coffee cup with a screw top for my eyeglasses. I scoop the cat boxes immediately before we bring the dogs upstairs at night, yet they still check for cat turds.  Actually, my pets have been the driving force for much of my desqualoring. If you need a lab to raid your refrigerator, a terrier to attack your vacuum, anAmerican Eskimo-mix to add ventilation hole to your sheets, or a Japanese Chin to mistake your beads for chew toys, I can rent them out.  |
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Post by bigtimetroubles on Apr 16, 2010 4:12:50 GMT -5
hahaha Howardsgirlfriend.....you can keep them but I will sell you one that eats furniture....Shepoholic
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Post by dtesposito on Apr 16, 2010 7:33:16 GMT -5
Ah yes, I know the feeling. I no longer have a garbage can, I hang a garbage bag on a hook on the back door to keep the bag out of the reach of my cats. If you have a dog that is even medium size though, they could probably reach up and chew the bottom out of the bag, which is probably worse than knocking the can over!  I put a little tray table with folded up towel next to my computer desk so my one cat that follows me everywhere can have a place to sit that isn't on my keyboard. It works pretty well to keep him off the computer, but sometimes he just MUST sit even closer, so then he's on my lap. Gotta love 'em! Diane |
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Post by StuffNoMore on Apr 16, 2010 10:48:10 GMT -5
I spray "Trash Guard" on the trash bin and they all steer clear of it. |
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Post by DJ on Apr 16, 2010 13:40:56 GMT -5
at a clinic i worked at trash cans were mounted to the walls, put them up high enough and it's hard<er> for them to get a good angle of attack to drag stuff out, and if they're galvanized metal it's harder for them destroy them... something else i've done is used wooden chests to put debris or refuse in. and a bolt on it so it's harder to open if necessary...
in general though pets sure are good uhm helpers. they help me learn how to lock, bolt, and secure anything i need to not have moved or eaten.
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Post by eatingbonbons on Apr 16, 2010 15:49:21 GMT -5
We keep our trash can in the cabinet under the kitchen sink which works well. But sometimes a cat will open the cabinet door for the dogs. It's amazing how well they work together.
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Post by _Linda_ on Apr 16, 2010 16:22:28 GMT -5
I am better today after my rant from last night.  It is good to see how everyone else sees this problem. Eagle you are right, they just have to see what we are doing to disturb their surroundings. Thanks for the offer, Howardsgirlfriend, but my animals seem to keep me on my toes enough.  |
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Post by bigtimetroubles on Apr 16, 2010 16:26:42 GMT -5
I have a trash can with spring loaded metal lid on it...the can itself is metal. They cost a bit more but it was needed with a dog before and now I have a new dog who can get it open and sometimes does just that....not sure what I will do now...but it is semi safe in can here...unless it really smells tasty hugs btt |
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Post by eagle on Apr 17, 2010 21:32:19 GMT -5
BTT, you might have to invest in one of those bear-proof cans they use in national parks.
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Post by gifted on Apr 17, 2010 23:36:31 GMT -5
Great thread.
My Cowpie ALWAYS must jump up on the edge of the kitchen sink, whenever I am there. Because it is often used as a food prep area, ANY activity in that area is of keen interest to this very food motivated cat. Ironically, when I WANT him to come into the kitchen, I must always open the can of whatever FIRST. Although I NEVER lie to him about something as serious as a "TREAT." He waits for the sound of the can opener. And whatever it is, it is usually of some interest. He loves the juice of canned veggies.
Boney Maloney, an orange tabby, used to launch himself at the base of a 30 gallon trash can, to knock it over, and hopefully dislodge the lid and spill any contents. No matter that he was well fed. I guess he wanted to keep his feral "hunting skills" finely honed.
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Post by still on Apr 19, 2010 21:13:00 GMT -5
My cats like to lay down on the piles of clean laundry while I am trying to fold, and often try to catch the pieces as I pull them from the pile. Putting him or her - depending on who is "helping" with the laundry - on the floor is followed by him or her immediately jumping back up again as if it is all part of the game. My little girl cat always joins me in the bathroom when I brush my hair expecting to be brushed, too. They do think they are one of us, don't they?  |
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Post by usedtobeneat on Jul 10, 2010 18:52:41 GMT -5
Our dogs used to pull things out of, and knock over the trash every night that we didn't put the can up on the table before bed. Then I found the secret. I bought one of those huge containers of ground cayenne pepper and keep it on the counter. Anytime I put something in there, I just sprinkle a little pepper on top. They may turn it over once after you start that, but they don't do it twice. Just make sure you keep some sprinkled on there always, because they can smell it.
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