Suggestions for getting things they steal?

[biaham876]

What do you do when your dobe has something in his mouth that he is clearly not supposed to have?

I try to remain calm and not blow up the situation, but he starts running around and won’t let me get it. There was a sock out for a split second and of course he found it. Thankfully, I was able to catch him and pull it out...it was nearly down his throat.

 

[LifeofRubie]

Work on drop it in a controlled setting and always, always have treats at the ready!

 

[jazzies mum]

Definitely teaching drop it is very important. When they are young though the best bet is to have something far more interesting around. Treats, or a toy that is a favourite. If you act too intent on getting the item, they treat it as a great, fun game, so you have to act a bit cool and try to do the sneaky remove.

 

[Antman408]

When he was a puppy I’d have to wrestle him WWE style, pry his jaws open like Steve Irwin used to do with crocodiles. Then pull the object out of his mouth.

however now, I tell him out and he usually drops it, if not a small correction with the e collar or prong and he’ll drop it.

 

[mshipway]

I know it won't help if your dog is past puppy phase, but for anyone with a puppy, In my classes, we were taught it is easier to tell your dog when to take something rather than always tell them not to. It seemed a bit cruel at first but It is now nice to see while I get my dogs food ready he sits paitently and waits for me to say take it, or if a piece of food hits the floor it isnt a race between him and I to see who gets it first.
But again there are many different methods, and occasionally Argo also gets stuff he shouldnt have, I ask for an 'out' and most of the time he will listen... but not always.

 

[LifeofRubie]

@mshipway has a great point. Even being past the puppy stage, it's a great idea to teach them to 'wait' for things like food, kongs, treats, etc. I've even used 'leave it' while Moo is eating to reinforce it and lately, I have been putting him in a sit, putting his food down, and calling him to 'come' to me away from his food. When he comes and sits next to me, then he's released to eat. Rubie eats when she feels like it so these exercises at meal time don't work for her so practice with something else like her chuckit ball.

All bets are off with both dogs when it comes to mulch though

 

[Tropicalbri's]

I learned early on that the simple word
T R E A T S said in a happy voice does wonders along with a high value toy in your hand. They come running for that treat and toy and are quite happy to give you what is in their mouth in exchange for the treat and toy. Give high praise once they do this and they will gladly come running each time.

Bogie is a rock eater, any size. Now I have taught him to bring me the rock and he gets a treat when he drops the rock in my lap.
My hubs told me last night that Bogie brought him a single rock and he praised him but did not have any treats down stairs. Bogie then brought him 2 rocks, then 3 rocks, then 4 rocks in his mouth. Finally hubs sent him upstairs to me where he promptly dropped 5 rocks in my lap. I gave him 5 treats and lots of praise. The boy seems to be a real math whiz and obviously wanted his rewards of treats. We now have a treat jar downstairs. This is a true story even though it sounds ‘out there’. This breed is really intelligent and know the art of the con. That’s why I love them.

 

[JanS]

I taught our dogs "drop it" too and they listen pretty well. I know with our first boy (Boris) it wasn't a good idea to rush in on him and try to grab it since he felt cornered so I just stayed back some and had him release it and it worked well.

That said, every evening after dinner Albert has to go see if he can find a prized empty TP roll and I just let him proudly carry it out around the yard like we can't see it and when he comes in he'll give it to me right away. LOL

 

[Kaiser2016]

My boy has a thing for TP rolls too lol. Any paper product really.

I avoid chasing or making any sort of a fuss and just offer a treat when I think he has something. He drops the item on his own because he knows it’s not tasty like what I’m offering him. Acting normal makes it less exciting for them to have anything in their mouths overall. Good words to teach are out, drop, and leave it.

 

[jazzies mum]

I actually found it much harder in the very early puppy stage where everything goes in the mouth! At about 11 wks Jazz knew to sit and wait for her food, wait before snatching anything from fingers and was pretty good. However, she also cottoned on to the fact that "drop that" or "leave it" was a sign that something she had was going to be confiscated. One day she found a dead rabbit kit 7-8" long just on the verge of getting stinky, and she WANTED it. I saw her coming with it in her mouth and a happy prance happening and told her to drop it. This time she thought she'd try to stuff it down the hatch before she lost it! Luckily she was so involved in this process, which looked like a python trying to engulf prey, that I got to her just as the last back leg was on its way down. I had puppy in one hand, rabbit hind legs in other and pulled it back out! How does an 11wk old pup do that! And I'm certain that she couldn't breath while it was all happening either. Aaarrrgh! She survived, but always did like the nasty carcasses. Realistically I can say that she would only really reliably drop something dead when she was e collar trained at about 13 months. Treats or toys were nothing compared to the high value of a really putrid dead thing!

 

[Rodyboy]

Our trainers taught us to use "off" on any bad behavior. It works for us and we do use it. Although, he has an ornery streak and will take something and just run around with it for the hell of itand to chase a Doberman is a study in insanity ha! I can tell that he enjoys just running around with it to show me he can. I find it funny because he doesn't try to swallow anything he is just showing his agility or something Doberman. If he did start swallowing anything I would be worried. And he only does this when I am looking so it's his little game. I let him have it cause as soon as I say off or sit he stops. And no swallowing. I certainly won't chase him which is what he wants.

 

[Tropicalbri's]

I use the Drop It command for when he is next to me or within a few yards of me. The Out command is for him to immediately stop doing what he is doing. The Leave It command is for distractions, the Off command is for them to get off of something. The Down command is to lay down and stay.
The Break command is their release command to eat, get out of the vehicle, run and play. Some say Free but I have always said Break, and the Come command which to me is the most important. Bacall is 99.999% perfection with the Come command. Bogie is 98% because his prey drive is higher than Bacall’s. If he sees a deer then it’s a loud come command coupled with a stim and he breaks away and comes back to me immediately.

 

[biaham876]

I actually found it much harder in the very early puppy stage where everything goes in the mouth! At about 11 wks Jazz knew to sit and wait for her food, wait before snatching anything from fingers and was pretty good. However, she also cottoned on to the fact that "drop that" or "leave it" was a sign that something she had was going to be confiscated. One day she found a dead rabbit kit 7-8" long just on the verge of getting stinky, and she WANTED it. I saw her coming with it in her mouth and a happy prance happening and told her to drop it. This time she thought she'd try to stuff it down the hatch before she lost it! Luckily she was so involved in this process, which looked like a python trying to engulf prey, that I got to her just as the last back leg was on its way down. I had puppy in one hand, rabbit hind legs in other and pulled it back out! How does an 11wk old pup do that! And I'm certain that she couldn't breath while it was all happening either. Aaarrrgh! She survived, but always did like the nasty carcasses. Realistically I can say that she would only really reliably drop something dead when she was e collar trained at about 13 months. Treats or toys were nothing compared to the high value of a really putrid dead thing!

I learned early on that the simple word
T R E A T S said in a happy voice does wonders along with a high value toy in your hand. They come running for that treat and toy and are quite happy to give you what is in their mouth in exchange for the treat and toy. Give high praise once they do this and they will gladly come running each time.

Bogie is a rock eater, any size. Now I have taught him to bring me the rock and he gets a treat when he drops the rock in my lap.
My hubs told me last night that Bogie brought him a single rock and he praised him but did not have any treats down stairs. Bogie then brought him 2 rocks, then 3 rocks, then 4 rocks in his mouth. Finally hubs sent him upstairs to me where he promptly dropped 5 rocks in my lap. I gave him 5 treats and lots of praise. The boy seems to be a real math whiz and obviously wanted his rewards of treats. We now have a treat jar downstairs. This is a true story even though it sounds ‘out there’. This breed is really intelligent and know the art of the con. That’s why I love them.

I learned early on that the simple word
T R E A T S said in a happy voice does wonders along with a high value toy in your hand. They come running for that treat and toy and are quite happy to give you what is in their mouth in exchange for the treat and toy. Give high praise once they do this and they will gladly come running each time.

Bogie is a rock eater, any size. Now I have taught him to bring me the rock and he gets a treat when he drops the rock in my lap.
My hubs told me last night that Bogie brought him a single rock and he praised him but did not have any treats down stairs. Bogie then brought him 2 rocks, then 3 rocks, then 4 rocks in his mouth. Finally hubs sent him upstairs to me where he promptly dropped 5 rocks in my lap. I gave him 5 treats and lots of praise. The boy seems to be a real math whiz and obviously wanted his rewards of treats. We now have a treat jar downstairs. This is a true story even though it sounds ‘out there’. This breed is really intelligent and know the art of the con. That’s why I love them.

I love your technique! Neo is a rock eater too and it drives me nuts! I’m going to consider this one.

 

[GennyB]

T R E A T S said in a happy voice does wonders along with a high value toy in your hand.

And then there is a dog like Rue. Tried this with her and it was a nightmare. Why? The lil turd figured out quick that if she misbehaved she would get rewarded. I saw her more than once go grab something she knew she couldn't have and sit and wait with the prize in her mouth for someone to reward her.
I think the point here, @biaham876 is you may have to try several techniques before you find one that works. Every dog is different and not one training method works for all.