Toy rage...

[Rhonk]

Bonzo has been a little so and so recently but has started to make a point of stealing other dogs toys in the park then getting slightly snappy when they want them back. His own toys are never as interesting as the thing he shouldn't have, and there is nothing that gets him to drop - i tend to keep walking and ignore him but then he drops it miles away adn i have to go toy searching whilst apologising

Has anyone got any training tips????

Also - slight rant - but this morning bonzo got another dogs ball and was playing chase with it. I finally got it back, handed it to the woman and what did she do - throw it again. Then the two dogs had a bit of a snap at each other (VERY unlike bonzo, but he seemed super excited today and it was a two way thing) and her husband tackled bonzo to the floor and held him down. I ran over and apologised, at which point she shouted at me - i put bonzo on the lead to walk away - what does she do - not put her dog on the lead and threw the ball again... GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

BUT - if i could get him away from the ball it would have made life easier!

ARGH!!!!

[Barneyboy]

I'd suggest a good solid 'leave' command.

[Madeleine]

Hi

We have this problem with Dylan who always finds other dogs balls more interesting, he too will not drop or leave and has the cheek to come and show us that he has it but just as we go to take from his mouth he runs off ! I do think he sees it as a game because he teases the other dogs with it and then sometimes they lock with 2 of them jaws clamped on the ball pulling, it looks like they are kissing !!
we try and tempt him away but it is difficult, I sympathise, it is diffcult to get them to obey I truly believe they see it as a game. We used to give him treats but then realised we were treating him for bad behaviour.
Other dog owners are sometimes not as tolerant as they could be, we are lucky as most of the dog owners we come across understand.
I hope he will grow ou of it our Dylan is 14 months old so still young like your dog,
OH did have an episode were he had picked up a discarded bandage [disgusting ] he used a very cross command to drop and to his surprise he did, but it doesn't work all the time. We are working on it but sometimes I feel I am shouting at him all the time, it is the tone in the voice that they seem to react to.

hang in there

Madeleine

[Clairejen]

We have a similar problem, although Leon is getting better at giving things back now. Owners who immediately throw a toy you have struggled so hard to get back are so infuriating, are they not able to imagine what is going to happen next?

Leon is 17 months old now and is gradually improving in all areas of obedience, including giving up desirable objects. He meets a friend every morning and they play during the walk which makes it easier to avoid him taking other dogs' toys.

[lizzie tb]

What an understanding dog owner you came across, so thoughtful when she could see what was happening...
One of mine wouldn't leave on command so we just practised with loads of treats in the house and he will do it now outside. I just have to practise him coming back when I call, he seems deaf to that one (unless I shout tea, then he knows its food).

[eileenandmolly]

Molly will always give a stolen ball to someone, as she expects it to be thrown again

Saffie prances around with a stolen ball as if she had won a huge prize, but will eventually "give" for a special food treat

My friends' poodle will only ever give up a stolen ball for an alternative, and much prized, toy...........they keep this in their pocket for such occasions and she is never allowed to play with it other than as reward for giving up her stolen booty!

[KateW]

I hope Bonzo has not suffered any ill effects after being "wrestled to the ground", Rhona. It makes me so cross when I hear of fellow dog owners not being helpful and supportive to people with young dogs; the saying that it takes a village to raise a child can equally well be applied to dogs....

The "Leave" command is obviously useful; I found that Rufus would obey this most of the time but when he found a real prize (usually something gross and disgusting) he became very deaf Never had a problem with him stealing other dogs' toys/balls; if a game is going on he will run after the dog but it is play not wanting the ball. In fact he often gives his toys to other dogs to play with..... What he likes is running, jumping, swimming, chasing and digging (sand, mostly) with another dog. I found that he improved a lot in terms of general obedience when I made a real effort to have regular walks with well behaved dogs. And age helps

Katherine

[Rhonk]

Thanks for your replies everyone! Bonz is very good at leave now for most things - he used to be a huge thief but listens most of the time..... but another dogs toy is the biggest treasure he can find....and he loves teasing other dogs to come and chase him - mostly because he is a little speed demon and likes to show he can out run them. i think i'll try having extra special treats just in case and keep reinforcing leave. When it is just him i can get him to sit and throw things around him and get him to leave them..... i guess i need to up to prize....I also have started taking a special 'walks only' toy which sometimes works but yesterday no such luck, even when another dog came to play with it.

Kate - i'd love to go out on walks with well behaved dogs - just need to find some (and well behaved owners )

[Bella]

Our walker had an issue with Mabel doing this to one particular dog they would meet who had a frisbee. She is very good at sharing her toys, even to the point of being a pushover but this frisbee was the holy grail to her.

The walker brought her to sit, put her lead on and played with the other dog only. As the other dog brought back the frisbee she gave Mabel a treat. She must have learned that the other dog having the frisbee resulted in treats for her because after a couple of days when they dog came with its frisbee Mabel sat and looked at the walkers pocket where she kept the treats.

[Daisy(mini)Doodle]

I always find it odd why people walking their dog will throw the ball right in front of Daisy and then stand wondering why a nice black doodle has run off with their dogs ball. A woman I see in the park most days keeps insisting on doing this.

[MrsAdmin]

Both of mine work in unison in the theft department

Becky will immediately spot any ball on the beach/park, she'll hover hopefully, dancing on two legs round the owner and dog, looking highly excited. If they are daft enough to still throw it she and Jack will take off, outrunning (mostly) any dog alive to get there first.

If Becky gets the ball she will immediately either bring it back to the owner to throw again or, more likely, bring it to me or Hubbie for us to throw.

If Jack gets it tfirst hen its far more difficult. He's been taught 'Leave' better than Beccles but totally ignores any command for other toys in the offing He'll prance about with the ball in his mouth, flaunting it in front of everyone, with Becky closely shadowing him.

If I call out 'Cheese', or open the zip on my dog bag, he'll drop it like a hot potato and hone in on a treat (walking stomach that boy ), whereupon Beccles will pounce on the dropped ball and fly back to present it for throwing.

At which point the owner is totally befuddled by this audacious pair of Artful Dodgers and is usually only too grateful to be presented with the ball back again (slightly soggy ) and beats a hasty retreat, whilst my two dance about, looking for their own balls in my bag.

One way or another, we get there in the end and haven't actually walked home with the wrong balls (unlike when other dogs nick theirs )