Bundyburger Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 (edited) Oh dear.. I have a collector it seems. Bundy steals underwear, socks(clean or dirty!), thongs(the shoe kind) and whatever else takes his fancy at the time. It is starting to become REALLY annoying! If we leave things in the laundry and shut the laundry door, our other dog has issues with shut doors (he's strange) and he will open it every time.. so then Bundy strolls in(cos he's not smart enough to open the doors) and takes whatever he feels like and promptly leaves it outside (to the point of pulling things off shelves this week). If the back door is shut then he will hide it somewhere, and take it outside the next time the back door is open. We keep the hallway door shut all the time so he can't get access to the bedrooms (and Diesel can't open that one) but if we shut the door to the back room Diesel will open it, and then go and open the laundry door. He can't open the back sliding door thank god Bundy's latest trick is to tear a piece of cardboard off a big box we have stored down the back as there's nowhere else to put it til the skip comes on the weekend and systematically take pieces outside. I've never actually caught him in the act until the other night, we'd just come home from work, they'd done their toilets outside and I had shut the back door. Bundy runs to the box, pulls off a piece of cardboard and trots to the back door with it in his mouth, looking all puzzled that he can't take it outside Then he stashed it behind a car tyre sitting by the door Sure enough, when they went outside later.. so did the cardboard(left it there as a test)! Needless to say that box is now somewhere he can't get to it He'd only been interested in it the past week. He dragged two towels off a shelf in the laundry the other day and took them outside in the 5 mins it took me to realise Diesel had opened the doors again . I had a pair of socks next to me on the floor as a test last night to see if he'd go near them to steal.. he did. He got told off and didn't dare come near me again for a while and everytime he went near them he got told off so he'd hurry back to his mat, but then I took my eye off Bundy for one second who was just sitting quietly on his mat next to me and suddenly I was missing a sock, so was OH who was in another room and there was Bundy in the yard with them!! He is downright SNEAKY. You don't hear him coming even though his collar normally jingles. We're thinking of putting a cat bell on him but then he'll just learn to sneak without making his bell jingle. I cannot believe that I had a pair of socks next to me on the floor, and I turned my head in the other direction to grab something off a table and then boom I'm missing a sock, I don't know how the heck he does it!! We joke he is the stealth puppy, as whenever he steals you cannot hear him walk but when he hasn't stolen something he's thunderpaws. If he is caught out and you tell him to drop it and leave it then he will.. but he will keep going back to try again! How on earth can I deter him from this? Doesn't matter what it is.. he WILL take it outside and leave it there. Half the time I cannot even work out where he's stolen stuff from as it's things that I last remembered leaving out of Bundy reach... Maybe both dogs are in cahoots We've tried spicy stuff on the socks too.. that doesn't work either (he then eats said sock) so it's not something I want to keep doing as he doesn't actually destroy the socks (just the undies). Our house isn't set up so we can keep EVERYTHING totally out of bounds(currently clearing out the house for some big changes) and I don't understand why he's suddenly started all this up so badly.. It was an occasional thing, and he'd get in BIG trouble when caught out but he'd still keep going back even though his body language showed that he knew well and truly he was in trouble.. and the last few weeks he's just gone totally over the top with his stealing and hiding, and I don't know why. He's nearly 7 months. He gets walked and trained every day, OH is home during the day and he gets plenty of play time outside and one on one training during the day. It is driving me absolutely batty. Doesn't help the fact the only things he likes playing with are tennis balls or stuffed toys. I've bought him maze balls and all sorts of things but he just isn't interested in them, nor kongs or anything like that(no matter what i put in or what I do to them). Edited April 20, 2010 by Bundy's Mum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 Hooks and latches for the doors the clever dog can handle. Lots of boxes (eg. shoe boxes) and other storage containers for the rest. Scatter plush toys around more. If you're leaving it when the dog can access it, you're going to keep getting what you've got. Some dogs are just treasure hunters. I have one of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bundyburger Posted April 20, 2010 Author Share Posted April 20, 2010 Hooks and latches for the doors the clever dog can handle.Lots of boxes (eg. shoe boxes) and other storage containers for the rest. Scatter plush toys around more. If you're leaving it when the dog can access it, you're going to keep getting what you've got. Some dogs are just treasure hunters. I have one of these. That's not a bad idea.. might get a hook for the laundry door.. it's sliding so we need something easy. Can't give them heaps of plush toys, they destroy them in 5 minutes and I spend weeks picking up the fluff I think I just need to get lethal with keeping everything out of reach, and drum it HEAVILY into OH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ams Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 You could also try teaching him to bring them back in. That way as he gets older you will have a dog that will fetch your slippers for you. If I catch mine sneaking with something I don't want them to have I say "that's mumma's, ta for me" and they will drop it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs tornsocks Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 How old ? What breed ? 1. pups do this, perfectly normal so try to have a bit of patience whie you work through it 2. you need to secure everything until he grows out of it 3. instead of plush toys, get some more hardy toys, better for him, less mess for you 4. train him to 'leave it' or 'drop it', so the times when you do catch something in his mouth, he knows it's naughty. There are prob better training links than this, but it was the first one I googled http://www.wikihow.com/Teach-Your-Dog-to-Drop-It Our boy used to do this all the time; he's now one and for the first time in ages, he did it last night. My runners were lying in the kitchen area, and suddenly one disappeared. I called him, marched him towards the back door (was dark outside) and told him to 'fetch it'. Shoe returned !!! He knew that it wasn't something he could play with and came back all coy with this prize. Was an awesome feeling after the frustration of those times as a pup, plus the training I'd done. He's no wonder dog but that brought a smile to my face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiveplusone Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 same in our house.....6 month old GSP. we know when he has something he shouldn't as he goes under the dining table with it. Other times he comes and stands quietly behind me with the stolen item and then patiently waits until I turn around and see him then he races off to hide under the dining table....talk about cheeky. He does however drop it once we get hold of him. His favorites are dish cloths and scourers (he can now reach the kitchen sink), and my daughters phone sock...he rummages around in her handbag until he finds it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs tornsocks Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 oh, guess what my mr perfect 1yo just did ? I am working out on the deck and he just brought me OH's socks ! He did 'leave it' when I told him tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bundyburger Posted April 20, 2010 Author Share Posted April 20, 2010 (edited) How old ? What breed ?7 month Vizsla1. pups do this, perfectly normal so try to have a bit of patience whie you work through it 2. you need to secure everything until he grows out of it 3. instead of plush toys, get some more hardy toys, better for him, less mess for you - he only plays with tennis balls or his tug toy, I swear he's broken, he won't touch anything else I buy him unless it's fluffy! 4. train him to 'leave it' or 'drop it', so the times when you do catch something in his mouth, he knows it's naughty. There are prob better training links than this, but it was the first one I googled http://www.wikihow.com/Teach-Your-Dog-to-Drop-It - He already does drop and leave things as I stated but that doesn't stop him stealing in the first place If I could teach him to bring things back that would be *really* handy.. he still hasn't worked out how to catch a tennis ball no matter what we do Our boy used to do this all the time; he's now one and for the first time in ages, he did it last night. My runners were lying in the kitchen area, and suddenly one disappeared. I called him, marched him towards the back door (was dark outside) and told him to 'fetch it'. Shoe returned !!! He knew that it wasn't something he could play with and came back all coy with this prize. Was an awesome feeling after the frustration of those times as a pup, plus the training I'd done. He's no wonder dog but that brought a smile to my face. I might make it my next mission to try and train him to retrieve things.. hmh... Edited April 20, 2010 by Bundy's Mum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spottychick Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 I have "tuff toys" for my dogs. If they grab something they shouldn't (eg my shoe) and run off with it I catch them up and swap the shoe for the tuff toy then play with them. I wont play with them if they don't let go of the shoe obviously. I got some great tuff toys from vetnpetdirect. They havent managed to damage them after months of playing with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bundyburger Posted April 20, 2010 Author Share Posted April 20, 2010 (edited) I have "tuff toys" for my dogs. If they grab something they shouldn't (eg my shoe) and run off with it I catch them up and swap the shoe for the tuff toy then play with them. I wont play with them if they don't let go of the shoe obviously.I got some great tuff toys from vetnpetdirect. They havent managed to damage them after months of playing with them. He doesn't like those I tell you my puppy is BROKEN!!! It even had his trainers stumped that he's sooo fussy. Edited April 20, 2010 by Bundy's Mum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 I think part of the reason he's so fussy with toys is because he has access to all the things that he is stealing which he thinks are so much more fun than any toy you have for him. Consistent restricted access to the things he can't have and then encouragement toward the things he can have. Consistency is everything. If that fails, you may need to booby trap a couple of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kajtek Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 Another approach..... Enjoy every minute of his thieving and be very proud what your puppy can do. He is such a smart little cookie . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danois Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 I have a thief here too - my problem is that he can reach most things unless it is in a cupboard or on top of the fridge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisovar Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 We have rule in our house when we have pups around, leave it lying around and it is your fault not the pups when it goes missing or is destroyed. Teaches children to be tidy, and bigger children as well. Pups will investigate anything they find just like toddlers do, they don't have hands so they use their mouths, all very normal. Some pups are good and touch very little, others can be absolute horrors, so the pick it up or lose rule is handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flux Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 Our dog used to pinch things "for fun" - never actually chewing them, we just used to find them in odd places. We stopped it by not buying into the dog. She used to take thongs and shoes specifically, and we used to (upon seeing them in garden) Ohh and arrgghh about it (but not having caught her in the act we didn't scold her), and I swear this was the kick she was waiting for. So I mourned my shoes and thongs, and next time I saw they had been pinched, I didn't make any kind of deal out of it. I left them in the garden (walked past them deliberately) and got interested in one of her toys she had forgotten about. When she was asleep or otherwise occupied I would calmly retrieve my shoes and put them right back in the same spot. She pinched them again a few more times, but still got no reaction out of us, so she quickly just stopped doing it. It became the most un-inspiring, boring game. Now if she pinches something she'll do it right in front of us in a "cute" way (this unfortunately makes us laugh each time, hence why she has learnt to still pinch things) to get the attention, more than likely when we are watching a film engrossed in front of the TV. And final tip from me, Before the above plan was properly implemented... We made the mistake, of when seeing her with something quite valuable - leaping up instantly and asking her to drop it, with an edge of frantic-ness to our voices. this of course gave her all the power in the world and she of course would never drop these items or would in fact dash away and be very cheeky about it. So we fixed this by always using the same tone, whether she had pinched a wallet, or just a dirty sock - and even if she ever pinched something like a hose-pipe end (i.e not really harmful, she can have it - but she shouldn't of helped herself), we would ask her to drop it and take it away form her, but then give it back as a kind of reward for obeying us. So she knew if she gave it to us, sometimes she might even get it back and not just swapped for a toy. I still think though that the first bit I wrote was the most effective for us. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaJ Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 Our Neuter male only ever stole OH (Male) undies - never destroyed - just "mouthed". Our entire male never was not interested in undies or stealing at all. "Missy Witch"is a different story... she is a thief and hoarder of massive proportion. She no longer destroys clothes but by hell she is a thief! This girl wears a bra over her head or uses it to "cradle her cheeks". She is so funny to watch... I know it's wrong! It should not be encouraged! But it's funny:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bjelkier Posted April 23, 2010 Share Posted April 23, 2010 (edited) I have a two year old sock stealer. Problem for us is the miserable bugger keeps swallowing them whole Our vet is amazed that he can always get the things threw...... Misty can even open drawers so even being super tidy dosn't help. I have got the bedroom door shut at all times unless we are in there with him and the drawers a locked shut. Edited April 23, 2010 by Wolfsong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiveplusone Posted April 23, 2010 Share Posted April 23, 2010 Had to share this recent photo, this is his "hiding" place when he has stolen something. If he is under the table we know he has something he shouldn't! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenni87 Posted April 23, 2010 Share Posted April 23, 2010 Nothing to help, our GR does it all the time. We know she has something as she struts around in front of us like "look what i've got!" or goes flying out of bedroom to the backdoor to be let out if its something "really" good like my hairbrush or a phone, that she knows she really shouldn't have. She never chews though, she just carries it around or on the really good items, wants to take them out and drops it in her kennel (like OH keys which took us 2 hours to find!!!) We should correct her but we're usually to busy laughing at her to be serious, the look on her face is pricesless and since she learnt "give" she has been giving them to us when we ask..... 8/10 anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenGirl85 Posted April 23, 2010 Share Posted April 23, 2010 Nothing to help, our GR does it all the time. We know she has something as she struts around in front of us like "look what i've got!" or goes flying out of bedroom to the backdoor to be let out if its something "really" good like my hairbrush or a phone, that she knows she really shouldn't have.She never chews though, she just carries it around or on the really good items, wants to take them out and drops it in her kennel (like OH keys which took us 2 hours to find!!!) We should correct her but we're usually to busy laughing at her to be serious, the look on her face is pricesless and since she learnt "give" she has been giving them to us when we ask..... 8/10 anyway. Lol Jenni...so this is what Ive got to look forward to with Lexi? lucky they are so beautiful huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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