why is my dog such a thief and how can i stop him?

Question

my dog takes everything out to the garden and hides them, phones, keys, toys, SHOES, everything. He has a dog flap so can come and go how he pleases. Please dont say move things out of the way that is not always possible and besides if he wants something he will get it. The only thing he doesnt take out are his toys and bones. I tell him off and send him to his bed but he just wont stop

Answer 1

Sorry but this makes me chuckle!

One thing I look for in a helper dog is one that will pick up anything and everything, yours is a good candidate!
The pup I have now is learning, 8 weeks old. Though she too will grab something (she has made a game out of it) and she will take off running with it!!
Yes trying to pick up everything with a dog like this is futile! I sagest to close his doggie door. We also let our dogs come and go in the summer, but in winter the door just has to be shut. You may try shutting the door and only open it when you have checked "his pockets"!
One of our 4 dogs will steal everyones treats and go bury them. Never fails during the summer months. Then we have these wholes all over, he barres them quite nicely but the other three feel the need to find them....another game! Different dog.
Good luck!

Answer 2

Put a lock on the dog flap so you control when he goes in and out. And see a trainer, this one is complex and the difficulty with dealing with this kind of problem is the dog can run faster, and is sneakier.
You can try a booby trap to stop him nicking stuff, just be careful not to hurt him Pick something that will make a fairly loud noise when you want it to and watch out the window from upstairs. If he drops it and runs indoors looking guilty you MUST run down, act natural, ask him to sit or something and tell him he's a good dog - you get to be the good guy that rescues him from the nasty thing.
DON't use cayenne or anything else that might hurt him. But try baiting a few things with the bitter apple spray you get from the pet shop. And be sneaky.
Tie a tin can with some pebbles in it to something so it makes a noise when he pulls it off a shelf, that kind of thing.
But remember - your job is to be out of the way, then come in and be the good guy, NOT tell him off. You musn't be there when it happens.

And NEVER booby trap his stuff.

Answer 3

I think your dog is testing you to see how smart you are. I wonder if you've found everything? Try leaving a couple of things out that you guess he will want to hide but first sprinkle them with pepper. He wont like this and will wonder what's going on. He may decide he doesn't like playing this game anymore. However if this negative approach doesn't work leave a whole pile of stuff out that you don't want, this too will spoil his game. My dog used to do a similar thing by piling up my belongings by the front door, but only when he had been left alone, so it was something of a protest, which was also saying "It could have been worse. I could have chewed them up!" Your dog is bored & wants to play. If he was too tired from excercise or had something to do, he wouldn't play these games.........

Answer 4

At least it's your stuff he's taking! I once had a dog that learned how to get through a section of fence into the neighbor's yard - He would steal stuff from their yard and bring it over to ours!

I'm assuming that when you see him with something he shouldn't have, you scold him, but as we all know, dogs are like kids and will sneak past the minute they have the chance!

Unfortunately, as long as you have the dog flap, he can come and go as he pleases and that means that anything in his reach can go with him...You might try locking it for awhile and try to teach him not to steal from the family - If he just refuses to give up his 5-toe'd habit, be prepared for a scavenger hunt!

Answer 5

I did this training for years with my Rottweiler's about 17 years interior the previous. I actually have lengthy lengthy previous remote from it by way of the years. as well the glaring shown truth that, i in my view loved it and that i bypass shrink decrease back to it. For some reason it truly is slightly an distinctly good feeling once you practice this kind and exciting too. I actually have continually struggled (in my thoughts) with the only hundred% useful enforcement. And it replace into now no longer till in common words now i got here upon out why! i do not adventure useful and preserve with it and that i have were given faith a correction is in common words that, a correction! i have were given faith that with the only hundred% useful reinforcement my dogs are slackers. (lol) that's defiantly now no longer an identical or possibly close. yet i imagine of i replace into so stressful about my Pit Bulls i'd favor to have had extra self belief in myself that I knew extra powerful. Oh precise stay and study, i'm in common words satisfied it replace into in common words at my cost in case you realize what I recommend. You bypass Quattro!

Answer 6

When he has something in his mouth which he is not allowed to have, tell him in a firm, but not threatening voice, to "leave it" or "drop it". Be consistent and strong. If you do this every time you see him with something, he will begin to drop things if he sees you. Dogs want to be approved and loved, so when he does something bad, make sure he knows you do not approve. Encourage him to play with his toys instead by giving them to him, and being positive, use a positive "good boy". Play fetch with his toys so he knows that he is allowed to have them. Hope this helps :)

Answer 7

LMAO! Im sorry that is so cute and funny! Get rid of the dog door, all that is showing him is that he can do what he wants when he wants. Plus getting rid of the dog door means, YOU will have to let him outside when he wants out (just like the rest of us) and you will be able to catch him from taking things out there.

Answer 8

When your dog tends to take your things,it resembles the fact that they want your attention. They want you to give them affection. Next time you catch him with something. Take it away and say "NO" bad dog. From then on make sure you show him some of your affection. Thats just his way of saying "hey im here!"

Answer 9

lol.. I know you must be fustrated.. It looks like the bug wants to kick you out of your own home and keep himself and his toys in there.. Sorry I dont have a solution.. Dogs are so funny,...

Answer 10

When I first got my dog, she did the same thing (except inside the house) I think the older she gets the better she is. Maybe this is marking their territory.