Puppy Stealing

[Lake]

My nearly 12 month old puppy and I are really starting to develop a partnership and she's settling in as part of the family. There's one issue that impacts on the happiness of the household, however, and that's her pechant for stealing things.

Anything is a target. Nappies (clean ones) are a favourite. She usually pinches things then runs outside to chew them.

Part of it is that she wants mw to chase after her. I've stopped doing that, and just shut the back door, so that the consequence of stealing is being ignored.

I try to remove opportunities as much as possible, but with young children in the house, there's always something on the floor.

I try to keep her occupied as much as possible. We do obedience training, we go to the dog park, she has puzzle toys. She has plenty of her own chew toys.

Any suggestions?

[Scottsmum]

Kid's will be kids.

I'd stick with what you're doing for the fur-kid and try to explain to the human kids (and humans in general) that it's not safe to leave things on the ground - but also you leave it down it's gone. No sympathy from mum/dad/the parents. The pup will grow out of it - but 12 months is still quite young.

Alternatively - if your kids are way too young to get that concept - make dog free zones. Hope this doesn't sound preachy but *in theory* there is no real reason for a dog to be in a room with access to clean nappies (lets assume that's the lounge room or the nursery / bed rooms- I'd make one or both off limits to the dog. And yep - I know it's not always that simple.

Our dog likes to sleep on my husbands work gear (we don't have suitable storage for it at the moment) - It's all sorted into neat piles in an otherwise empty spare room.

The door is shut, hubby is the only one (who can open the door) who goes in there. If the door is left open and the dog gets in - it's hubbys fault.

[Scottsmum]

Oh - and I just wanted to add - it sounds like you're doing a fantastic job with her - obedience training,

dog park, puzzle toys, plenty of her own chew toys. Keep it up and good work - the puppy stage can be frightful - I see photos of the destruction caused by my mother in laws 2 year old Golden and I am thankful I adopted a senior last time I got a new dog.

Maybe you could talk to your obedience instructor and see if they can show you some new tricks - being physically tired is one thing, being mentally tired is a whole other thing. Being able to exhaust their little brains is such a great skill to have. :)

Edited January 16, 2016 by Scottsmum

[The Spotted Devil]

I keep it simple - baby gate to separate the living area/kitchen from the bedrooms. Front area is a puppy safe zone ie don't leave it lying around if you don't want it chewed. Although I'm not sure who's the worst offender for pinching stuff - my 8 month old pup or her mother :laugh:

[Willem]

My nearly 12 month old puppy and I are really starting to develop a partnership and she's settling in as part of the family. There's one issue that impacts on the happiness of the household, however, and that's her pechant for stealing things.

Anything is a target. Nappies (clean ones) are a favourite. She usually pinches things then runs outside to chew them.

Part of it is that she wants mw to chase after her. I've stopped doing that, and just shut the back door, so that the consequence of stealing is being ignored.

I try to remove opportunities as much as possible, but with young children in the house, there's always something on the floor.

I try to keep her occupied as much as possible. We do obedience training, we go to the dog park, she has puzzle toys. She has plenty of her own chew toys.

Any suggestions?

you can teach your dog what items (ore areas) are 'NO' and what items are allowed to be taken. The easiest way (IMO) is with a treat (works only if the dog likes treats):

put it in front of the dog, say 'NO' (you can also use a specific noise, rattle etc. but for me 'NO' is the easiest way) and hold the dog back (e.g. via leash) when he goes for it. After a while - and only if the dog stops trying to take it - you can allow the dog to eat the treat, but you have to give a release command now, e.g. 'EAT'.

Once the dog responds to 'NO' you can declare other items 'NO'. Leave a nappy close to the dog, if he approaches it say 'NO' (use the leash to hold the dog back if required)...now give the dog the chance to earn a treat by commanding 'sit', 'drop' ...'come' etc. to turn the disappointment of the 'NO' into something positive.

[Kavik]

Something else to consider is to teach your dog to retrieve objects to you that he picks up instead of running away with them. Easier said than done I know, I am training this at the moment with my young dog who likes to play keep away with items :laugh:

[Sheridan]

If your dog is a wheaten terrier then stealing is genetic. It's not whether or not they'll be a thief but what type. Roo specialises in bedding. My previous wheaten liked socks and my first preferred underwear.

[Scottsmum]

If your dog is a wheaten terrier then stealing is genetic. It's not whether or not they'll be a thief but what type. Roo specialises in bedding. My previous wheaten liked socks and my first preferred underwear.

I'm sure Fox terrier -can translate into "anything that is yours is now mine."

[Sheridan]

If your dog is a wheaten terrier then stealing is genetic. It's not whether or not they'll be a thief but what type. Roo specialises in bedding. My previous wheaten liked socks and my first preferred underwear.

I'm sure Fox terrier -can translate into "anything that is yours is now mine."

It's 'Oh, I thought it was a fox. No, no, I'm pretty sure it's a fox.'

[Salukifan]

My nearly 12 month old puppy and I are really starting to develop a partnership and she's settling in as part of the family. There's one issue that impacts on the happiness of the household, however, and that's her pechant for stealing things.

Anything is a target. Nappies (clean ones) are a favourite. She usually pinches things then runs outside to chew them.

Part of it is that she wants mw to chase after her. I've stopped doing that, and just shut the back door, so that the consequence of stealing is being ignored.

I try to remove opportunities as much as possible, but with young children in the house, there's always something on the floor.

I try to keep her occupied as much as possible. We do obedience training, we go to the dog park, she has puzzle toys. She has plenty of her own chew toys.

Any suggestions?

Train the family not the dog. Stealing is a natural canine behaviour. They need to learn that if the dog can get it the dog will take it.

Swap what she steals for a tasty treat and that should help. And make some areas of the house out of bounds to the dog.

[Scottsmum]

If your dog is a wheaten terrier then stealing is genetic. It's not whether or not they'll be a thief but what type. Roo specialises in bedding. My previous wheaten liked socks and my first preferred underwear.

I'm sure Fox terrier -can translate into "anything that is yours is now mine."

It's 'Oh, I thought it was a fox. No, no, I'm pretty sure it's a fox.'

Oh. What's that you say? Not a fox? Still mine.

K? Thanks. bye!

[claireybell]

I have a beagle, need I say anymore? Lol

The 4yo has learnt very quickly if you leave something laying around you will lose it. He's very good at putting things on the kitchen bench these days after learning the hard way that leaving your dinner on the floor will result in him going hungry!

I also ensure the evil beagle is outside while we eat (new rule) as watching the kid and tge dog while trying to eat is a nightmare.

[raineth]

My dog absolutely loves stealing things. Well less so now that she is senior, but when she was younger it was one of her favourite things to do.

Obviously management is your first line of defence (closed doors, baby gates etc). However you can also swap what she steals for a treat. After a while of doing this she will bring you what she has stolen. You would not believe some of the things my dog has chosen to bring me rather than take for herself after a long time of using this method! Also have you taught her a reliable 'Leave it' command? That comes in handy when you can see she is interested in stealing something.

Honestly, with young kids around it will be easier to train the dog than the kids not to leave their stuff around as they are playing.

[The Spotted Devil]

Baby gates have worked wonders in our house....until the cats started bringing their toys over the top! Who does that with Spaniels on the other side :laugh:

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I've trained my dog to fetch shoes and socks - to check to see if I'm paying attention - before she nicks off outside with them. If I'm paying attention - she happily hands them over.

This started as a fetch game with treats in front of the telly. So I'd have various objects for her to fetch. But I would also trade shoes for treats - so that overlapped. I don't have to give a treat any more for her fetches - not every time but we did put a "a lot of money in the bank" ie she's been rewarded a lot for fetching shoes, sox and hats to me.

I also play a lot of "its yer choice" - starts with food in one hand and rewards from the other hand if your dog can show enough impulse control to leave your food hand alone. Lots of youtube for this one. It's a variation of "leave it" except the dog chooses of its own accord and you reward that - there's no cue - apart from a hand with tempting food in it.

Variations on this game are to put the tempting food in different places like on a coffee table or the floor and cover it up with the hand that previously was used for the shut-open-shut holding food game. So I've managed to build that to - I can leave my dinner on the coffee table and the worst she will do is bark at it. But mostly she ignores it. I was impressed - I've got video - was trying to catch something else, forgot something and left my porridge where she could reach it... she didn't touch it for five solid minutes while I faffed around out of sight.

And her counter surfing looks like - she checks the counter for good stuff and then sits next to the counter and barks for me to give it to her. I don't reward that.

So if you start with little its yer choice games - with your dog on lead (so you can prevent nicking off) and good treats for fetching and handing over the objects - you can build that to bigger things. It probably won't be instant, but will work eventually.

As for the nicking off with stuff, really important not to turn that into a game of chase the dog but also really important to prevent the self rewarding fun of destroying your stuff. Two things help me with this. A really solid collar grab game - so if I put my hand out - she's more likely to put her neck in my hand than not - no matter what she's nicked off with (contraband at the beach seems to be an exception so far), and a really good "remote drop", which stops her from running. I have no idea why this one works but we've rewarded remote drops a lot so she mostly does it when I ask. The main aim is to get lots of repetitions and fast response - and you don't need to work on distance - do it up close, do five treats a session, maybe two or three sessions a day, or at least once a day.

[JayGee]

Baby gates have worked wonders in our house....until the cats started bringing their toys over the top! Who does that with Spaniels on the other side :laugh:

This made me laugh, I have a Ragdoll who doesn't know she could jump over a baby gate. Sits behind it and yowls her head off. But she can jump from the ground up on to the ironing board, which is way higher than a baby gate. Fortunately, she is pretty. :)

[Taliecat]

Dozer still steals the occasional sock and he's almost three! He just looks so happy when he steals one I can't help but laugh as he does hotlaps around the house.

I tend to make sure that all enticing items are not in reach of him and do a lot of swaps.

[Bowzer]

oooooh this sounds familiar

I am teaching my boy to give and exchange the stolen property for a treat in my open hand.

Seems to be working.

We are now working towards the empty open hand as being the signal and a ear rub as reward.

The important thing to remember is to not chase as it becomes the worlds best game :)

[Willem]

oooooh this sounds familiar

I am teaching my boy to give and exchange the stolen property for a treat in my open hand.

Seems to be working.

We are now working towards the empty open hand as being the signal and a ear rub as reward.

The important thing to remember is to not chase as it becomes the worlds best game :)

hm,...so you teach him stealing?...he will learn pretty fast that all he has to do is to steal something if he wants a treat or reward... :D

[Bowzer]

oooooh this sounds familiar

I am teaching my boy to give and exchange the stolen property for a treat in my open hand.

Seems to be working.

We are now working towards the empty open hand as being the signal and a ear rub as reward.

The important thing to remember is to not chase as it becomes the worlds best game :)

hm,...so you teach him stealing?...he will learn pretty fast that all he has to do is to steal something if he wants a treat or reward... :D

Thats what i thought but it doesnt work that way, he gets the reward upon return not the theft. He actualy gets things and brings them to me now for a pat.....no harm done.