Argon is dumping the Trash

[StillandSilent]

Now, I already know the solution to this is to keep him from being able to get to the can, which means he will be getting to know Mr. Crate quite well until he can be trusted again. What I don't understand is why he is suddenly doing it.
Argon dumped the trash can over on Monday, which I heard and managed to catch and scold before he could actually go rummaging in it. I thought that the sound of it falling over had scared him straight, because I've never seen him move so fast (barring the day he snatched the crow out of midair at the dog park ). No harm, no foul.
Until I came home yesterday, and found trash strewn through my apartment. Even more worrying, he had pulled out an empty can of chili and hid it in my bed. He could have been seriously cut on the lid.
I've had Argon almost a year and a half and he has been good as gold and totally trustworthy from almost the minute I brought him home, despite never being in a house before. Housebroken in days, never destructive, just almost perfect, which is why this behavior is so out of character.
Can he still be upset about Neon? We lost the Neener Bean a week ago Thursday. He looked for him for a day or two, but now seems completely back to normal, almost like he had forgotten Neon was ever here. Thoughts?

 

[Barb04]

He might be getting into things because he's missing his buddy.

Years ago I had to put the trash in a smaller container that I could put in the cabinet under my sink or my dog would open the can.

 

[Lolas Dad]

If the only reason that your going to crate Argon is for dumping the trash can why not just put the trash in the cabinet under the sink?

 

[Doberluv]

I think he's probably bored while you're gone. It is not unusual for dogs, as they develop and mature to change some of their behavior. Toker never ever did some of the "naughty" things she has done in later years, like getting into anything that is left on the kitchen counters or on top of the refrigerator. She scored once or twice and the behavior was full on. She actually got a couple of food thing I left up there and I still don't know how she did it without knocking other things off the top or papers I had stuck on it with magnents. There was not one other thing out of place. Now I really, really have to put away everything. Bananas aren't safe ripening on the counter. They have to be put away. I have a child proof lock on the cabinet with the garbage can in it because Jose` use to be able to open that cabinet. LOL. So, if you can fix the boredom thing with some more interactive toys, where treats are hidden inside and he has to figure out how to get them out, stuffed Kongs, more exercise before you leave...stuff like that. Lock things up better. Or put him in a smaller room where the garbage isn't. Absolutely don't leave the garbage out. The only place I'd ever have a garbage can in the kitchen is under a locked cabinet. Even my waste paper basket in the bathroom has to go under the cabinet and it only has paper in it.

:nono: doesn't work when you're not right there every single time. So, forget scolding. Dogs are scavangers. In their mind, it is absolutely the right thing to do. LOL.

 

[StillandSilent]

So I shouldn't scold even if I catch him right in the act? I didn't scold him yesterday when he had already done it and moved on, just when I actually heard him dump the can the first time.
Argon goes to daycare 6 days a week with me where he gets plenty of exercise and stimulation. I run errands after daycare, which is when he had done this both times. Each time I was out of the house less than two hours.
Toys are a bust with him, he won't even look at them. He will take a bully stick, but he tries to hide them in my bed and chew them, so they are a supervision only toy.
He might try and knock treats out of a toy, I've never tried one. What's a good one that isn't too hard for a beginner?
Lolasdad- I keep the trash can out because it is too tall for my cabinents and it's never been an issue before. He does not bother the bathroom trash, just the kitchen one. I hate to have to get a new can, because my sinks are quite low.

 

[Doberluv]

You can scold him if you want when you catch him, but that won't stop him when you're not there. He'll learn that it is not safe to get in the garbage in your presence or when you're around and that it is safe when you're gone. In his mind, it's as simple as that. That's all the further his doggie mind takes it...not that he's being deceitful and knowing that it's "wrong" and choosing to disobey your wishes. There is no human logically, thought out process going on. Safe or dangerous...dangerous or safe...that's it. That's as far as it goes. LOL.

I think the only solution is to rig up a new situation for the garbage can. Either a smaller can that will fit under the sink in the cabinet or some kind of trash can that has a very positive locking mechanism that he can't cause to open if he knocks it over, digs and paws at it or chews on it. Or....buy one of those motion detector things that automatically sends out some kind of aversive, like a scary sound, burst of air when he gets too close to it. Punishment will only work when it happens every single time he does it, while he's in the act, and it must not come from you. If the punishment stops or is inconstent, he may try again. If he succeeds and makes it into the trash, that will reinforce the behavior and it will start all over again.

 

[ds5160]

I have a similar issue with our new dog. It only happens when she is bored, though. I work at home and take her for a food walk before I sit down and work. When she wakes up she wants to play, but I still need to work. If I do not have treats for her to find, or a Kong filled, off to the recycling bin she goes. She is learning not to do that, but it seems like it has taken forever, but we have only had her 6 weeks. We usually do not know until we see the item she grabs, so we tell her to drop it and praise the drop. Now my recycling bin has soda cans with pennies in them and we will see what happens the next time.

 

[Doberluv]

We usually do not know until we see the item she grabs, so we tell her to drop it and praise the drop. Now my recycling bin has soda cans with pennies in them and we will see what happens the next time.

If it were me, I wouldn't wait around to see what would happen. If you don't want this behavior of getting into the recycling bin to continue, she must not be given any opportunity to practice the behavior. Each time she succeeds at engaging in this "fun" activity, the behavior is reinforced and much more likely to be repeated in the future and much more difficult to discourage. If she never finds out how fun it is and is because she is prevented from getting into it, the behavior is much more likely to extinguish. It is very important to give her an alternative, something she is allowed get into that is just as fun or more fun. And the recycling stuff needs to be inaccessible.

With other items you don't want her to grab, I recommend keeping as many things put out of her reach as possible so that behavior doesn't become engrained. It is good that she drops things when you ask. But it would be better if she learned what items are for doggies. You can leave plenty of really cool doggie toys out and put away as much as possible that you don't want her to have. (puppy proofing) And the rest of it depends on really good supervision, blocking her from areas that aren't well puppy proofed etc.

Congrats on the new dog. How old is she? What breed or mix is she...do you know?

 

[ds5160]

If it were me, I wouldn't wait around to see what would happen. If you don't want this behavior of getting into the recycling bin to continue, she must not be given any opportunity to practice the behavior. Each time she succeeds at engaging in this "fun" activity, the behavior is reinforced and much more likely to be repeated in the future and much more difficult to discourage. If she never finds out how fun it is and is because she is prevented from getting into it, the behavior is much more likely to extinguish. It is very important to give her an alternative, something she is allowed get into that is just as fun or more fun. And the recycling stuff needs to be inaccessible.

With other items you don't want her to grab, I recommend keeping as many things put out of her reach as possible so that behavior doesn't become engrained. It is good that she drops things when you ask. But it would be better if she learned what items are for doggies. You can leave plenty of really cool doggie toys out and put away as much as possible that you don't want her to have. (puppy proofing) And the rest of it depends on really good supervision, blocking her from areas that aren't well puppy proofed etc.

Congrats on the new dog. How old is she? What breed or mix is she...do you know?

We are working on this. The recycling has always been an open bin, we are getting an enclosed bin as soon as we can find on at a good price. Until then, we have placed a board on top of the bin. Our shoes are us being lazy, we don't put them on the shoe tree. Simple behavior change for us. We had our trainer over the weekend, and we told her the problems, and our question was, what do we need to do so she doesn't do this?

The dog is a 3-year old Bichon Frise/Shih Tzu mix. We got her Jan 2. If I can be disciplined enough with her training, I'd like to get her certified as a therapy dog.