Help my 2 1/2 year old lab keeps stealing out of dog walkers pockets. He doesn't do it to me, any idea how to stop him?
Re: Pick pocket - how can i stop it? he does not jump up generally but goes straight for the pocket. usually approaching the victim from the side or behind to get his nose directly into the pocket
Re: Pick pocket - how can i stop it? I'm sure someone else will have a fuller/better answer, but I guess you need a better, bigger treat to reward "good behavior" of staying with you and not bugging your fellow dog-walkers. Maybe you need to say to them not to give anything (all ours will usually ask first anyway if its ok) Not that I have any expertise in clicker-training, sounds like this might be a good technique to use. All 4 paws on ground, no noses at pockets, starting with rewarding just with you in the house/garden with treats in your pocket (if you need to), then maybe another family member, then add in other people in the house and garden that will help you out. Use a C+T for non-mugging and coming to you for a treat instead?? Then move it to your normal walk areas? I'm sure someone else will explain this much better than me, or come up with a better suggestion, but I think this is how I would do it. jac
Re: Pick pocket - how can i stop it? jac you do make me laugh, wow what a humour,.......is he one lead when he is doing this ?.......on or off lead just get him to sit, then treat him , :-\ like jac sorry what the hell do i know, took me all my time with my lil guy,.......sure someone will give you some good advice soon
Re: Pick pocket - how can i stop it? I think that what Jac and Lynne suggest is the way to go. You would need to be able to get in first with a recall so I'd be working on that. Or else keep him on lead around people. The only other option would be a major aversive in response to sticking his nose in a pocket - like giving a blast on an air horn the millisecond his nose makes pocket contact. You'd need to set this up with a friend in on the act. The risk is that he sees the owner of the pocket as the cause of the horrible noise, and that he shifts from pick pocketing to barking at strangers. That is the downside of using an aversive - the unintended negative associations. With a 'positive', reward based approach there is virtually no risk of creating a new problem in the process, even though it can take longer and require more patience.
Re: Pick pocket - how can i stop it? If he is bringing you cash and credit cards from this activity it might not be a bad thing ;D
Re: Pick pocket - how can i stop it? Thank you for saying exactly what I was thinking ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Re: Pick pocket - how can i stop it? Thanks for all your suggestions. He is generally good at recall but i will keep working on it and discourage people from treating him after fending him off. Good idea to make the thefts more specific, wallets and watches, I think he might need some more training!
Re: Pick pocket - how can i stop it? [quote author=Jan link=topic=3739.msg42333#msg42333 date=1387618959] Good idea to make the thefts more specific, wallets and watches, I think he might need some more training! [/quote] Use jackpot rewards for the correct identification of luxury brands! ;D Good luck with solving this one, Clare
