An old dog can learn new tricks

My six year old dog, who takes a twice daily medication that is suppose to make her drowsy and lethargic, has taught herself a new trick! She has now figured out three or four ways to destroy the garbage in the last two months or so.

First of all, she used to occasionally steal an item or two from the garbage if it was really good smelling and we had neglected to take the garbage out. You can't totally blame a dog for doing that. However, the garbage can was as tall as she is on her hind legs, so it was a semi-feat to get things out of the trash.

Then, she started doing it all the time, and getting as many items as humanly possible out of it. At the time, we had a garbage can with a swing top, so could just push the top in and get some garbage out. No good, so we bought a new trash can with a flat lid that has to be opened with a foot pedal. Problem solved? Not so much.

Next, Dalan forgot to take out a bag of trash with him one afternoon, so this story is partially his fault, but he was gone for less than an hour, and came home to find that Piper had dragged the trash bag that was five times her size from the kitchen to the front room and DESTROYED it! He found garbage in every corner, and it took him forever to clean up.

Finally, last night I go to the grocery store for about an hour. I come home to find garbage on her bed in the front room, in the hallway, and all over the garbage. That naughty little 20 pound doggie had figured out how to tip over the 50 gallon garbage can and then eat all the goodness that came spilling out. I guess we need to find some rocks to keep at the bottom, and hopefully make it too heavy for her increasing need to eat trash! I mean, what dog develops more bad habits the older they get, isn't it suppose to be the opposite?

This is a horrible picture, because at the time I only took one with my cell phone to send to Dalan, but it is better than nothing. That black rectangular thing in the back is the garbage can, and the rest of the stuff is some of the trash. There was a trail of trash down the hall and into the living room.