Q: We adopted a 1-year-old flat-coat retriever four years ago. He is a great dog, but when we leave him home alone, he gets into (and sometimes destroys) anything that has a food scent such as my daughter’s book bag, a metal trash can with a lid, etc. He also gets into cupboards and on counters to get food. He goes crazy when put him in a cage and has escaped from and broken two of them. We ordered a custom-made muzzle for him that we put on him when we left the house, but he destroyed that also.
We do our best to dog-proof the kitchen (there is a baby lock on the lazy Susan) and house before we leave, but still have to regularly clean up messes when we get home. Luckily, he does not destroy household items. We have also tried giving him dog toys or chewies to keep him busy while we are gone but that doesn’t work.
Can you suggest an indestructible crate or another option such as medicine?
— M.M., Uniontown
A: Having a dog that gets into food items can be a challenging and dangerous problem. The concern is always that the dog will get into something, such as grapes, that could be lethal (it can take less than a pound of grapes to put a dog the size of a Flatie into renal failure).
There are some options to work on. Seeking to desensitize him to the crate can be a long process.
Feed him in it, leaving the door open. Each time he goes into it, give him a special treat such as a piece of chicken. Really kick up the value of the reward for going into the crate.
The concern with a dog that does not like a crate is if they have to stay at a vet’s office for a procedure they will be crated. If they are not accustomed to a crate, the stress level is compounded. Vet office techs do not have the time to deal with problem dogs in crates.
There are crates out there that are considered indestructible. Do a Google search and you will pull up a number of them. I have not had personal experience with any of them. The concern is always that the dog may injure itself trying to escape.
Another way to try to keep him out of cupboards is to get packing tape and tape the cupboards so the sticky side is up. Dogs by nature do not like to have their feet trapped in something, and often the tape will simulate the sensation of their feet being trapped.
Put away as many items as possible. Wrap any left-out containers or items such as a book bag with the packaging tape. Use more than one strip of tape if he’s that good at getting into stuff. Essentially, you will be wrapping your kitchen, lunch box, book bag, etc. in packing tape.
I know there are safety locks for cupboards that people with children install. Often these will work for dogs, too. There are some that have a lock and key system. They might be pricey — I think Home Depot had a set of four for around $22 — but this would be another good avenue to try.
A gating system to deny the dog access to the kitchen is another option.
Between denying the dog access to the kitchen area, setting the dog up with book bags covered with packing tape and the child locks on the cupboard, you have some tools to obtain some success.
Remember, it can take a minimum of six weeks to begin to develop a new behavior in a dog. Longer if it is firmly ingrained.
— Susan Jenkins, owner
of Papp’s Dog Services
in Akron and member
of National Association
of Dog Obedience Instructors and International
Association of Canine
Professionals
Please send questions about your pet to Kathy Antoniotti at the Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640; or email kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com. Please include your full name and address and a daytime phone number where you can be reached. Questions will be forwarded to an expert best suited to address your pet issue. Phoned-in messages will not be taken.