What Your Dog WantsWhen your dog steals something, she wants to take possession of the object for any number of reasons. She may want to play with it, because she views the object as a toy. Clothing, shoes and children’s toys are favorite items for canine kleptomaniacs. These dogs may enjoy
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Training your dog to ‘leave it’ can be helpful in that as he approaches an object he may want to take, telling him to ‘leave it’ indicates it is not for him. It is also a way to have food out and feel confident he will not steal it. Some trainers recommend teaching your dog to ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ in one area outside of the kitchen and dining areas during meal preparation and meal times so that he is not tempted or in the area to steal food. Making sure he is not ravenous at meal times is another way to limit his desire to steal food. By providing time-released snacks as part of a toy is a great way to stimulate and feed him at the same time. Owners have found it useful to put food in a Kong, freeze it, and then leave it for their dog to play with and munch on throughout the day.
Possibly the worst thing to do when your dog steals is to run after him. This only encourages his behavior. Trainers recommend ignoring him, running away from him, or calmly offering a trade with a high reward treat while giving the command the ‘leave it. Most dogs can only hold one object in their mouth at time so showing a high reward treat and throwing it away from the dog often prompts him to drop the stolen object and pursue the treat, thus giving you time and space to retrieve your item.
Golden Retrievers, Papillons, Yorkshire Terriers, and gun dogs bred to find, carry, and retrieve objects seem to be more prone to grab and run. It is seemingly in their nature to have an object in their mouths. If you have a grown dog that is grabbing and running, he may be doing so for several reasons. Grabbing objects to chew is most likely about needing to chew and get out nervous energy. Breeds that need a lot of activity and mental stimulation, such as Border Collies and German-Shorthaired Pointers, may turn to thievery in an effort to get out nervous energy. If your dog is spending a lot of time confined to the house or boring yard, he may be stealing in an effort to shake up his life. Objects that belong to you and smell like you, such as socks and underwear, are a common item stolen by dogs and it is usually about wanting to be around you. Very few dogs will go without stealing food at some point, and it is more about craving than hunger. Regardless of his reason for stealing, the act itself is almost always self-rewarding. When he steals, he gets stimulated, comforted, fed, and chased. He is winning. Dogs have learned to flee after a grab because you most likely chased them to retrieve the object. Your dog does not see items as ‘yours and mine, he just simply sees what he wants and takes it. If you chase him, he thinks it is a game of chase and keep-away. It is the fun game and attention that he loves, and now he knows another way to engage you.
Do you seemingly have a klepto-canine? Perhaps he slowly sneaks up on you, snags an object, and bolts or he jumps out of nowhere, grabs, and runs. Either way, he has your stuff and you want it back. Younger dogs tend to have more compulsive stealing behaviors, as do certain breeds, but all dogs can be prone to the grab and dash behavior. There are several reasons why he may exhibit this behavior and a lot of it depends on you. As an owner, your natural instinct may be to chase him and force him to return the item, both of which make your situation worse. Take heart, however, that with some interventions and behavior management your little thief can and will learn to leave your stuff alone and be content with what is his.
Dogs take items and run because it is fun. Taking items provides an immediate reward because he has found something to play with, something to comfort him, or something to eat all in one action. When you chase him, it makes him even happier in that he has more fun and attention. Limiting his access to items you do not want him to have, teaching him to ‘leave it’ and stay out of the kitchen and dining room during meals, and providing him ample stimulation and activity throughout the day can limit his stealing. Rather than chase him when he steals, ignore him or offer a high reward treat in exchange.
Make sure the stealing behaviour is not rewarded
Dogs will repeat anything that works out well for them. So, if your dog enjoys gaining your attention by stealing things, the best thing to do when they steal is to ignore them, as long as it is safe to do so.
Simply wait until they lose interest and drop the item, then encourage them to do something else instead, such as play with a toy or enjoy a chew. Then you can remove the stolen item when they are distracted.
If possible, try to avoid picking up the item straight away as you donât want your dog to think itâs valuable because you appear to be desperate to have it.
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To say that Diesel is one of those dogs who is toy motivated is an understatement, as is saying that he is interested in all sorts of objects around the house. Since he was a puppy, this Chihuahua has been taking things from the other members of the household and stashing them where they can’t find or reach them. His guardians call him a hoarder, and that is one way to describe his behavior, which involves taking toys, soda bottles, holiday decorations, socks and underwear, bills, credit cards, flip flops, towels, plastic bowls and gardening shears.
I’m more fascinated by the people in this video than the dog. Yes, this dog is at the high end of the spectrum for dogs who steal and stash “treasures”, but I’ve met quite a few dogs over the years who are similar in that way, and some of those were also quite aggressive over their possessions. In all cases, the people were exhausted by the endless hassles of living with a dog who constantly took everybody’s stuff and were desperate to change the dog’s behavior.
Neither of Diesel’s guardians believe that anyone could change Diesel, and they are fine with that. His mischievous ways amuse them, and they appreciate the excitement he adds to their lives. Though they both recognize that his stealing is bad behavior, they consider him a wonderful dog. He makes them laugh and they enjoy him. They love Diesel for who he is, and don’t want to change him. That’s pretty remarkable because living with a dog like Diesel can be a real headache.
Besides the general irritation of having your stuff regularly go missing (including your towel when you need it after a shower!), there is the concern that Diesel will take something that could harm him. Anything sharp, breakable or toxic could cause serious trouble, and it’s a real worry with dogs who constantly pilfer items that are not theirs. Another cause for worry is the quality of life of the other two dogs in the house. They are mugged by Diesel with such regularity that I imagine they are rarely able to enjoy a toy or something to chew on for more than a few moments.
If you’ve ever lived with a dog who regularly helped himself to whatever he wanted, how accepting of the situation were you compared to Diesel’s family?Tags:
Karen B. London, Ph.D. is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and Certified Professional Dog Trainer who specializes in working with dogs with serious behavioral issues, including aggression. Karen writes the animal column for the Arizona Daily Sun and is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Northern Arizona University. She is the author of six books about canine training and behavior, including her most recent, Treat Everyone Like a Dog: How a Dog Trainer’s World View Can Improve Your Life