Stealing

[Meka]

Hi, I am hoping someone can help us out. We have a 2 year old Rottie female. She has gotten into the habit of taking things around the house when we leave, and she ONLY does it when no one is home. She takes the dish towels that are hanging by the stove, the baby's bibs, husband's hat, etc.. She doesn't destroy any of the items, just takes them and brings them to one of her 2 beds. She knows that what she has done is wrong, as the moment we get home she walks in the kitchen and lowers her head. So, on most days we know when she has taken something, as otherwise she greets us at the landing.

So, how do we get her to stop taking things that she shouldn't have. She gets exercise, she gets attention, she has toys... we just don't know how to get her to stop taking things, and it is quite annoying. We try to not leave things out for her to take, but she always manages to find something. Amazingly enough she leaves the baby's toys alone ~ thank goodness, so she definetly picks and chooses what she takes.

Any help is GREATLY appreciated.

[AngelBunny]

If you don't wish her to do what she's doing, get a crate and crate her when you're not home.

[debbiej]

My girl exactly. my solution? I don't hang towels anymore, she loves to take them from the hooks and lay on them. even when we are home. I keep kitchen towels in little baskets on the counter.

she is crated when we leave. she used to do pretty well if everything was picked up. she has had a few lapses in judgment with books in the book shelf, so she is crated again.

[gpadilla1071]

My boy Max loves to take things from the house towels, shoes, whatever he find. I found out that after a good power walk twice a day he pretty much is good to go. Also, a good knuckle bone does the trick, since all he wants to do is chew on something. Now, when we are out of the house he goes into his crate.

[hhalford]

I agree with crating but if not crating make sure all doors are shut and everything is kept up high out of her reach. At least she doesn't destroy the stuff!

[moondog]

Well, I think I'd take an old towel, rub it all over yourself, your husband, and your baby, and let her have that one for all her very own. She might simply be collecting your scents closer to her while you're gone because it gives her comfort.

I don't think this is much of a transgression myself, but if it annoys you just give her a towel of her own and keep the rest up where they are not accessible to her.

[Troodie's Mom]

Troodie does that same thing, only instead of bringing stuff to her bed, she leaves it somewhere else in the house. Sometimes she chews things, sometimes she doesn't, depends on if it is tasty or not. We have to put things out of reach and keep doors closed, or else she's harvesting whatever she can find with in reach, the little imp that she is!
I think maybe your dog is bored when she's alone,and is trying to find herself something to do so she is making up a "job" to do. She is not being malicious or destructive, she knows to leaves the baby's things alone,and she sounds like a sweetie! Maybe you could put this habit of hers to work and train her to carry things for you. She could also be adjusting to having a baby in the house. Crating her is a good idea too, she'll sleep till you get home.

[Meka]

Thank you for everyones tips. I like the idea of taking an old towel, and we will try that & see if it helps at all. We try to keep things out of her reach, but she always seems to find something. And... the little stinker has le arned how to pop our bedroom door open to get in there! She doesn't destroy any of the items, only has on very rare occassions... so I think it may be a protest thing of not going with us/being left alone.

As for crating her... that won't work. We had a crate for her when she was a pup, and VERY early on she hated it. Refused to get in, would cry the whole time she was in there, and found a way to get herself out on a couple of occassions (still don't know how she managed that). No crate training in the world made her comfortable going in there ~ and we tried EVERYTHING!

Someone suggested giving her a knucklebone ~ we leave her "special" toys & treats when we leave, but she still goes after odd household objects! She's a nut ! She is lovable, though... just drives us batty sometimes!

Again, thank you for the tips. Keep them coming if you got'em

[dogsbydoug]

Tire her out before you leave the house. Don't make a fuss whenleaving her. Have a dog safe room that she can be put in when you're not home.

As for hating the crate - tough noogies. We had a foster who had severe separation anxiety - to the point she escaped her crate, so we had to reinforce it with heavy duty wire ties along the top and sides, and used heavy duty bolt snaps (like leash clasps) to hold the door closed.

She was only 65 pounds, but tossed her weight around like she weighed 665...the crate was often not in the same place when we arrived home.

We started walking her for 45 minutes at a brisk pace before leaving her for the day, and that helped alot, as did giving her a 'crate only' bone, which she loved.

We also made sure we worked her mind as well as her body...

Took almost 3 1/2 months but she FINALLY 'got it' and realized the crate was OK to be in while we were not home. We never took her out of the crate when she was making a fuss...never.

We now have a 5 month old girlie and she fusses when crated for the night, but we know she's pottied, so she just doesn't want to be in there - but we need sleep. So, we simply pay no attention to her. In the (almost) 3 weeks that she's been here the longest she has fussed is an hour - she usually fusses for about 10 minutes max, then will settle down and sleep through the night.

Are you in classes?

[buddysdad]

it probably a scent thing, if what she has taken is in her bed and not chewed its more than likely it has your smell on it and she is getting comfort in it.leave her a pair of your socks or summit and see if anything else is taken or not when u get back.

[porschea_mom]

re: crate training

2 things got Porschea to finally be OK with the crate:

1) we put her food and water dishes in it. She had NO choice but to go in. This was far more effective than...

2) when my ex and I were going through the divorce process, the arguments would get NASTY and the crate was the only place she felt safe. note: NOT a recommended method of crate training.

[AngelBunny]

Originally Posted by Meka

As for crating her... that won't work. We had a crate for her when she was a pup, and VERY early on she hated it. Refused to get in, would cry the whole time she was in there, and found a way to get herself out on a couple of occassions (still don't know how she managed that). No crate training in the world made her comfortable going in there ~ and we tried EVERYTHING!

If you're tried everything--including putting the crate in your bedroom, letting her cry herself to sleep, feeding all her meals and treats in her crate, being matter-of-fact about crating her and letting her out of the crate, and generally making the crate a nice place in which to be--I can't help you.

For almost 9 years we've been fostering for Rottie rescue. We've crate trained one dog after another during that time (some of whom had clearly been outside dogs their entire lives before they got into rescue). The dogs have been various ages and both sexes.

Dunno what to tell you.

[Meka]

Originally Posted by AngelBunny

If you're tried everything--including putting the crate in your bedroom, letting her cry herself to sleep, feeding all her meals and treats in her crate, being matter-of-fact about crating her and letting her out of the crate, and generally making the crate a nice place in which to be--I can't help you.

Dunno what to tell you.

Yup!!! The crate was in our bedroom, she did more than her share of crying, all of her meals, water and treats GALORE were in the crate, including special treats that she would get to entice her to go into the crate, or when she was in there, being matter of fact ~ yes! And the only time she was crated (when the door was closed) was at night and when I went to work, other than that she was able to go about the house, spend time with us, and go in and out of the crate. We bought her a nice new cushy bed for in there, we put one of my husband's t-shirts that he had worn in there for her comfort, and we really could not have made it any more of a nice place to be in. We have read books to get tips, and even posted on here about it back in the day ~ and you know... it was a bad experience for all of us no matter how determined we were.

With that said, I am sure you are very good at crate training dogs. Although we were very consistent, and we tried several tactics that you very well may use also ~ you have to remember one thing ~ you have experience in this, time & time again you have crate trained, and this was our first experience. So, there is a difference. (Kind of like someone with 5 kids toilet training, and a first time parent doing so ~ the technique may be very similar, but the approach and/or outcome may differ).

Anyway, thanks for your input, I appreciate it very much!

[AngelBunny]

Originally Posted by Meka

...I am sure you are very good at crate training dogs. Although we were very consistent, and we tried several tactics that you very well may use also ~ you have to remember one thing ~ you have experience in this, time & time again you have crate trained, and this was our first experience.

Yes, practice does make perfect, but I too started crate training with one dog. It sounds as tho you did what you need to do to crate train a dog, with one exception--you perhaps caved in and let your dog out of the crate when she shouldn't have been let out. Rotties are remarkably quick learners and your Rottie probably figured out in record time that you were wavering in your determination to crate train her.

I suggest you go back and try crate training your girl again. You've surely learned some things and will likely have better success this time 'round.

PS--Get ear plugs

[buddysdad]

only crate her if nothing else works . a 2 year old rott not used to a crate cud be very stressfull.