O.k. i know it's gross. We took in a 3 yr old pure breed german sheppard (not fixed- will be changing that soon).
Long story short: People we know were moving from a house to an apartment, and couldn't take her. So they asked everyone but us. Maggie Mae (that's her name cute huh?) moved 4 times in a 1 1/2 weeks. They asked us finally, we said we would try it (we have a 12yr old male sheppard husky mix 2 cats 2 kids), we wanted to make sure everyone got along. Our older dog is unforunately very sore. Bad hips, very bad hips. We've discussed putting him down- thats another story in and of itself. We knew once she moved in we had to make it work. Maggie is a great dog. She listens well and gets along with almost all how live here. The 2 cats 1 is declawed 1 isn't. The 1 who isn't well lets just say they aren't seeing eye to eye yet. It's getting better. Baby steps right? Well they are getting along better the cat doesn't go after her all the time and has been coming down from self imposed hiding. O.k. finally the liter box issue I caught Maggie with a tootsie roll today. I don't know how long she's going in there for treats :twisted gross!!!! So i told her to sit ,drop it, gave her a stern NO, then had her back away. She went back later but before she dove in i told her no had her back away. (she has hand comands that go w/this). She was 1/2 trained when she moved in, so we are tweaking things a bit. It's a slow and steady process. I was just wondering what i can do to stop this. I can't be w/ her 100% of the time. It's gross and i'm assuming not good for her.
Maggie is a great dog. She fits in well with us. She came from a house that was quite and she was pretty much the boss. She was a little timid. To here there's rules. She seems to like it here. She goes for walks daily, and gets along with most everyone else. The things they told us about some of her behavior just isn't true. I think it's because we don't let her think about it. We just do it. She supposidly wouldn'y walk on a leash. She loves it. She wouldn't want to be on a cable or runner. She doesn't mind so much. Won't go for car rides, she loves it. Like i said she does pretty much does opposite what they said she would do.
I had one more ? We are looking into under ground fencing. We never had it with anyof our dogs, the only thing different is the say she's a runner (i know what your thinking but hear me out WE have a burrow across the street, 3 kids next store (who aren't trained, LOL), and the god awfull chickens next door (who aren't trained either). The kids and chickens think my yard is theirs. I just don't want Maggie thinking she can just go there and cuase trouble ya know?
Sorry for being so long winded. I'm just looking for some advise.
Thanks to all in advance.

Could you have your litter box inaccessible from the dog? With a baby gate maybe? Another thing that may help if the cats will eat it, is giving the cats a bit of canned pumpkin everyday, not pie filling just pumpkin. It is supposed to make the poo taste bad.

As to the invisible fence, I wouldn't want one, you can with proper training keep your dog in, but anything else can get in too, said chickens, and children. Then, your dog may scoot through even with the shock, and would be afraid to go back over the line, because of another shock. Just my opinion.

Thanks Pohbear,
I used to give the cats pumpkin for fur balls. I guess they will be getting it again, they loved it to. You will be their new hero!! I'll let you know if it works. I can't block it off or i would.
Msjules211

I've used a baby-gate as well, or put the litter box in an elevated place?

Another option may be to get a covered litter box with the entry hole large enough for the cats but too small for your dog's head. Cats can squeeze into verrrrry small spaces when they want to, so you could turn a cover around and cut a smaller hole opposite the original flap into the plastic and possibly cover it with some plastic.

OR use one of those cat doors/flaps that only works if your cat has the proper magnetic strip for it in its collar. Then the door to the litter box will only open for the cat.

This would mean a little bit of fiddling with construction, but you should be able to fit that onto a standard plastic litter box cover.

Hope this helps!!