How To Keep My Dog Out Of The Litter Box

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Demand to know how to keep dogs out of the litter box? If y'all're amidst the 60% of homeowners who own both dogs AND cats, you probably struggle with this problem. Many vets will tell you that the protein content of your true cat's poop makes it irresistible to dogs. Other experts may say it's boredom, but whatever the case – it's not good!

Apparently eating poop is gross and unsanitary for your domestic dog. But thinking beyond that, it'south also a major outcome when a dog starts eating poop out of a cat litter box due to the litter itself. Here'south the thing- most litters are clay-based, and since the true cat litter sticks around the poop as it gets buried within the litter box, your dog volition likewise be eating the litter too.

Clay swells as information technology comes in contact with liquids, then as information technology goes down the domestic dog's digestion runway it can get stuck and crusade blockages. This wouldn't necessarily happen immediately, but if your domestic dog makes a habit of snacking out of the cat pan, it's certainly a hazard.

And that is a adventure y'all probably don't want to accept, considering it's life-threatening and tin cost you lot thousands in vet bills if they need surgery to get the blockage out.

This can all be avoided if y'all make reasonable attempts to keep your pets abroad from the cat litter box. There are a few ideas yous can endeavour.

Proceed your litter boxes where the dog tin't admission it

This i is probably the most obvious, but simply putting the boxes somewhere the dog can't get into should be enough to go on them out.

Hither are a few ideas on how to attain this easily:

Use a door strap

The door strap is a product that attaches betwixt the door and the door frame. Basically it allows the door to stay open enough for cats to squeeze in, but non (bigger) dogs. Obviously, this solution merely works if your dog can't fit through the opening besides.

This could work well for bathrooms, closets, bedrooms, or even a basement.

Install a true cat door

An culling to using a door strap would be to install a cat door on any doors yous want to keep litter boxes backside. This is a bit more intrusive as it requires y'all to cut a hole in the door, so earlier y'all exercise this y'all might want to consider trying a door latch commencement.

Put them up loftier where your cat can jump, but the domestic dog can't

If your cat jumps well, you tin try elevating the box to somewhere the canis familiaris tin't admission. This would depend on a lot of different variables as to whether information technology'd be a good solution or non. Is your cat a proficient jumper? Can your dog jump? Practice you lot have any areas in your firm that'd work for a fix upward similar this?

If your true cat isn't a great jumper, you don't want to discourage them from using their box so try a different method instead.

Get a domestic dog-proof litter box

Dog proof litter boxes are really only any type of litter box a domestic dog wouldn't exist able to get into. In that location are a lot of different kinds, only mutual ones are covered boxes or acme-entry litter boxes.

A covered box has a top with a front entry door that will let your true cat go in simply non virtually dogs. Once again, manifestly, if your domestic dog is pocket-size this won't work if they can simply crawl in the entry door also!

A top entry litter box is an enclosed fashion that has a door on height, so your cat has to spring in from the top instead of just walking in through a front door. Some cats might not prefer this fashion, but it is a expert solution if you need to keep a domestic dog out and your cat doesn't mind. This might also exist a better option if yous have a smaller dog, equally a domestic dog would be less likely to jump in from the top.

Litter box article of furniture: An alternative to a covered true cat box would be to use litter box piece of furniture, which substantially is any furniture that is congenital with the intention of keeping a litter box inside for your cats. Typically this would be pieces like cabinets, benches, or nightstands. Only it could be annihilation and easily made yourself.

You tin fifty-fifty repurpose an empty cabinet space for a DIY hidden litter box! Or get one of those subconscious litter box imitation plants! Those are actually neat.

The skilful thing nigh investing in something like this is it opens up your options on places you can actually put your litter box, and it tin can make spaces with litter boxes much more than attractive equally y'all aren't staring at an obvious litter box!

Keep the litter clean!

If y'all keep the litter as clean as possible, this will preclude your domestic dog from having also many opportunities to come around stealing a snack from the box.

Using a clumping litter makes this job a lot easier, equally you lot can just just scoop out all the cat waste material and throw it away multiple times per day, without fifty-fifty changing the litter.

You lot tin can scoop out the feces from the non-clumping litter besides, only it may be a scrap more hard. If you can employ a clumping litter instead, I'd recommend information technology. (If your true cat allows it)

If all fails, get a corn-based litter.

Remember that clay-based litters are terrible for dogs to consume. They can cause GI issues if eaten in large quantities and your dog might stop up needing surgery to remove a blockage.

Then if you have tried everything and nothing seems to work, y'all should switch to a corn-based litter. This will at the very least be meliorate for your dog'south digestion as corn can easily pass through their arrangement (unlike dirt).

Only attempt to keep it clean as much equally you can, and effort to proceed it out of the dogs attain if at all possible.

What has been your biggest challenge with keeping your canis familiaris away from the litter box? Let us know in the comments below.

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