# Help stop my spaniel stealing things



## annyvials (Mar 3, 2010)

Hi, New on here and lookin for advice. We have a 14month old springer cocker cross female. We're doing ok. She's quite well behaved and we're working well on the not-so-good-at-yet things but we cannot seem to stop her from stealing things no matter what we do. It seems that sometimes she does it for attention as she brings whatever she's stolen so you can see it repeatedly. There's no favourite things either, it can be tissues, paper, remote controls, socks, anything you might drop, she's grabbed it and is off under the dining room table like a flash! She will eventually leave it but never on the first command. The other day she got a knife off the worktop in the kitchen and ran off with it which scared me to death. Needless to say I had to stay really calm with that one. Any advice greatly appreciated.

Ann


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## SEVEN_PETS (Aug 11, 2009)

my cocker does this regularly and I praise him for it. he will find a sock or a towel or a jumper and will come and show you what he's got. I let him parade around with it for a bit, and then ask for it back. He loves the attention he gets from it and just loves carrying something in his mouth. 

IMO, you shouldn't let her get to dangerous objects like knives, but for things like socks, remote controls etc, actually praise her for it. if she dashes under the table, she's trying to hide it from you. ask her to show it to you, say "what have you got?" in an excited voice, and really get excited over what she has and encourage her to show the item to you. 

I wouldn't worry about it unless she actually starts to eat it. Any dangerous items should be out of her reach anyway.


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## sullivan (Aug 29, 2008)

h HA THIS SOUNDS SO FAMILAR AND YES MINE IS NOW 9 YEARS OLD AND STILL A PAIN FOR GETTING HOLD OF STUFF HES NOT MEANT TO HAVE. WHEN WE MOVED THEY FOUND 8 PAIRS OF ROLLED UP SOCKS FROM THE WASH PILE HE HAD TAKEN AND HID UNDER OUR BUSH. MINES A NIGHT MARE FOR TISSUE ALSO. AND FOOD . hAVE TRIED ON MANY OCCASSION AND TOOK HIM TO WORK ON LEAVE COMMAND AND HES FAB AT EVERYTHING ELSE. bUT HE JUST GOES DEAF ALTHOUGH WILL HAND IT OVER IF CAUGHT. I think its a spaniel thing. Dont you just love them. sorry cant help as mine is as bad and ive had 9 years to try stop him.


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## CarolineH (Aug 4, 2009)

Some dogs just love to pinch things.  Teach her that letting you have the items is a good thing, that way she will bring things to show you and you can gently relieve her of them in exchange for praise, rather than her sneaking off to destroy them.  If you tell her off for taking things, she will still take things but just won't let you know she has.  Also, I am afraid that the whole family are going to have to learn that they have to put things of value out of sight or out of reach and try not to leave temptation in her way as she is a dog and try as you might, you are not going to persuade her to have a conscience where your property is concerned.


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## annyvials (Mar 3, 2010)

Thanks for that guys. She doesn't chew the socks or anything unimportant, but annoyingly she did chew the remote to the death and my and my daughter's mobiles. we have now learned to put them away so, on the up side, Sophie's taught us not to be so untidy I'll give the praise and "what have you got" excitedly a try and hopefully we might crack it although it seems to be a spaniel thing as other people have told me the same of thier spaniels and you are too. She is a dreadful puller on the lead but we sorted that out with a head collar and, on the odd occasion, my partner walks her without it she seems much better (Yay!!)


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## ArwenLune (Jan 3, 2010)

I think you will find that the more eager you are to have the item back, the more high value it becomes in her eyes and the less likely she is to give it up easily! If you grab a dog-safe item (maybe a special and much loved toy) and make a fuss over that because it's MUCH better than whatever old thing she has at the moment, you might be able to get her interested in your item instead of what she has at that moment, and then swap with her. Then just act really casual about the item she's just given up, so she doesn't get the message that it's very desirable.


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## tripod (Feb 14, 2010)

Aww she sounds like fun!!! This is such a common issue especially with some mouthy breeds.

Here is a blog post I wrote on this very issue - hope it helps.


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

this is really normal in working breeds as it is bred in them to 'pick up' - the same as it probably will be to walk in front of you doing zigzags out on walks! but I would either ignore it or gently remove the item and replace it with a toy, but there is unlikely to be a way to stop working behaviour in working dogs. You can buy fluffy pheasents and many working will prefer to carry them around as some are vaguely life like. otherwise get them working, field trials and the like the learning to pick up the dummy. once they learn to fetch that and give it to you every time you can work on leave, so you throw it and don't let them get it. once they have figured that out when they go to pick up things in the house say leave and they should leave it.


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## annyvials (Mar 3, 2010)

Wow Tripod, Thanks for that blog post link. It's fantastic. I've yet to watch the videos but Sophie loves games that use her "seeking" skills. I think she'll love this training and I'm really looking forward to trying it out.

Ann


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## staflove (Sep 4, 2008)

annyvials said:


> Hi, New on here and lookin for advice. We have a 14month old springer cocker cross female. We're doing ok. She's quite well behaved and we're working well on the not-so-good-at-yet things but we cannot seem to stop her from stealing things no matter what we do. It seems that sometimes she does it for attention as she brings whatever she's stolen so you can see it repeatedly. There's no favourite things either, it can be tissues, paper, remote controls, socks, anything you might drop, she's grabbed it and is off under the dining room table like a flash! She will eventually leave it but never on the first command. The other day she got a knife off the worktop in the kitchen and ran off with it which scared me to death. Needless to say I had to stay really calm with that one. Any advice greatly appreciated.
> 
> Ann


Hyia just done a question in my course about a springer and stealing things, they are working dogs and will will steal and bring things to you i would find somthing to stimulate your dog like retrieving games but with his own toys, if he steals somthing of value what ever you dont dont shout and chase or this will end up been a game offer him somthing better than the stolen item good luck


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## james1 (Sep 21, 2008)

flosskins said:


> this is really normal in working breeds as it is bred in them to 'pick up' - the same as it probably will be to walk in front of you doing zigzags out on walks! but I would either ignore it or gently remove the item and replace it with a toy, but there is unlikely to be a way to stop working behaviour in working dogs. You can buy fluffy pheasents and many working will prefer to carry them around as some are vaguely life like. otherwise get them working, field trials and the like the learning to pick up the dummy. once they learn to fetch that and give it to you every time you can work on leave, so you throw it and don't let them get it. once they have figured that out when they go to pick up things in the house say leave and they should leave it.


same as above 

also remember shes very young, so dont push her too hard, have one command in place before you move onto the next, and dont let her over exercise - she will want to but even at a year they are still growing


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