Rogue_Wave Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 My boyfriend has a 5 year old black lab. He is a good dog exept that he never fails to eat everything he can reach. As soon as you leave the room he begins foraging around. If you leave any food within his reach he will eat it, wraper and all with lightning quickness. He will even eat the bread loaf if it is not pushed far enough back on the counter, and he is not above eating the butter for mac and cheese when my boyfriends mom is in the fridge getting the milk, or pulling the doughnut box off the table when you go downstairs. He knows what he does is bad, he only does it around less dominate members of the house or when there is no one around. I was wondering if anyone had any advice? Ive never had a dog who would do this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyMom09 Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 We fostered a Labrador that had similar bad habits, we never could break her of them....we reprimanded her as soon as we caught the act, or the thought process but it never did sink in...I don't think she was capable of learning. My Siberians were easy enough to correct but not the Lab...and they told me Siberians were the difficult ones to train. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 My boyfriend has a 5 year old black lab. He is a good dog exept that he never fails to eat everything he can reach. As soon as you leave the room he begins foraging around. If you leave any food within his reach he will eat it, wraper and all with lightning quickness. He will even eat the bread loaf if it is not pushed far enough back on the counter, and he is not above eating the butter for mac and cheese when my boyfriends mom is in the fridge getting the milk, or pulling the doughnut box off the table when you go downstairs. He knows what he does is bad, he only does it around less dominate members of the house or when there is no one around. I was wondering if anyone had any advice? Ive never had a dog who would do this... LOL sounds like my beagle. I have a remote training collar so stopped counter surfing with that, but you could also try using a scat mat. He doesn't know he's doing anything wrong, but he has learnt that he can't do it in front of you because he associates the more "dominate" members of the household with punishment. Unfortunately when a behaviour like stealing food has become ingrained, you will need to use aversives to break the habit because the habit is so rewarding. Every time he gets food he's being rewarded for it. The benefit of using something like a scat mat is that it removes people entirely from the scene, so it doesn't matter if you aren't there to correct the dog. When you are around, I would also suggest that you stop allowing him in the kitchen. Teach him some boundaries, don't have him in the kitchen in the first place. Try to remember never to leave any food in his reach so he doesn't have the opportunity to steal in the first place. Do some training with him and teach him some self control around food just to help give you some control of him when food is around. There are loads of games you can play to train self control. We fostered a Labrador that had similar bad habits, we never could break her of them....we reprimanded her as soon as we caught the act, or the thought process but it never did sink in...I don't think she was capable of learning. My Siberians were easy enough to correct but not the Lab...and they told me Siberians were the difficult ones to train. No dog is incapable of learning - if the lab had a really high food drive, reprimanding like you were could have little to no effect, I know it does (would) on my beagle who has a really high food drive, but certainly isn't untrainable or incapable of learning (she's actually really smart). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue_Wave Posted January 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 We fostered a Labrador that had similar bad habits, we never could break her of them....we reprimanded her as soon as we caught the act, or the thought process but it never did sink in...I don't think she was capable of learning. My Siberians were easy enough to correct but not the Lab...and they told me Siberians were the difficult ones to train. I wish he would stop, it cant be good for him at all. I thought maybe he was just hungry so I added a little more food to his diet and give it to him at more intervals during the day to keep him feeling like he doesnt need to eat, but it doesnt help. I was told the same about Siberians but it turns out Rogue is one of the best behaved dogs Ive ever had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 I wish he would stop, it cant be good for him at all. I thought maybe he was just hungry so I added a little more food to his diet and give it to him at more intervals during the day to keep him feeling like he doesnt need to eat, but it doesnt help. I was told the same about Siberians but it turns out Rogue is one of the best behaved dogs Ive ever had. LOL my beagle is ALWAYS hungry - in fact I think she feels she is a constant state of hunger, no matter how much she eats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue_Wave Posted January 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 LOL sounds like my beagle. I have a remote training collar so stopped counter surfing with that, but you could also try using a scat mat. He doesn't know he's doing anything wrong, but he has learnt that he can't do it in front of you because he associates the more "dominate" members of the household with punishment. Unfortunately when a behaviour like stealing food has become ingrained, you will need to use aversives to break the habit because the habit is so rewarding. Every time he gets food he's being rewarded for it. The benefit of using something like a scat mat is that it removes people entirely from the scene, so it doesn't matter if you aren't there to correct the dog. When you are around, I would also suggest that you stop allowing him in the kitchen. Teach him some boundaries, don't have him in the kitchen in the first place. Try to remember never to leave any food in his reach so he doesn't have the opportunity to steal in the first place. Do some training with him and teach him some self control around food just to help give you some control of him when food is around. There are loads of games you can play to train self control. No dog is incapable of learning - if the lab had a really high food drive, reprimanding like you were could have little to no effect, I know it does (would) on my beagle who has a really high food drive, but certainly isn't untrainable or incapable of learning (she's actually really smart). Ive never heard of a scat mat before, a quick google fixed that haha. That sounds like a really good idea along with self control activities, thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyMom09 Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 That Lab was impossible, I mean IMPOSSIBLE. She would seem to catch on to things while we worked with her and the next day completely be back at square one....we were chasing our tails, she had no retention at all. I often wonder if she was truly disabled. Probably contributed to her being dumped in our area (we are very rural). Our Siberians caught on quick enough with only a few minor corrections, she didn't learn despite different training tactics, trainers, I dare say you name it we tried it....Slammed my head against the wall for a year and a half, re-homed her to a couple that were willing and able to take on a challenging dog. They are still throwing money at trainers to help them with her.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue_Wave Posted January 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 That Lab was impossible, I mean IMPOSSIBLE. She would seem to catch on to things while we worked with her and the next day completely be back at square one....we were chasing our tails, she had no retention at all. I often wonder if she was truly disabled. Probably contributed to her being dumped in our area (we are very rural). Our Siberians caught on quick enough with only a few minor corrections, she didn't learn despite different training tactics, trainers, I dare say you name it we tried it....Slammed my head against the wall for a year and a half, re-homed her to a couple that were willing and able to take on a challenging dog. They are still throwing money at trainers to help them with her....That sucks to hear, but im glad that you found her agood home with a couple that is willing to be patient with her Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyMom09 Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 That sucks to hear, but im glad that you found her agood home with a couple that is willing to be patient with her Lord knows I tried, figured it must be I just didn't get Labradors! I'm obviously Siberian equipped LOL, not necessarily other breed savvy! I keep in contact with them, wonderful people, and she is their only focus vs my 9 pack...it is better for everyone, but I keep hoping one of these days they will call me and say "We finally figured it out!", fingers crossed everyday for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue_Wave Posted January 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 Lord knows I tried, figured it must be I just didn't get Labradors! I'm obviously Siberian equipped LOL, not necessarily other breed savvy! I keep in contact with them, wonderful people, and she is their only focus vs my 9 pack...it is better for everyone, but I keep hoping one of these days they will call me and say "We finally figured it out!", fingers crossed everyday for that.And then when they figure it out you can tell me their secret lol. Someday I hope to be able to have more dogs, but 9! you are lucky to have so many fuzzy friends I feel like having animals around helps you live a longer happy life with lots of love Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormy Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 I have this problem with Shadow its like hes never been fed he wants food ALL the time and if you leave it it will be gone! He doesnt steal off your plate etc though hes really good in that way but leave it anywhere it will be his! Including weird things like candles etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 To help break the habit of counter surfing I have found the best way is to leave some food out that you have laced with something like pepper or tabasco. They learn that stealing food leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Some dogs steal because it is a way of getting attention even if the attention is negative, not saying that this is the case for your. Ollie our rehome I believe suffers from Pica and more specifically coprophagia (poop eating) and will steal and eat almost anything. He will eat poop, plastic bags, cling film as well as any food scraps and is slowly getting better, but to begin with walking him was a nightmare as we had to be constantly vigilant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue_Wave Posted January 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 To help break the habit of counter surfing I have found the best way is to leave some food out that you have laced with something like pepper or tabasco. They learn that stealing food leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Some dogs steal because it is a way of getting attention even if the attention is negative, not saying that this is the case for your. Ollie our rehome I believe suffers from Pica and more specifically coprophagia (poop eating) and will steal and eat almost anything. He will eat poop, plastic bags, cling film as well as any food scraps and is slowly getting better, but to begin with walking him was a nightmare as we had to be constantly vigilant. Zoku (my boyfriends lab) is just as bad, if it has a smell he will eat it. He also will eat poop and encurages the other dogs of the house to eat it as well. I got some good advice about mixing a few spoonfulls of crushed pineapple into all the dogs food and that has slowed the poop eating a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 When Ollie goes through a bad patch of poop eating I give him pineapple and it does help, but be warned the smell of the poop could clear a funeral home. Doesn't have to be fresh, tinned works just as well and it doesn't have to be crushed. I buy the value line stuff and it works fine. Interesting my other husky was having his annual injections yesterday and we were discussing Ollie's poop eating and the vet said that in his experience he has found labs to be the worst at eating anything and everything and he was surprised at how efficient they were at passing things through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue_Wave Posted February 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 When Ollie goes through a bad patch of poop eating I give him pineapple and it does help, but be warned the smell of the poop could clear a funeral home. Doesn't have to be fresh, tinned works just as well and it doesn't have to be crushed. I buy the value line stuff and it works fine. Interesting my other husky was having his annual injections yesterday and we were discussing Ollie's poop eating and the vet said that in his experience he has found labs to be the worst at eating anything and everything and he was surprised at how efficient they were at passing things through.That is true, he is very efficient about passing things through without harm. It still scares us every time he eats something that seems indigestable...but ive pretty much accepted it as a part of who he is, all I can hope is that if I stay on him about it he will eventually start to get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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