Hi all.
(Back on board after a month with no internet cos of 'technical problems with broadband') Anyway I desperately need suggestions how to discourage our 20 month GSP from stealing food. All ours are a bit food obsessed but this one is beyond a joke. Her whole life centres around food seeking. I have just got an egg out the fridge and went to get something out of other room. In a split second I saw her gently paw the egg of the worktop and into her mouth without breaking it. She then absconded to her bed and scoffed the lot. (is eggshell harmful).
It is impossible to leave any food not even for a minute which is not always easy with 7 of us in the house. Any suggestions how to stop this apart from all of us going on a starvation diet!  :)
Cheers
Sue

Hi Sue
If you find a solution let me know, as Briar is a real food thief, even stole the steak I was cooking from the grill last night, only turned my back to get something out of the fridge, I forgot the dog gate was open.  Someone did suggest that I put cans with pebbles in on the worksurface so that they make a noise when she reaches up for something, just got a load of pebbles scattered over the kitchen though and she still does it. The labs never steal from the worksurface but once its been taken off by Briar then they dive in for a share. Egg shells won't hurt her, mine often have whole eggs.

Regards  Tracy

Thanks Tracy
We tried the stones in a tin and shake it when she is being stupid. She hates it but she still persists in getting up to no good the minute you put the tin down. I can't believe a 'little angel' like Briar would steal. Not with such wondeful genes behind her!!!!!!!! D D

'Little Angel' shes crossed with the devil and a kangaroo. Hope you have better luck than I am having, must try and stop it before the new one arrives can't cope with two that steal.  GWPs just like food too much (and handbags).

Tracy

LOL :)

In time and with practice it will become second nature not to leave food unattended.  If anyone is preparing food in our kitchen and had to leave the room then someone else would stay in the kitchen or the dogs would be ushered out.  There are ways of teaching dogs not to take food but as the easiest way to teach a dog anything is by rewarding a behaviour you will be fighting a losing battle if she is going to have the opportunity to take food from work tops.  If she never gets the opportunity to 'steal' food then you never know,  one day she might stop trying, although from your description of her, I doubt it.
Sally

You have a GSP, gundog, dog! :D  They live to eat :D  WHich is something you can utilise when training.  No doubt the dog will soon train all of you NOT to leave ANY food under 6ft :D  Think yourself lucky that she has not already learned how to open the fridge!  A lot of us have to go to great lengths to "guard" our food :D

Dogs love raw eggs, shell and all (it is source of calcium that a dog can use, not however unless it is ground).  My dogs regularly eat raw eggs shell and all; it is the perfect food!

Try using double sided, sticky tape attached to the counters; this may deter some dogs as most hate the feel of stickiness on paws, but not sure if it would stop a gundog type. However it may be worth a go.

I tend to agree though - my dog doesn't counter surf ( i have always rewarded her with small occasional  food rewards for behaving well in the kitchen) but if we had something incredibly tempting in reach and i was to go out for a moment, she w0ould be ushered out just in case. Child gates are invaluable for dog owners :D

The more a dog is rewarded in its eyes for obtaining food, the more it will do it. Unfortunately!! ;)

Lindsay

When I am preparing food Tammy is always hanging around and trying to get up at the counter.  If she sits paitently behind me I normally give her raw carrot or cabbage or any left over's from what I am preparing and she's quite happy with that.  When we first got her my hubby was getting the chicken out of the oven and she was there like a shot.  She didn't half get it mind.  All I heared was an growl from my husband and her hightailing it into the livingroom.  I got up to ask what was wrong and when he told me we both laughed couldn't help it.  She didn't know any different at the time, as she is a rescue dog and had been living on the streets for some time with no regular meals what else was she going to do?  Caught her up on the table once.  Didn't do it again when the plate fell and smashed on the floor in front of her.