I have a 9 month old gsp pup.  At night time she lives downstairs in the kitchen where she sleeps in a cage.  Sometimes the cage is locked other times she is free to walk round the kitchen.  Recently whenever the cage is left open she has started to steal items from the kitchen whether is it be food or other random items.  She takes them back to her cage however doesn't necessarily eat them (just rips them up!).  She is punished in the morning if I find she has stolen an item.  Generally from the minute I walk in the kitchen she won't come and greet me and her ears are down so she is fully aware that this is wrong!  What is the best way to stamp this trait out altogether?  Should I just lock her in at night to spare both me and the puppy from a fall out in the morning!?  Or should I persevere with letting her do wrong and consequently punishing her with a view that long term this stealing will stop?

I personally would lock the cage or remove all temptation. Does she know what she is getting punished for? All puppies are thiefs.

Your pup has no concept of doing anything wrong, you are assuming she has human emotions...she doesn't.  The reason she is worried when you come down in the morning is because she is expecting to be told off - but for what reason, she has absolutely no idea.  All she knows is that she is going to be punished when you appear, so you are the reason for her fear, nothing to do with what she has stolen.

Remove all items that she can reach and put her in her cage and leave it shut.  Or provide her with her own toys which she can play if you are going to leave the cage open.

As Spotty Dog says, all pups, and quite a few adult dogs, are thieves, dogs are by their very nature, scavengers and leaving stuff out for them is only encouraging this behaviour.  Help yourself and your pup, and put everything out of reach, much as you would a baby.

What exactly are you punishing her for  & how do you punish her ?

Like the others have said dogs have no conception of right & wrong, they can learn by being rewarded for acceptable behaviour & ignored for non acceptable behaviour but not by being punished hours after the event

For example I had to retrain a GSD that had been punished by it's owner after running off when it returned. She associated the punishment with returning & not running off

Move everything off the work surfaces or close the crate on a night

You are lucky my Champion beardie used to open the fridge & oven & take food. We had to have locks put on everything-this was in pre crate days

She once took a leg of lamb that was being cooked(not for me but for guests of my  house mate)in the gas oven

All punishing her after the event is teaching her is that you are not a person to be trusted.

Make sure that when you leave her you make sure she can't reach anything she shouldn't have. Don't tempt her - she's only a dog!

Dear Guest I am perplexed, Why are you punishing your puppy for your lack of planning and forethought?

Dogs do not really "do" stealing; they are amoral.  They are opportunistic and if it is there they will take it; so manage the environment; after all if you had a toddler, would you not cover up power points, have safety locks on doors etc?

Next time this happens, get a newspaper, roll it up and beat yourself over the head with it whilst looking in the mirror and repeating "stupid, careless owner" several times, until you get the message.

She now associates your presence with punishment (you don't say exactly what this "punishment" consists of) and therefore it is hardly surprising that she looks unhappy as she expects more punishment.

Dogs do not do "right" or "wrong" either!  She is not demonstrating "guilt" but worry and fear.

How sad for her....................

I agree with everyone.

You have to keep the house very tidy when you have a youngster and even then they may still get things to chew and "steal". They are not humans, they are dogs and as they cannot think human, we have to use our intellligence and think dog instead :). You honestly cannot expect a dog of any age to ever be in a room where there is food to be got and for the dog to not attempt to get it. At the end of the day dogs are scavengers and will do what is innate.

You will have far more fun out of the relationship if you start to understand your pup and how to train and manage. If you continue in the way you are, the trust may never be got back and you may never have the dog you want.

Good luck

Lindsay

Everyone else has covered this really.....

But id just like to say, im AMAZED that people can still hold this attitude that 'the dog knows its done something wrong'.

NO, the dog doesnt know its done something 'wrong'..... because it HASNT. Dogs have no concept of human rights and wrongs, never have and never will.

Your pup has learned to expect punishment first th ing in a morning, and the 'guilty' look is nothing more than fear and an attempt at appeasing you, to try and STOP the horribleness.

Learn a bit about dog behaviour please!

Em

Are you taking your puppy to any training classes if not then speak to other dog owners and try and find a good trainer it will be the best thing you ever do as a good trainer is worth their weight in gold, I know mine is no matter how small or big our problems are Caroline is always on the other end of the phone. She trains the owner as well as the dog.
Dogs can be hard work but they can also be the best thing in your life I know how proud I feel when we overcome any problems we have.
Good luck
Mary

Agree totally with Tohme,  my opinion will probably offend you, but people like you really make me angry Are you really THAT naive? Did you not bother to educate yourself in dog psychology before you became an owner? I wouldn't treat a child like this, would you? If you would then god help the child, Physical punishment doesn't work...........for people or dogs!!!!!!!!