The most challenging task is to keep a dog out of the litter box. Many pet owners struggle to keep their pets away from the litter box.
Living with cats and dogs is no less than a mess. “N” numbers of problems keep rising each day. And, by the end of the day, while fixing things, you have no time for yourself. Therefore, I have curated 11 awe-inspiring ideas to keep your dog away from the litter box.
You can either train him or could use dog deterrent spray, but there are other tips too! If you want to learn more, then do read this article.
How to keep my dog out of the litter box?
We understand your pain that it is quite challenging to keep a dog out of the litter box. Therefore, I have curated my ideas and tricks that you can use. Buy a dog-proof litter box, a stool to keep the litter box at a height, or could add a cat door. Well, there are many more jaw-dropping cool ideas listed below. Do give it a read!
1. Keep Barriers on His Way
You can put a barrier on his way to the litter box. Restricting his movement by putting on a baby gate. Placing a baby gate will block his access to the litter box. She can instantly hop over the gate but, your dog won’t. He may be able to put his nose but not his entire body.
So, the baby gate can be a useful physical barrier.
2. Use Cat’s Stool
Keep the litter box at a height. You can use a cat’s stool to keep the box at an elevated height. Felines are great at jumping, but not all dogs can’t jump that long. Why not use her strength to keep a dog out of the cat litter box.
Keep the points listed below in mind.
- Height should be accessible by your cat.
- If your cat is an arthritis patient this plan will not work.
- If your dogs is great at jumping activity then this is not for you.
3. Restrict Him by Adding a Cat Door or Door Latch
You can utilize a cat door to keep your dog away from the litter box.
Fit the door in the room where you plan to keep the cat’s litter box. Keep it an area of your home where you may install a door to block your dog from entering. And hence, you can keep a dog out of the litter box easily.
If your budget doesn’t allow you, you can also invest in a door latch. Your cat can enter the place easily, but your dog will find difficulty in moving his body.
I used Woof Woof Castle Peek a Boo; it will keep your canine out of the kitty litter. Installation is easy; it will fit in your pet budget expenditure also. It will prevent large pets from keeping apart from your kitty litter. This metal hook gives way to your cat easily. And, door opening will be a tiring task for your canine friend.
4. Make Your Kitty Litter Box Neat
The next solution on how to keep dogs out of cat litter boxes is by maintaining her litter box clean.
Don’t maintain the hygiene of the litter box just to keep a dog out of the litter box, but in general, also you must make her litter box neat and clean to keep her healthy and away from infections.
If you clean her box as soon, she does her bathroom business; your dog won’t be enticed by her poop odor. And, it also inhibits the smell of cat poop from spreading all over the surrounding.
Maintain as much cleanliness as possible in her box. When she’s finished using the restroom, scoop out the used litter excrement. If you are one of those busy cat owners who don’t get time, then you can also purchase an automatic cleaning litter box.
Consider buying PetSafe ScoopFree Smart Self-Cleaning Litter Box. It swipes out her feces immediately once she is done with her poo and pee. It is that kind of litter box that keeps dogs out as it will be all-time clean and clear. Your canine friend won’t be allured by feces (basically by cat food) and doesn’t feel to go near around the box.
You can check out our article regarding the best automatic litter box to get fruitful knowledge.
5. Put Invisible Fence
You can have invisible fences to keep your dog away from your cat litter box. I will help to create boundaries for your dog.
Whenever a dog tries to cross that boundary, he will receive a small shock around his neck, it is pet friendly, but most of the pet owners don’t like the concept of using an invisible fence, but if you prefer this idea, you can utilize this to keep the dog away from the litter box. It is safe and effective.
6. Invest in Dog-Proof Litter Box
These days you can find a lot of dog-proof litter boxes in demand which will easily limit your dog from bothering your cat litter box.
She will enjoy the privacy she deserves. You can get a basic litter box with a lid. It will fit and covers the entire box.
If your cat feels anxious while using a covered litter box, then don’t worry; we have another option also. You can invest in a litter pan with a hood. It will be capacious to make your kitty feel comfy, plus it will keep a dog out of the litter box easily along with controlling the bad smell of feces feature.
Buy Catit Hooded Cat Litter Boxes; it purifies the bad litter smells with the help of a carbon filter, and it is one of the best dog-proof litter box options. If you have many cats, it works best for that too. Constructed with BPA-free material.
7. Right Training Can Work
Nothing can beat right training. You know dogs can learn a lot of things when they are guided appropriately so, whenever he strives to reach the litter tray, you order your dog the leave it command.
Teach your dog the following steps to keep dogs out of the litter box.
- Start the training by keeping a litter pan in front of him and use a leash to lock his neck.
- When he is enticed by the litter box he will go around that. That time you have to say “leave it command” to him.
- If he holds and backs off, its your time to praise & treat him. Always use positive reinforcement tricks while training your dog.
Make sure to practice this daily till he doesn’t require a leash around his neck. After repeating these steps several times, he will get used to them.
Now, you can tell him to leave if he tries to move his body nearby the litter tray. And he’ll immediately respond to your command.
You may also educate your dog on how to remain out of the litter box by using the “stay” command.
By training this way, you can change his behavior. Now, know you know how to keep dogs out of the litter box very well!
Read more
8. Use Dog Deterrent
Next on the list of how to keep my dog out of the litter box is a dog deterrent.
8.1 Put Some Hot Sauce or Sprinkle Some Black Pepper in the Litter Box
For that, you need to add some hot sauce or simply add black pepper to your kitties’ litter box. Your dog hates that, and you can use this as your bonus point.
This is the most suitable dog repeller. Your dog won’t be attracted to her litter tray if you add any of these to the litter tray. Because when he sniffs black pepper, he will feel irritation in his nose.
8.2 Deterrent Spray
You can also scatter deterrent spray on your cat litter box to keep dogs out.
I tried Rocco & Roxie No Chew Extreme Bitter Spray for Dogs with my canine friend it worked very well. You can get these at any pet store. It is 4 times bitter made of lasting, alcohol-free formula. You can use this spray not just on your cat litter box but also on your furniture too. It is safe and effective.
9. Alter the Location of Your Cat Litter Box
Your cat may take a few days to adjust to the change, but once she does, your dog will stop invading her box.
You can either put the litter box under the couch or keep it behind a cabinet. Because of the narrow space, your dog won’t be able to get under the cabinet.
10. Keep Him Engaged
When a dog is bored, he will find ways to engage himself in multiple things, which will also include eating cat poop or playing with the litter.
To keep him away from the litter box area, you can stimulate his mind by keeping him active. You can get toys to distract his attention or could take him for a walk.
When he is less bored, he will have no time to explore near your kitty litter box.
11. Lock His Muzzle
This trick can be used if you have failed to train your dog and other tricks have also failed. Trust me; this isn’t going to let you down.
You can prevent your dog from touching the litter pan of your cat if you physically lock his muzzle. You don’t need to use a metal locker like the one used for aggressive dogs. But, you can use a normal nylon or elastic muzzle locker.
You can buy CollarDirect Dog Muzzle. It is available for all sizes of dogs. You can easily adjust this to your dog muzzle, made of breathable material. Includes plastic safe buckle, which is convenient for locking and taking off.
Summing It All Up!
To keep a dog away from the litter box, you can use deterrent spray, purchase a dog-proof litter box, invest in a muzzle locker, or could train him.
If you want to know more tricks, then do read above. You will become a pro to keep a dog out of the litter box easily if you follow the above-mentioned tricks.
If you know more ideas, then leave a comment down below and make sure to share this article with other cat owners also.
References
- How to Dog Proof the Cat’s Litterbox – WikiHow
- Dogs Who Eat Poop, and How to Keep Your Dog Out of the Litter Box – Animal Medical Hospital
- Preventing litter box problems – The Humane Society of the United States