Tobie is a virtuous dog, for the most part. Still a dog, though. So of course the one thing he does with superlative skill involves theft of food.
Yesterday, like today, we swung by the freezer at Ian’s Cave to get a jug of ice for the cooler and a couple of hunks of chicken for supper. I put the chicken, still in its bags, in a bowl and left it on the counter. Far back from the edge, but – because I’m a trusting fool – not otherwise guarded.
Later in the day I checked on the state of the thaw…of the single hunk of chicken still in the bowl.
Tobie professed complete ignorance of the matter. I believe his exact words in body language were “Chicken? What is this ‘chicken’ of which you speak?”
I guess I should be happy he left me one. Probably shit plastic tonight or tomorrow morning. Won’t be the first time.
yeah, wife got a golden last year. good size boy now. we have to move everything up and out of his reach. didn’t have this problem with the last two dogs. and one was a big ass roadie too. no matter how many times we yell NO at him, he still thinks the counter is for looking and grabbing whatever strikes his mood at the time.
BTW, I have found a lot of Plastic and other crap that we didn’t feed him while cleaning up the yard.
Dog’s gonna dog.
Good thing Tobie’s with you and not in Springfield… The Haitians would eat ’em. 🤣
So maybe it will soon be time to wash the dog bed cover again?
Try spiking some “bait meat” with a few really good cherry peppers. It took three “prepared samples,” but that cured our mutt of the habit. Now if we take something off the counter and offer it to him he’ll back away from it.
Pro Tip: take most of the water out of his bowl first. Not all of it, leave enough so he gets some and makes enough noise trying to get his entire face in the bowl that you can sort of “catch him in the act.” Refilling the water bowl in front of him seems to have a positive psychological impact.
FYI, be prepared to clean up some barf, and deal with Act II which will occur outside the next day. It’ll be tough on both of you – more him than you – for a day or two but scrfing fod off the counter is a habit that absolutely should not be tolerated, if for no other reason than some day it may be something humans can eat but will kill a dog.
Time for some tough love , for that puppy.
Having a child proof home , never teaches anything.
Just as having locks and safes , doesn’t teach gun safety.
I grew up in a house which was full of unsecured guns and food. Fear and respect kept me from touching anything without parental consent.
Did he manage to eat the bone?
No bone, or I’d be much more concerned. It was just strips of chicken breast.