Yes, they grow out of it, or at least some dogs do, many through the use of 'Leave' both in the home and outside without the use of 'punishment' or are you suggesting the use of 'leave' is punishment? I would have thought just leaving them with something if harmless is rather irresponsible and encouraging them to chew inappropriate items - clothes, shoes other dogs balls etc.
Julie has given some great advice here. As you guys know, I am all for training BUT stealing is generally not a problem where we need training as much as a problem where good management solves the issues involved. This includes management of the dog’s environment (getting kids to put their stuff away) and management of the dog (making sure he is always rewarded for handing things over) so that he has chance to grow out of this phase without it becoming a battleground 'Leave it' is a fun cue to teach and is useful in situations where the dog is under supervision. It isn't really a cure all for stealing though. Teaching a dog TO do something is almost always easier than teaching a dog NOT to do something, unless punishment is involved. Although 'leave it' 'can be taught without force (see the link at the top of this thread) I think it is fair to say that at the current time most people teach 'leave it' using intimidation or physical force. I am fairly sure Julie was not advocating leaving a dog to chew inappropriate items which is why she said I've put a link at the head of this thread to an article which explores this issue in some detail. I hope folks find it helpful
No, I am not suggesting a 'leave it' cue is punishment although it can be trained with punishment, of course. Leave it only works when you are there, and when you see the dog approach an item. It does not stop a dog picking up items around the home when you miss the chance to say 'leave it', or out on a walk for the same reason - as we can see from the hundreds of posts on the forum from members with young Labradors who constantly pick things up on a walk or in the home. I leave my puppy with leaves, tea towels, small twigs and so on. Even at just 13 weeks, she will bring absolutely everything to me to show me what she has, and if it is a twig, a leaf, a tea towel (ie harmless) I do nothing apart from give her a fuss, a tummy rub, or a treat (all of which she finds highly reinforcing). When she picked up a 9in, jagged, rusty nail she trotted proudly to me to show me, and that was the item I took off her. The next hundred harmless items, I'll let her keep and reinforce her for coming to me with what she has. Without reinforcement for bringing me things, she would still have picked up the nail but probably legged it round the field with it.
With Cooper it is not just picking things up, it is also Destroying them. She has a pretty soft mouth in play, and sort of returns tennis balls (not as well as Tilly), but when she steals something or picks up a chunk of wood, it will probably be chewed to bits. I get keeping small things our of reach, but we have large house, lots of books and chachkis (tchotchke) with an open floor plan, and a dog door that is only accessible from the open floor plan. Also our older dog fully expects (and has earned) the run of the house so it is difficult to confine one dog and not the other. Anyway we are working on it, and hope Cooper outgrows the tendency. It would be easier if Cooper weren't so tall. She can see what is on tables and counters from her normal walking position.
