Litter Boxes and Dogs

sakura

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Our 4-month-old lab has discovered the litter boxes
There usually isn't anything in there but he likes to dig anyway in them, in hopes of finding something.

We have 2 boxes and they are uncovered. We used to have a Booda Dome covered box and I'm wondering if that would work for keeping the dog out? What are the other options? I really don't like the way those top entry boxes look and I don't think one of my cats (Mattie) would use it as she's so big.

I don't think the whole baby gate thing would work as he can jump over and knock down the one that we have. We are renting and can't install a cat door into a bedroom door.

How have you solved this problem?
 

yosemite

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Bijou is a big boy at 18 plus pounds. I have the large Booda Dome and he has no difficulty using it.

It would also keep the dog out unless your dog was smaller than your cat which in Bijou's case I have seen dogs much smaller than him.
 

persi & alley

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Originally Posted by Sakura

Our 4-month-old lab has discovered the litter boxes
There usually isn't anything in there but he likes to dig anyway in them, in hopes of finding something.

We have 2 boxes and they are uncovered. We used to have a Booda Dome covered box and I'm wondering if that would work for keeping the dog out? What are the other options? I really don't like the way those top entry boxes look and I don't think one of my cats (Mattie) would use it as she's so big.

I don't think the whole baby gate thing would work as he can jump over and knock down the one that we have. We are renting and can't install a cat door into a bedroom door.

How have you solved this problem?
My dog Rocky used to think the cat's litter box was a diner. We tried all kinds of things to keep him out. It was a covered litter box but he was a small dog and had no problem. When I mentioned this to the vet, he told me that I was trying to apply my values to the dog. In other words he told me not to worry about it. I didn't until Rocky would jump up and give me a big kiss.
 

tortiefan23

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For some reason, dogs like kitty fecal matter. They smell the cat food, which dogs love too. You can try putting the litter box in a room and using a baby gate to block out the dogs.. or you can get the Littermaid, which cleans the mess right away. There is also something that they sell online at PETEDGE.COM, which looks like a cabinet.. that the cat can climb into, and inside is the litter box! Not only does it look like a piece of furniture in your house, and you know how those cats like to explore and climb into things.. it will be their own little personal "bathroom" that will keep the dogs out of too!Hope that I helped!
 

othie

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back when I lived at home we had this problem alot with our dog, she was a medium sized dog (a lab) and could stick her head into the covered little box, finally we had to put it under the table in the wash room turned to face the wall with things on either side so she couldnt get into it
 
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sakura

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Originally Posted by Persi & Alley

My dog Rocky used to think the cat's litter box was a diner. We tried all kinds of things to keep him out. It was a covered litter box but he was a small dog and had no problem. When I mentioned this to the vet, he told me that I was trying to apply my values to the dog. In other words he told me not to worry about it. I didn't until Rocky would jump up and give me a big kiss.


Well, him eating the poop is one thing....but he throws the litter everywhere in his quest for a 'treat' and makes a big mess. Plus, the clumping litter can't be great for his stomach.

I guess I'll have to re-purchase the Booda dome. I hate using covered boxes for cats...oh well.
 

calico2222

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Cat poop is very bad for dogs and can make them (especially puppies) very sick! When we first brought Snicker's home (lab) she thought the litter box was a candy dish and we didn't really think anything of it....until we had to spend money on antibiotics because she got the runs so bad and got an infection. With your dog being 4 months, it probably isn't as dangerous (Snickers was 8-10 wks old) but still isn't good for her.

Snickers is now over 2 but still thinks kitty poop is a treat.
Believe me, if you can figure out how to keep your dog out...let me know!

One thing I'm looking at is a domed litter box (looks kind of like an igloo). My BIL has them and they have a stairway that curves up which makes it almost impossible for a dog to get to the litter, but has enough room that most cats really like it. Plus, it keeps litter from being tracked on the floor when they're done. I try to see if I can find one online when I get home and post a link.
 

nekochan

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You could just get a cat carrier and put the litterbox in there. That's what my vet does with her cat's food to keep her dog out of it...
I also found this thing, it's like a special door you put on a cat carrier, so your cats can get in but not the dog. It fits on regular cat carriers and then you can put the food or litterbox inside. It's rather expensive though:
http://www.nekofeeder.com/
 

fuzzles

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I'm lucky that I own two little short dogs. Because of that, I just use a baby gate and keep the litter box in the laundry room. That way it's a room that isn't constantly being used, so we aren't tripping over the baby gate all of the time. Not sure about keeping big dogs from getting in the litter box though. Is there a way you could maybe put it up higher somewhere so the dog cannot reach it? I have no idea where that would be though if you could unless you had some sort of table just for the litter box to go on.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by Sakura




I guess I'll have to re-purchase the Booda dome. I hate using covered boxes for cats...oh well.
Originally Posted by calico2222

One thing I'm looking at is a domed litter box (looks kind of like an igloo). My BIL has them and they have a stairway that curves up which makes it almost impossible for a dog to get to the litter, but has enough room that most cats really like it. Plus, it keeps litter from being tracked on the floor when they're done. I try to see if I can find one online when I get home and post a link.
That's the Booda Dome. Since I started using WBCL I have to honestly say that the odour is not bad when I take the lid off to scoop. Yes, of course if either cat has just gone to the bathroom it will smell just like with us humans, but normally the smell is certainly not overpowering and we have our litter boxes in our respective bedrooms - Bijou's in our room and Mika's in Jennifer's bedroom since that's where the kitties sleep.
 
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sakura

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Today we bought the Booda Dome with the stairs. The one with the stairs is nice because there is a little wall that would (hopefully) prevent our dog from poking his head in and snatching anything.

I haven't set it up yet but if this doesn't work, I don't know what will. Let's just hope he doesn't figure out how to knock the top off (we can strap it down or something I guess?)
 

ckblv

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Originally Posted by othie

back when I lived at home we had this problem alot with our dog, she was a medium sized dog (a lab) and could stick her head into the covered little box, finally we had to put it under the table in the wash room turned to face the wall with things on either side so she couldnt get into it
That is what I have to do. I'm so dumb I thought my cat was constipated, nope no constipated, my Benji dog was eating cat poop.
I have a covered litter box, I put it in a corner of the room turned to the wall, with just enough room for Gray One to have access but not enough room for Benji to get in an eat cat poop. It worked, solved the problem totally.
 

dixie_darlin

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Jake thinks cat poop is a gourmet treat


He would do it every time my head was turned but with time and always telling him "NO" and "BAD" he stopped doing it

I have 1 uncovered litterbox and he doesn't do it anymore
 

ihatespngbob

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Originally Posted by Sakura

Our 4-month-old lab has discovered the litter boxes
There usually isn't anything in there but he likes to dig anyway in them, in hopes of finding something.

We have 2 boxes and they are uncovered. We used to have a Booda Dome covered box and I'm wondering if that would work for keeping the dog out? What are the other options? I really don't like the way those top entry boxes look and I don't think one of my cats (Mattie) would use it as she's so big.

I don't think the whole baby gate thing would work as he can jump over and knock down the one that we have. We are renting and can't install a cat door into a bedroom door.

How have you solved this problem?
I was thinking about getting a baby gate to put up at the bathroom door. My new puppy thinks cat turds are treats! I keep the box clean, but she gets them fresh.
 

wayside

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I have one covered litterbox, and a baby gate across the bathroom door. Since my last cat was too arthritic to jump it, we'd slide it up off the ground a ways so she could sneak under it, but the dog didn't fit.

Tessa, our dog, stuck her head into the covered littler box once or twice to grab a poo, and was immediately scolded for it. She hasn't tried since, good dog.

The people who lived in this house before us had made these litter box wall things out of plywood, like tall dog houses without lids or floors. Just four sides and a door hole cut in. They were large enough that there was room for the kitties to walk around the litter box inside. They took up a fair bit of space, but looked like they'd be pretty effective.
 
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sakura

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So the Booda Dome (with stairs) is working really well!
 
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