Darling Dog is 18 months old and pretty well behaved apart from his habit of stealing items then making a run for it - I have just managed to get DDs bike helmet from him mainly because he dropped it and couldn't pick it up again. It is often a shoe, a towel from the paddling pool, a dolly's blanket - notably once, a pair of Prada sunglasses. If the back door is open he will make a run for the garden and then we are screwed!!
I really do think he knows he shouldn't, my ears prick up at the run he does and then he's gone. I am trying SO hard not to turn it into a fun game but it is so frustrating. (DH never wanted a dog, has learnt to get along with him but this causes an enormous amount of tension.)
Last week, DD (4) had a friend to play and just as they were leaving, the dog nicked her friends cuddly toy and she was distraught. The only way to get it back wuickly is to get out my treats tin but I am aware this is rewarding bad behaviour.
If we are in the house I can do over the top, baby voice 'good boy, drop' typr commands and he will (reluctantly) give it up but if he makes it to the garden it's much harder. I can ignore him, shut the door and he will sometimes give up but, as in the case of my sunglasses, the item has already been damaged beyond repair. We have a large garden so going on a hunt to find one lost sandal is a pain.
What do I do?? In summary (well done if you've read this far!!) I need to teach him to reliably 'drop' although I'd much rather he didn't take the stuff in the first place. We are all reasonably tidy but it's such a pain always having to remember to shut the laundry room door for example as he will go in and take something. I spend my life saying 'shut that door' or 'don't leave that there' and it's not fair on the family.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
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The doghouse
please help me address this behaviour
21 replies
petitdonkey · 28/08/2013 09:43
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