With equal parts cute and cunning, dogs seem to be able to find their way into and out of virtually anything and everything. Though it may be adorable to see Rex running around with your old gym shorts tangled around his neck—haplessly thrashing about—the charm wears off when you return to the house later, only to find the shorts torn and tattered, littering the floor.
What the best can? I like the Semi-Round one from SimpleHuman.
One of the most frustrating elements to any dog’s innate sense of curiosity is the propensity to root around through the trash. Feed them though you may, the tempting morsels left over in your trash—even just the seductive aromas of leftovers—can lure even the most well behaved pups into your garbage pail.
Despite all the love in my heart for pooches, I can muster little more than a grimace from recollections of pizza boxes, plastic cartons, and soy sauce packets strewn carelessly around the kitchen floor.
Perhaps as dog owners, it’s our job to take on added responsibility and vigilance regarding our garbage removal systems. Maybe implicit in the laundry list of chores for the responsible dog owner should be the increased regularity with which we take out the garbage. Should every day be trash day for dog owners? Maybe. But is it too much to ask to be able to leave the trash in the kitchen when we temporarily leave the round-the-clock world of dog ownership? I think not!
| Best Dog Proof Trash Cans | Best Features |
|---|---|
| 1. simplehuman 50 Liter / 13 Gallon Semi-Round Kitchen Step Trash Can | 5-year warranty; strong steel pedal built to last |
| 2. iTouchless 13 Gallon Pet-Proof Sensor Trash Can with AbsorbX Odor Filter Kitchen Garbage Bin | 100% touchless; carbon odor filter included |
| 3. simplehuman 10 Liter / 2.6 Gallon In-Cabinet Trash Can | budget-friendly; 5-year warranty |
| 4. Home Zone Living 18 Gallon Kitchen Trash Can | motion sensor; stainless steel |
| 5. HEMBOR Dual Trash Can, 16 Gallon (2X30L) Step Rubbish Bin | separate garbage and recycling sections; stainless steel |
The dog-proof kitchen
While it’s reasonably safe to assume that your dog—regardless of what the breeder says about his mental cunning and physical dexterity—will not be getting into the pantry or the refrigerator, your trash bin is almost always in red-alert danger of canine invasion. For this reason, the trash bin will be the focal point of dog-proofing any kitchen (and don’t forget about the bathroom trash, as well!).
The most obvious feature of a dog-proof kitchen trashcan is a solid lid. You want a securely closing lid to keep out the unwanted inspections from your dog, but a tight seal also prevents tempting aromas from escaping the bin.
In addition to a firmly sealing lid to keep odors in and keep your dog out, you’ll want a trashcan that features a foot pedal opener, or some other mechanism preventing easy opening. Many people have opted for the more sanitary foot pedal measure even without the looming threat of hungry dogs, but some form of locking lid is downright necessary for dog owners.
Though a stroke of luck (or perhaps force) may grant a dog access to a trashcan without a locking lid, it’s extraordinarily unlikely that a dog of any level of cunning will manage to operate a foot pedal or other latching device while simultaneously rooting around in the garbage.
Trashcan profiles
Now that you’ve decided to finally let Rover out of the bathroom during your own dinnertime, you’ll need an appropriate trashcan to maintain peace of mind before, during, and after suppertime.
Simplehuman Semi-Round Step Trash Can
The high quality Simplehuman model may well be the industry standard in dog-proof trashcans. It’s an affordable solution to more easily invaded trashcans, featuring the necessary pedal opener, sliding lock, and patented lid-shox to guarantee smooth, silent closing of this kitchen step trash container.
The 50 liter capacity makes it a perfect choice for high-traffic kitchens with continual waste production. Its simple plastic construction makes it lightweight, durable, and easy to clean; it will keep your dog out of your trash in a stylish way.
iTouchless 13 Gallon Pet-Proof Sensor Trash Can
iTouchless truly lives up to its name because, well, it’s touchless! Open this stainless steel pet proof trash can with just a wave of your hand. Powered by batteries (or you can separately purchase an ac adapter to plug it in), this dog proof trash can has a motion sensor and an easy on, easy off lock that keeps curious canines out of the trash and back to their dog food!
Included is an activated carbon filter to prevent those food odors that bring those animals to investigate your other trash pails. It has a 13 gallon trash capacity. Plus, the wide 12″ opening of this motion sensor trash receptacle (made of strong, pet-proof material resting on the stainless steel sensor trash can) makes throwing away pizza boxes and other bulky items a breeze.
Simplehuman Rectangular Step Trash Can
For the cutting edge of dog-proof trashcan technology, we return to the genius engineering of Simplehuman. Their Rectangular Step Trash Can is made of sturdy, durable stainless steel. At a husky 12.8 pounds, this trashcan will be difficult to knock over. The high-impact step is guaranteed to last over 150,000 steps—that’s over 20 steps every day for 20 years! This trashcan also features the patented lid shox technology, guaranteeing smooth and silent operation, every time.
Custom can liners are designed sturdily, and maximize space use in the trashcan. Liners are stored within the can, facilitating smooth transitions between liners. Seamless sealing of the lid guarantees against trash odors leaving the trashcan, reducing temptation for any dog invasion. The 45-liter capacity makes this trashcan perfect for any home kitchen use and could also be used as a high quality bathroom trash receptacle.
Home Zone Living 18 Gallon Kitchen Trash Can
The Home Zone pet proof trash can is an 18 gallon stainless steel one that is a smaller sized receptacle, which makes it easier to find a convenient place in your kitchen for your new pet proof trash. However, its large lid makes it easy for you to dispose of even the biggest pizza boxes!
Since it has a motion sensor, it opens with just the movement of your hand. Your dog can not activate the sensor if you adjust the infrared sensor to open the lid from the top or from the front, and this sensor trash can lets you adjust where you want the motion sensor positioned.
HEMBOR Dual Trash Can, 16 Gallon (2X30L) Step Rubbish Bin
If you want to keep your pets away from both your trash and your recycling, this is the best dog proof trash can out there for you. At over 26 pounds, this is one of the heaviest stainless steel trash cans available, making it difficult for your furry friend to knock over, and its anti-slip base makes one of the best dog proof trash cans even more stable against sniffing pets!
Its lids are operated only by pedals at the bottom of the large capacity can, making for dog proof trash. If your bag bursts inside, the removable inner plastic liners have easy-to-use handles that makes them easy to lift without getting a mess all over your floors. And don’t worry about getting finger prints (or nose prints!) on this gorgeous container—its stainless steel exterior will prevent that.
Piece of trash, peace of mind
With a wide array of securing trashcans on the market, there is no reason to fear inviting your dog into the kitchen while you cook! Invest in one of these dog-proof trashcans for safe, secure storage of trash, out of reach of your dog. Looking for more options? Find some here.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are some repellant sprays to use on my outdoor garbage cans to keep animals away?
Let’s face it, although you may need a great indoor can to prevent your pets from getting into the garbage, lots of other animals may be getting into your outdoor trash, causing an even bigger problem. Many wild animals are very sensitive to different odors that can help keep them away from the garbage cans outside. You could try spraying pepper spray on your cans to repel animals such as raccoons and squirrels. Vinegar and ammonia sprays are also effective at keeping away nosy garbage-seekers, and, unlike other sprays, are inoffensive to humans and thus can be used on garbage containers near your house. If you’re having a problem with skunks or neighborhood dogs, a great spray to use is one made with citrus: they hate that smell!
Why is my dog so interested in digging in my trash can when I feed him enough?
Frankly, your pup probably associates the food smell that gets on the items in your garbage can with something good to eat–what he thinks is better than his regular dog food! He may be chewing on wrappers or other trash that are retaining the scent of the remains of your roast beef dinner from last night. Also, if he’s digging in your trash regularly while you’re away, he may be acting out of separation anxiety: he misses you and is acting out, or is bored and finds the trash can to be very interesting!
Additional Resources:
- Golden Retriever Forum – Dog Poo Trash Can? Alternative to Regular Trash Can?
- Reddit: BuyItForLife – Dog Proof Trash Can
Image credit via Flickr Creative Commons: Christine S. and Eric F.
David learned to cook at an early age after his mother told him that he couldn't live on pizza forever, Dave uses his modest kitchen skills to recreate sorely-missed recipes from home and to occasionally make new favorite ones from places he is visiting.