My dog is getting in the fridge... Any idea's how to make him stop?

Question

I have taped the fridge at the top and bottom...this worked for awhile but it seems now he has learned that if he pulls hard enough, this breaks the tape.
I know everyone laughs ...(ha, ha).. but this is getting expensive.. he eats all the left overs and the fridge is open all day (anything he doesn't eat, gets spoiled). I don't want to have to tie him anywhere or lock him up (he's our guard dog). Does anyone have any idea's?

Answer 1

Congratulations to a fellow owner of a clever doggie! Been there done that ;-( So solutions that I have tried or know of to work:
1- Bungee around the fridge or from handle to coils in back or between handles on a side by side style fridge --- ackward for human to get in and I worry about the dog pulling hard enough to damage coils and if its low enough for the dog to reach they may chew the bungee in half (been there done that)

2- check out the child safety section of the local harware store (or babies r us) they sell stick-on child locks for fridges & appliances. I have one on the oven door (after loosing half the turkey)- unfortunatally they may not hold to a heavy puller or a chewer. Mine went through two styles of such lock on the fidge.

3 - Drill fridge door and put in a hook & eye - One friends fridge openers learned to flip that with his nose but I got one with a little slide to keep it from jiggleing open (but the dog checks that I remembered to latch it almost everytime I leave the kitchen)

4- one member of a list i'm on drilled the cabinets to either side of a built in fridge and put a chain across...

5- The hook & eye flippers owner put a 60 lb tug boat ballest weight in front of the fridge -dog knew he needed to move it to open the fridge but didn't have the strength or leverage.

And people say they WANT smart dogs!!!!!
When 16 yr old Cammy goes to heaven, St Peter had better have a good latch on the pearly gates!

PS besides worrying next about the oven door, perhaps I should warn you about the evil "can vampire" -- bite hole in can, suck contents out. It might pay to store cans outta reach so he doesn't learn this trick

Answer 2

You could put a chain around and through the door handle and put a padlock on it.

You could put a light chain around and through the door handle and clip it closed.

You could use a ratched strap that they sell for use on pickups or atv's to secure loads and ratchet it closed.

You could make a "U" wood front like this: |_| and put it in place in over the front of the fridge while you're not in the kitchen so the dog can't get his paws on the door edge.

We had a similar problem with my mom when she had alzheimer's and would raid the fridge at night and eat butter or cream cheese and things and make a mess. Sad but true. We had to padlock, but with a dog there are other options.

Answer 3

Okay you can do the fallowing steps and your dog won't pull a houdine on your fridge ever again. 1) Use a bike look to lock your fridge by putting it around both of your handles 2) Put everything in your fridge in tight locking containers ( sip lock twist and lock containers work wonders)

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Answer 4

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Answer 5

My boxer learned this trick early in life. Makes you wonder just how smart they really are, doesn't it? I took a tape measure (the kind used for sewing) and tied the fridge shut with that. After about a month, he lost interest.

Answer 6

My dog was getting into the cupboard so what I did was get child proof locks for the cupboards. I am sure they make them for the fridge. Try that

Answer 7

I would try a alarm that beeps when a door or gate is opened. They were made to tell you if your toddler or small child has opened the door. They are magnetic so they will stick to your fridge. [e-mail]

Answer 8

They sell fridge/oven locks for toddlers, will probably work for your dog.

Answer 9

A lot of big dogs do this. Try bungie straps like you use to hold loads on a pickup.

Answer 10

put something very hot on the frame, it'll learn pretty quick because it will smell it and of course lick it off, experiment with different spices/sauces, just don't poison it, dog's are GIGII's(garbage guts) so they will eat anything without thinking, lol.