[angi]

How do you get back the things your dog steals? We've started to give Mugsy a little more freedom in the house when we are inside, but he has decided his favorite game is keep away. Today he grabbed my pencil and ran around like crazy with it. I was worried he would hurt himself because he was carrying it in his mouth, pointy part inward. I tried sitting on the floor, which usually gets him to come to me, and many other tactics that usually work. I think he knew that I really wanted the pencil back, because nothing worked. I was really getting angry, even though he was having the time of his life. So advice PLEASE (!!!), how do you handle these situations?

 

[Murphys Dad]

Oh, how I can relate to this one. Jersey is a little klepto. Teach Mugsy to give it. Give him one of his favorite toys and then trade it for a treat, telling him to give it or drop it every time. Eventually he'll learn that giving up the goods means getting a treat. He should start to drop or give things on command after a while. Good luck!

 

[beaglina]

'Swopping' works well for me in the short term, I give Beaglina a stern 'no' to get her attention and tell her she shouldn't be running round with my socks/pens/shoes or whatever else she's grabbed. Then, I call her over and offer her one of her toys instead and she usually agrees to swop! But really, in her case it's nearly always an attention seeking thing, so I wait a little and then go play with her or take her for a walk.
Good luck!

 

[Brisen]

LOL, ya gotta love those puppy antics! Maggie loves to steal and run too, but she usually runs under the bed where I have no chance of getting to her. Every now and then I can bribe her out from under the bed if I mention the word 'treat', but usually she stays under until she's thoroughly destroyed whatever it is she stole. Like I said...ya just gotta love those puppy antics. Not!

 

[geckogirl]

My boys love socks! its their favorite thing ever!
Once, Harry even raided the laundry basket... It used to be easy to swop the socks for a treat, but lately its not working too well... especially now that we have 2 beagles... they kinda hype each other up lets see who can run away from mom the fastest...

 

[Murphys Dad]

Train Mugsy to drop it or Release. It is a very important command. You need to be able to give the command and the obey it in case they have something dangerous or harmful.

Otherwise, its a game to them. So, if you don't want it stolen or chewed, don't leave it lying around.

 

[Toby & Lucky]

Somewhere along the way, someone told be that to get a dog to drop what it is playing tug of war with, you gently blow a puff of air directly at their nose (not touching their nose or anything). This may sound nuts, but with Toby I would do that and say drop at the same time. It totally worked because for whatever reason the puff of air forces them to drop it, so they learn the command with it.

I don't know if their is a reason you shouldn't blow the puff of air in their face. Please say so if there is! I think it along the same concept of a toddler holding their breath. If you blow on their face it forces them to let out the breath.