To prevent a dog from stealing or guarding things, there's a whole new and very interesting way to go: teaching object exchanges. No longer do we stress any attempt to teach a dog, "No," or "Don't do that," or scold or punish the dog for
any misdeed. People may have done that in the past; we don't have to do it now. We have more effective ways to teach our dogs in order to resolve such problems.

For one thing: we don't want to convey to the dog the impression that whatever it has grabbed is an object of intensely high value to us; then we would become cartoon characters chasing the dog all around the house, upstairs and down, in
and out of closets. The dogs would think such chase games great fun!

Instead, and this is ever so much easier on everyone's temper and disposition, we start this new teaching by helping a dog learn to trade, to voluntarily relinquish what he has in exchange for receiving an object of higher value to the dog.  I love this part, teaching a dog to "Give." And then immediately letting the dog "Take" a treat or object as the reward to the dog for first giving.

But even before doing that, though, you could try some Doggie Zen games. That's ever so much fun. I think you'd like them a lot. Check out Shirley Chong's web site for her "First six clicker lessons."  http://www.shirleychong.com

We call this doggie zen because the dog learns how to stop mugging/ begging/ pushing/pawing for the treat. Just as soon as the dog stops that begging, the owner gives the dog the treat. Wow! What an idea. Dog learns that the slight hesitancy works. It's a beginning lesson at restraint and self control.  "To get something one wants, one must first give it up, Grasshopper." That's the zen part.

The problem you've been describing is extremely common, so much so that trainer/instructor and writer Jean Donaldson has devoted the entire beginning section of her book "Dogs Are From Neptune" to an explanation, what object guarding behavior is, why dogs do it naturally, how we can resolve the problem without raising any tempers or feeling frustrated, and while remaining calm. Imagine that!!

I like to do these lessons even with dogs who do not present problems; the lessons are that helpful in building our cooperating working relationship. I think of these games as little daily evidences of trust in the relationship. I'm
fair with the dogs and they're fair with me. We trust one another. I love these daily reminder games and the dogs seem to enjoy them, too.

I've been immensely fortunate. In all the years that I've had dogs, I have *never* had dogs take things belonging to the humans in the household. They have never taken food from the kitchen counter; never played with my spinning wheel or with my knitting. Never chewed on the legs of the furniture. By some innate process, they have just seemed to comprehend that some things are for the dog to use for play and some other things belong to the humans in the house. Those things are not for the dogs.

Now maybe my good fortune stems from the fact that I have had collies most of these years. Collies are not so mouthy as, say, Labrador retrievers. But I also raised a dachshund, and there's no known edible substance that a dachshund will
refuse. And I have an affenpinscher now. Yet I still have had no difficulty about dogs stealing objects.

Some of you may be thinking, "Hey, I have a German Shorthaired Pointer you could borrow!" I know there are strong breed differences in this trait. Some dogs are immensely mouthy; others aren't.

I had a close call once.  I had baked a pumpkin pie and then removed it from the oven to the kitchen table to cool. For some weird reason, I forgot about it for several hours. Then just as I was walking into the kitchen, I spotted my dear female collie, Tiffy, with her front paws on the kitchen chair, her neck outstretched so her nose could sniff that pie!  I gave a loud, audible gasp, then turned to grab a potholder. I threw the potholder at my dog, but Tiffy had already crept under the table at that moment. Anyway, there was no reason to scold the dog nor to punish the dog. After all the mistake had been my own in leaving such a temptation so readily available for a dog to taste.  

Please be sure to check out that link to Shirley Chong's lesson on teaching doggie zen as the beginning of the teaching of object exchanges. Then please read Jean Donaldson's brilliant explanation about how to teach object exchanges. YOu'll discover, for example, that she removes the lesson totally from where problems had previously arisen. If the dog had been one to try to snatch food from the counter top, then Donaldson advises to begin the lesson in a totally separate location away from the kitchen. Also, begin the lesson at any time of day that is not mealtime. Finally, the third element: begin the new lesson with an object of exceedingly low value to the dog, such as a piece of cardboard, not something the dog would find to be valuable.  Why? Because in our teaching lessons, our aim is to help the dogs to succeed each time, not to fail. We will avoid using any hot-button/ high-value items for object exchanges until well after the dog has gained some proficiency with object exchanges of low-value items. 

Then plan to use very high value rewards. For instance, for medium to large sized dogs, I pan fry a cube steak and then cut into into tiny training-sized pieces. Teach your dog to "Give" and immediately stuff a piece of cubed beef in its mouth as the reward.  One could begin to teach the "Drop it" part  by using lure-reward method, if you wish. It's okay for the dog to smell that delicious smelling cube steak as you say "Give" or "Drop it," and then for the dog to willingly drop a dirty old sock to receive the meat treat. Say "Thank you" warmly.

 Meanwhile, of course, dog proof the house to pick up and remove anything you don't want the dog mouthing. Keep that kitchen counter clear, too!

Children can be taught to pick up their socks and to put their dirty clothes in the laundry basket and then to shut the door. The whole family can be taught to close the bathroom door to prevent the dog from getting in to the bathroom waste basket.

The kitchen waste basket can be kept in a cupboard that has a secure, child-proof cabinet latch. Waste baskets that contain any food leftovers, such as after dinner, any leftovers that may include bones, must be put away safely so that the dog absolutely cnanot gain access. I suggest taking the trash out to the garage right after dinner to put in a garbage can that has a secure lid.

Another important safety reminder: People need to safely store their medications, vitamins bottles and so on, where the dogs absolutely cannot gain access to them. Don't just store them in a plastic bin on the kitchen counter, please. One pet owner wrote in to describe coming home at noon to discover her Great Dane had gotten into her prescription medications, had torn open the bottles, and perhaps had ingested most of the contents. She rushed the dog to the emergency vet clinic.  There, the doctors were able to save the dog's life, but the emergency was indeed a dire one. The dog's condition was very critical, even serious for days afterwards. The cost was more than $4,000. I'm so thankful that she shared that safety lesson.

© May 30, 2003, revised 4/02/2008.  Barbara D. Brill, North Chili, NY, all rights reserved. No further reproduction permitted without express written consent.