Eating Cat Food & Litter Box Diving!

[LookingforLuke]

I'm pulling my hair out right now.

Is it possible to teach him to leave the cat food, water and litter boxes alone or am I asking/expecting too much? I'm trying to teach him to "leave it" which he'll do for me during training but in real situations, it's not working (yet). I'm assuming he's viewing the litter and cat food as higher value rewards.

I'll be honest, I'm getting very frustrated. Is there a way to teach him to leave it or do I need to move these items out of his reach? I don't want to continue to correct him if I'm just sending him mixed signals.

Also, it isn't an issue of him being hungry or not having food since he has food in his bowl.

Please help!

[JakodaCD OA]

cat food and litter boxes are gourmet food for dogs

I have my cat food bowl on a counter, another one with litter boxes in a spare room with a baby gate about a foot off the floor blocking the door.

My suggestion, move the temptation

[doggiedad]

for now move the cat food and litter. then use the cat food
and litter as a training distraction.

[I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO]

I would just move such a big temptation out of reach. We put a cat door into a hall closet and put the litter box in there. I don't free feed my cats, so I don't have the problem with the food, but many people put the food in a room with a baby gate or put it up on the washing machine/dryer, or have a cat door to the laundry room/similar room and put the litter and food in there.

[Cassidy's Mom]

You are expecting too much. We turned our spare bedroom into the cat room with a baby gate across the doorway, so the cats can eat, use their litter box, and hang out without being pestered by the dogs. The cats can jump it to go in and out of their room, and the dogs respect the barrier.

How old is Luke and how long have you had him?

[LookingforLuke]

Okay, thank you for all the quick replies. I'll follow everyone's advice and move the litter boxes and cat food.

[LookingforLuke]

Luke is only 8 weeks old, we just got him four days ago.

[Cassidy's Mom]

Originally Posted by LookingforLuke

Luke is only 8 weeks old, we just got him four days ago.

Well, there you go! Training takes time, and a young puppy has a very short attention span. It's possible that you'll be able to eventually train him not to litter box dive, but that would take many months of work, and he still might sneak a bite when you're not right there watching.

Cat food is going to be even more difficult. We did manage to train Sneaker many years ago that the kitty food was off limits but she also knew that food dropped on the kitchen floor was fair game. So she would bump the kitty dish until food jumped out onto the floor, and THEN she'd eat it, lol!

[llombardo]

Cat food is up, but litter boxes can be a problem. They don't go in them when I'm home, but I have come home to the litter box moved completely out from behind the couch, it must be an all day event to do that When I move, I'm looking for a house with an extra room that will be a dedicated cat room where the dogs can't go or get into. Problem solved

[readaboutdogs]

Yes the cat food has a lot of aroma! Some dogs love those cat "nookies"! Moving it seems the easiest way!