Does your dog like to steal things like shoes or dirty socks? Many dogs turn into thieves when their human’s property is left unattended. Everything from remote controls to used tissue to food is up for grabs. And rather than losing another expensive item, you probably feel compelled to chase your dog and snatch your property back. Of course, that turns into a game of chase – an activity dogs love. Next thing you know, keep-away is an unwelcome but regular activity.
Raise your hand if you have ever played a game of "keep away" with your dog. If you are scratching your head wondering what in the world a "keep away game" is, then you certainly deserve an explanation. Actually, you will need several explanations, such as why this game can be quite counterproductive and why you should invest time in playing alternate games.
Learn how to prevent the behavior from developing in the first place and what you should do instead when your dog takes something they shouldn't.
What is "Keep Away?"
If you have ever had a puppy, you are likely very familiar with the dreaded game of keep away. A fun game for dogs, but not so much for you. You’re rushing out the door trying to put your shoes on and your puppy grabs your sock right out of your hand and runs away at full speed? We have ALL been there. While our dogs mean well and are motivated by fun and games, this behavior can be frustrating. As well as potentially hazardous if a dog takes something dangerous to them.
Also Read: Do Dogs Get Embarrassed? Understanding Canine Emotions
Why Do Dogs Take Things?
No doubt you’ve noticed your dog sniffs everything. That’s because dogs primarily experience the world through their sense of smell. Odor is essential to them, and objects that smell like their beloved humans are particularly coveted. Food too. So your dog will likely grab items you’ve worn or touched – they particularly enjoy stealing dirty laundry – even when those objects are meant to be off-limits.
However, dogs also steal things because they’ve learned that it’s fun. The stolen object could be their food bowl, favorite toy or something they want to chew. If you run after them to take something back, they quickly discover it’s an easy way to get your attention. From your dog’s perspective, you drop what you’re doing and focus on them. Not to mention, you chase them all over in an epic game of keep-away. Once your dog has figured out how to trigger this exciting game, they will start stealing all kinds of things to get you to engage.
Why You Shouldn’t Chase Your Dog When They Run Off With Things?
The items your dog is stealing likely aren’t meant to be chew toys and could pose a health hazard. For example, your dog could break a tooth by chomping on something hard. But more likely, they could tear chunks off something soft by chewing, such as the sole of a shoe, and then choke if they try to swallow one. Objects can also cause intestinal blockages if your dog eats them. Plus, many dogs will swallow forbidden objects when you try to take them away in an effort to keep their prize.
When dogs steal things, it’s important you don’t respond with anger or threats, as it will only create additional problems. Also, forcibly removing objects from your dog’s mouth puts you at risk. Your dog could become defensive and growl, snap, or even bite you. Especially when stealing food.
You could also cause your dog to develop resource guarding, as they won’t trust that what they have is theirs to keep. A fear of having desired items snatched away can motivate that type of aggression and requires the assistance of a behavior professional to manage and treat.
Remain Calm
If your dog runs off with something they shouldn’t and attempts to initiate playtime, remain calm. Act like you don’t want the item and ignore the behavior, refrain from talking to them about the object or chasing them. This is especially helpful from a young age.
Many dogs will learn to just drop the item because being ignored isn’t very fun for them. If your dog is persistent or you are concerned about them swallowing a hazardous object, find a toy of theirs and engage in keep away with them.
Run around with it, be silly, and try to get them to engage with something else instead so they lose interest in the stolen item.
Also Read: Top Weird Dog Behaviors Explained
How to Prevent Your Dog From Developing a Keep-Away Habit?
If chasing your pup makes the problem worse, what should you do as a pet owner? First, try to prevent the habit from ever developing. Keep items out of your dog’s reach by puppy-proofing your house. For example, keep your shoes in the closet and put lids on the hamper and garbage cans. If your dog can’t get to forbidden objects in the first place, you don’t need to worry about theft.
Also, make sure your dog has adequate mental stimulation and physical exercise. Bored dogs look for their own fun, but if your dog is already busy, they’ll be less likely to bother with your belongings. It helps to provide your dog with a variety of toys and edible chews to occupy their time. Rotate the toys every week or two to keep them feeling fresh and new so your dog stays interested.
Finally, teach your dog a “leave it” cue so they understand when something is off-limits. Often the command “leave it” is used to teach dogs not to pick up items. It is easiest to teach “leave it” using a head collar and leash. Start with the dog wearing a head collar and an adult holding the leash. The dog is then walked toward an item he may wish to pick up, such as a paper bag or plastic food container.
Choose training objects that are not of value to you and that will not prove particularly enjoyable to the dog and are not likely to injure the dog if you cannot take them away. As the dog reaches for the item, calmly say, “leave it” and turn the dog’s head using the head collar; quickly offer a food reward and “good dog” as the head comes toward you. Repeat several times with low-value items. As the dog learns the meaning of the phrase he will begin to turn his head, perhaps even without a pull of the leash. Immediately reward that behavior.
Mental exercise and stimulation is just as important for dogs as physical exercise and can really help when distracting from stealing things.
Positive Reinforcement Training at Work
Now, keep in mind that in behavior science behaviors that are reinforced tend to repeat (that's the power of positive reinforcement training), so if you have given in and involuntarily played this game with your dog in the past, they will likely want to play it with you more and more!
You may think though, "How can my pet really like this game if every time I'm smoking mad and cursing as I'm trying to catch him or retrieve the item he got a hold of?" Most likely, your dog thinks your behavior repertoire is all part of the game.
Yes, perhaps your play behavior is a bit odd, but since you're chasing them every time, your pup perhaps may think that you must be at least having some fun. And even if they doubted it sometimes, the adrenaline rush from being chased will supersede, and possibly, cancel out your frustrated behavior.
Not to mention that if you were out at work all day and your canine was home alone, even that little bit of negative attention is much appreciated compared to no attention at all! So your doggo gets a kick out of a fun game, and on top of that, a big bonus: your attention. they will likely feel like they hit the jackpot!
So now you know it. Whether you just chased your pooch to get them or to retrieve that precious item he has in his mouth, you are now involved in the keep-away game with your dog. After all, it takes two to tango, but what's the big problem with this game? Although this can look like a rather innocent game, it can have deleterious effects.
What To Do If Your Dog Steals Something?
If your dog is already a seasoned thief, you must break the habit. First, puppy-proof your house to limit your dog’s opportunities to steal. Second, teach your dog a “drop it” cue so they learn that giving things up means getting something even better in return. You can also teach your dog to trade items with you. For example, offer them a piece of chicken in exchange for a toy. Then, once they’ve eaten the chicken, give the toy back. Returning the toy will teach your dog that it’s no big deal to give things to you. Then, if you ever need to take something away permanently, your dog will be less likely to care.
However, don’t practice trading with your dog if they already perform resource guarding behavior or exhibit signs of stress or anxiety like pulled-back ears, stiff posture, growling, or a tucked tail. This body language indicates your dog is uncomfortable. Enlist the help of a professional dog trainer or behavior consultant to help you with this issue.
Also Read: The Top 10 Easiest Dog Breeds to Train
But if your dog is in possession of something potentially dangerous, such as food containing chocolate, you won’t have time to call a professional. In this case, you could trade an object with your dog. You could also try throwing or dropping treats or kibble nearby so you have time to retrieve the object.
Finally, if your dog does steal something, never chase them. Instead, approach them calmly with something more valuable in your hand or lure them to you with a particularly delectable treat. Don’t panic, but instead keep a cool head. Act like the item doesn’t matter because, for some dogs, the more you seem to want the item, the more they want to keep it. Once you have your dog’s attention, use your “drop it” cue or swap for the item in your hand. Then, praise heavily when your dog makes the trade. With management and consistency, your dog will eventually decide there are better games to play than keep-away.
Why Do These Behaviors Continue?
When dealing with unwanted behavior, look for motivation. Food items are appealing on their own. Some puppies steal objects when they are unsupervised, because they have not been directed to an acceptable activity. Puppies may continue to steal because the game of chase is so much fun. Each of these motivations has a different treatment.
If left to their own devices, most puppies will get into what we would refer to as “trouble.” Therefore, you should first focus on ensuring that your dog has a sufficiently enriched and predictable daily routine that meets its needs for social interactions, exercise, play and exploration. Puppies should be supervised at all times, since they could be engaging in behaviors that you consider undesirable whenever they are out of sight.
When you cannot watch your pup, ensure that it is confined to an area where it cannot gain access to any objects or any areas that you consider “out of bounds.” Depending on what they might steal and where you do not want them to go, your options are to consider crate or confinement training or to arrange the environment so that the puppy cannot get to items.
Conclusion
Do you seemingly have a klepto-canine? Perhaps they slowly sneak up on you, snag an object, and bolts or they jump out of nowhere, grabs, and runs. Either way, they have your stuff and you want it back. Younger dogs tend to have more compulsive stealing behaviors, as do certain breeds, but all dogs can be prone to the grab and dash behavior. There are several reasons why he may exhibit this behavior and a lot of it depends on you.
Dogs take items and run because it is fun. Taking items provides an immediate reward because they have found something to play with, something to comfort them, or something to eat all in one action. When you chase them, it makes them even happier in that they have more fun and attention. Limiting their access to items you do not want them to have, teaching them to ‘leave it’ and stay out of the kitchen and dining room during meals, and providing them ample stimulation and activity throughout the day can limit the overall stealing. Rather than chase them when they steal, ignore your pup or offer a high reward treat in exchange.
