Olive can open cupboards...

[celloyogi]

We had already discovered she knew how to get into the pantry. Fortunately we only keep canned goods on the bottom shelves. Now she has figured out how to open the cupboards in the kitchen (push-open style) and and drawers! There's not really anything in the cupboards/drawers within her reach that have anything I would think she'd be interested in - no food, treats, etc, and nothing dangerous like knives. She just opens the drawers and leaves the contents untouched (so far, anyway). The push-open cupboards are hard to baby-proof. Ideas?

A few weeks ago we discovered she was getting onto the kitchen table again. We've been careful to always push in our chairs, her usual "ladder" onto the table. Now she's actually pulling chairs away from the table for the specific purpose of getting on the table and reaching for the cat food on the counter! I came home once to find her sitting on a chair in the middle of the kitchen. She just sat there and looked at me like, "what?"

Sometimes I think she is too smart for her own good. You can just see the wheels turning in her head, working out how to do what the humans do.

Thinking maybe we're going to have to crate her every time we leave...

 

[Mally's Mom]

Yes, she is extremely smart. She has been watching how you open cabinets and drawers.

Shelties do not miss a trick.

ps And that moving the chair to get on the table or to the counter for the cat food. Olive has reasoning skills!!!

She is a very bright and busy girl.

 

[Emmasmom]

Natalie can nose open the cupboard - she has opened the cupboard under the sink where the organics container is. She also tries hard to open the cupboard where their food is - it is in a container they can't open.

Liam doesn't need a chair to get on the table - he can stand on the floor and jump on it. I was eating dinner one night looked up and he is standing on the table looking at me.

Good luck trying to keep her out of the cupboards. One solution may be to install a magnetic catch on the inside of the door. Your local hardware store would carry them.

 

[take4roll10]

Olive is super super smart!!!

Thankfully, Bailey has not figured out how to open bottom cabinets or I'd be in trouble because I do keep food and treats in a lower kitchen cabinet.

 

[celloyogi]

Olive is super super smart!!!

Thankfully, Bailey has not figured out how to open bottom cabinets or I'd be in trouble because I do keep food and treats in a lower kitchen cabinet.

It's funny because we actually keep her food in a bin right out in the open. It has a clip-top rubber seal lid, but she knows where it is and has yet to attempt to get in it. Her treats are almost within reach and she hasn't gone for those yet, either. I think she knows that food and treats will be given at some point, so it's more fun to go for the contraband stuff.

 

[celloyogi]

Good luck trying to keep her out of the cupboards. One solution may be to install a magnetic catch on the inside of the door. Your local hardware store would carry them.

The hardware store was already on today's list of errands, for baby-(Olive-)proofing equipment. I'll check out the magnetic catches. Thanks!

 

[Justicemom]

We had already discovered she knew how to get into the pantry. Fortunately we only keep canned goods on the bottom shelves. Now she has figured out how to open the cupboards in the kitchen (push-open style) and and drawers! There's not really anything in the cupboards/drawers within her reach that have anything I would think she'd be interested in - no food, treats, etc, and nothing dangerous like knives. She just opens the drawers and leaves the contents untouched (so far, anyway). The push-open cupboards are hard to baby-proof. Ideas?

A few weeks ago we discovered she was getting onto the kitchen table again. We've been careful to always push in our chairs, her usual "ladder" onto the table. Now she's actually pulling chairs away from the table for the specific purpose of getting on the table and reaching for the cat food on the counter! I came home once to find her sitting on a chair in the middle of the kitchen. She just sat there and looked at me like, "what?"

Sometimes I think she is too smart for her own good. You can just see the wheels turning in her head, working out how to do what the humans do.

Thinking maybe we're going to have to crate her every time we leave...

Are our dogs related? I have those baby latches that go across the cupboards and latch together. Not that atractive but does the trick.

http://www.totsafe.com/proddetail.asp?prod=3352

and yeah the chairs for the same reason. BIrch is learning to push the chairs too and Diva pokes her head up into the corner(round table)gap and grabs the bowls from the backside. Only solution I have found baby gates across the kitchen door.

 

[Psalms]

Ha, ha! Olive is really really smart! Our Lab/Setter was trained (we thought) not to go on any furniture... But when we left the house, mischief would ensue. The only way we knew was that we would find her beloved stuffed fish (her "baby") left behind in her haste to look good when she heard us coming. That fish would be on the couch, my daughter's bed, the table, and other forbidden places. When she died my husband hid the fish so I wouldn't cry. Janet

 

[corbinam]

Are our dogs related? I have those baby latches that go across the cupboards and latch together. Not that atractive but does the trick.

http://www.totsafe.com/proddetail.asp?prod=3352

and yeah the chairs for the same reason. BIrch is learning to push the chairs too and Diva pokes her head up into the corner(round table)gap and grabs the bowls from the backside. Only solution I have found baby gates across the kitchen door.

Sounds like my house, only the cat is the one that has figured it out. His favorite cabinet to hang out in is the one under the sink. You know, the one with all the dangerous chemicals and plastic bags (that he eats).

But the dogs have figured out that he isn't allowed to be in there, so when they hear the door slam shut, they go running back and forth to "tell" on him. Lots of barking follows.

So we finally bit the bullet and bought the child safety locks.

 

[PamG]

Too smart! Snow must be related, too. She has learned to open the refrigerator and the closet where her food is stored. No place in the kitchen is safe. Chair pushing is only used when she cannot leap to the top of the cabinet or table. Problemsolving 101 has been passed with flying colors.

I am sooooo happy that Sunny does not follow her big sister!

Pam and Sunny and Snow