Food thief

RedstarDog · 05-08-2007, 04:58 AM

Good morning to all

Stella is doing pretty good, a little itchy still because of the change of season but otherwise in good health. ever since i made her a part of my family she has managed to steal any unattended food, she wont work for it, like get on the counter or the dining room table, but i normally eat in the living room on the coffee table. if i get up to get a drink or answer the door, she will remove anything from the plate on the coffee table. she has taken sandwiches and breakfast tacos and pizza. its not really a problem but when i have friends over, they often let their guard down and wind up going to sleep hungry and she has been known jump up at unsuspecting friends holding sandwiches or cheese burgers in their hands and take them from them. i try not to yell at her when i do catch her, but when i get close to her she normally runs into the closet in my room to finish her prey. im sure understands what she is doing is wrong and that it upsets me because she always sucks up after taking food. is there anything i could do to encourage her not take food off random plates, or hands? i dont have her crate anymore, i gave it to my brother and i think like most college students i really do not have a set eating schedule, for example i just had dinner and its 347 am here, i dont put her in the bedroom or outside in the yard every time i want to enjoy a meal with friends, so we all have to be on guard

thanks to all, heres a newer pic

RedstarDog · 05-08-2007, 05:06 AM

heres another, dont think ive posted this one before, thanks again

**doberkim** · 05-08-2007, 06:45 AM

Easiest way? Put a leash and collar on that dog and anticipate and TRAIN. It's self rewarding to steal food, and YOU DONT STOP HER!

Put a leash and collar on her, and have someone else eat. Train her during that period - ask for things like sits, downs, stays, etc while the other person eats her meals. If she tries to steal the food, you have her ON LEASH so she cannot complete that act, and if she does steal you can take the food out of her mouth and prevent her from self-rewarding.

She does this simply because she is ALLOWED and suffers no consequences, as well as the fact that she has not been told NOT to do it, and shown what IS expected of her. If you want her to stop stealing, put her in a down stay and leave her there. If she cannot do that, then she needs more training and there is a place to start!

tjmom · 05-12-2007, 10:58 PM

I totally agree with Kim.

She has to understand that she is not the boss of you but that you are the boss of her and that you will not tolerate her stealing food from your or your guests. Do you feed her food other than her own food? If so you should probably stop that habit. If she is used to you feeding her food other than her own than she expects it. It is certainly something that can be corrected. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

**Kratty** · 05-13-2007, 10:36 AM

Agreeing with the above posters that you need to intervene with this. You can't leave tasty stuff unsupervised. Training with some kind of "Leave it" will discourage them and teach them this is something you don't want them to have. But still you have to supervise them because if no one is around, they will still take it.

**Lexus** · 05-13-2007, 10:57 AM

I'd also recommend teach her the "LEAVE IT" command. Work her on leash, and put a tasty morsel down in front of her. You have her on leash, so you can restrain her from taking it, then reward her for leaving the food.

Also though, like Kratty said, she's a dog, so just try your best to keep such temptations away from her. If you are eating on the couch, and you have to get up to answer the door, take your plate with you.

**Jenny** · 05-13-2007, 11:08 AM

"Leave it" is a really good command to have in your bag of tricks. I also use leave it when she is eyeing bunnies, cats and the dreaded kids on bikes.

frznbuns · 05-17-2007, 04:40 AM

Agree with everyone..I also do not allow the dogs to be where I am when I am eating.. If we are eating in the dining room, the dogs stay in the living room just a few feet away.. If they even start to put a toenail over the line.. all I have to say now is
"NO Eating" and they leave. also my squirt bottle was a wonderful aid.. Good luck and keep up the training..

RedstarDog · 05-18-2007, 09:14 PM

shes doing better now, thanks to all, she responds well with me, although im not sure if she will go after my buddies food when they are here

Mama&PapaTeak · 05-19-2007, 03:11 PM

Leave it is IMPERATIVE in our household (indoors especially) with Four Flighted Parrots. We are still working on that one