Uh oh! Our girls have learnt to jump up in the kitchen and steal things... it usually is the oven gloves or tea towels, but today in the 2 minutes whilst my mum was in the toilet, our sleeping Lottie woke up and stole 6 sausages in bacon!! Is there any way to prevent this? She got a telling off and sent to her bed, but I don't think that will stop her. We don't leave food on the side when we're not there but the tea towels etc we just move to the back of the counter... We don't know what to do! Will labs always steal and there's nothing to do about it? Our old lab never stole! Thanks!
Hi Lottie Have a look over on this thread......a similar problem,reasons and solutions are being discussed http://thelabradorforum.com/threads/my-little-choccy-thief.13529/ I had a tea towel thief but limiting his opportunities and swapping for a treat cured him !
Re teatowels, it doesn't necessarily last for ever. Molly did this so I had to find somewhere to hang them out of reach. When she was through puppyhood I gradually reintroduced them within reach, but only when I was there to keep an eye on her. Now I have them hung within her reach all the time and she doesn't touch them. I think dogs do just get easier as they grow up.
The only real answer is clear worktops with nothing around for them to get hold of. I've trained Juno to drop when asked for a treat which works not only indoors but also when you're out on walks. As Joy says it does usually get easier as they get older and you re-introduce items without them being taken, although I would always be careful where food is concerned with any breed of dog not just Labs
I did this: EDITED to remove link to another forum - see Rule 1c Somebody is coming to come back and say this is using an aversive and of course it is. Your choice, mild aversive or risk serious surgery to remove an obstructing tea towel. Certainly try the other suggestions too. I did.
I think you'll actually find that I didn't say it was an aversive, just a bit bonkers. I honestly think this would never work. What dog has such a duff nose he would ever drink the vinegar?
