Stealing is getting out of hand!

[sugar]

Chubby has an awful habit of trying to steal things from people and its really getting out of hand. He has stolen a mitten off my super's daughter's hand (Her reaction "Hey! Thats my mitten Mr. Dog!"), stolen a dangling mitten out of my neighbor's pocket, stolen a green pepper than fell on the floor (ok, I kinda udnerstand that one) and this morning my neighbor had a dog walker walking her boxer Roxy (who Chubby is friends with). I stopped and chatted with the walker while the dogs sniffed and next thing I know Chubby grabs the girl's unbrella (short kind you can fit into a purse) and won't let go!! Like he clamped his jaw shut and refused to let go. No growling, no hackles raised, no staring eyes or hard body language (he actually didn't want to look me in the eye while I tried to take it away from him).

In past instances I've tried to use his higher value stuff to trade (cheese, ham, liver, fish chunks...etc) and nothing but nothing can get him to let go of something once he has what he thinks of is a toy (7times out of 10 if he has picked up food off the sidewalk he lets me open his mouth and pull it out). I've been trying the trade game, been trying the 'drop it' game. Nothing seems to be working. I really don't like him snatching things away/off of people (it may scare the wrong person someday!). People generally see it as 'typical pitbull behavior' or showing how strong his jaws are (had one person ask me "Don't worry about it, now that he's locked up his jaw there ain't no its getting out" and laugh).

Ugh. What should I do?

[loverocksalot]

Maybe not carry food reward but a toy reward. Like something he would not normally get to play with that is used only for that situation.
Rocky is a stealer too. Today he stole a valentine card out of my sons paper trash in his room and chewed it to bits because my mom was here and not paying attention too him. He was quiet laying near us while we chatted at the table. Minute before he was chewing his bone, never saw or heard him leave the room and come back.

[sugar]

He is very ball obessive and I think if I tried to give him a ball to get himto let go of whatever he grabbed he will
-drop whatever he has in a second (yay!)
-Potentially shark the ball from my hand (nay)
-Lie down and not get back up until said ball is in a hundred million pieces
-He decides he doesn't want the pieces after all

mostly I'm afarid of the sharking because it hurts like hell (happened a lot in the begining) and I think it will make him look worse because he "bit" me. I was thinking of carrying a small squeaker in my pocket to get him distracted if he goes after/clamps down on anything he wants because he is a little squeaker crazy (we have to change the channel or mute the TV if something makes a squeaky noise because he will pace for like 10 minutes trying to find its source!)

[Dave]

I had a stealer once. I had to watch her like a hawk, I never really broke her of it, just used the "leave it" command when I caught her. Most of the time it was just funny, but sometimes it turned dangerous, like when she ate a sock and blocked herself up.

Lola's a hoarder, everything ends up in the crate. "what's yours is mine and what's mine is mine."

It sounds like chubbs is very smart!

[suziriot]

Otis is a very bold little thief, and when he grabs something he runs away with it. But he's very good about giving it up for a toy or even just dropping it when I say "leave it."

Sugar, I really don't know what to suggest. Normally, I would suggest the same as CA... but you made an excellent point about Chubby's ball obsession possibly being more problem than solution. I would also normally suggest doing more "leave it/take it" training, but it sounds like that might not be helpful either. Particularly since it's happening when you're out and about, and we all know dogs don't generalize. Maybe our resident trainers will have some good thoughts.

[loverocksalot]

leave it works sometimes when out and about. I suggest practicing it out doors with new items. Like gloves and stuff. By tossing them on the ground then walking past them using the leave it. can do the same with food too. I did this with Rocky over and over with food to prepare for therapy. After he left the items well I would stop pick it up and let him have it. He began to learn if he left it, he just might get to have it.

[melonie]

Chubs and Rocky sound a lot like Cleveland. He is ball obsessed, and chewie/bone obsessed as well. He hoards the chewies and bones, and steals Winstons. When we play ball I take two. I learned the only way he will 'drop it' is if I have a ball in my hand. If I don't, then I have to pry it out of his mouth. He will shark as well, and is so naughty as to jump for it if I hold it above my head... then he has to go in and not get to play ball.
He steals random crap out of the trash, table etc and shreds it.
Luckily he will give up everything but the ball fairly easily.
I would try the squeaker trick to see if that works... Otherwise I would try and find a new on walk only toy and maybe make a huge to-do out of it?

[fureverywhere]

Ophie has one thing she hoards...q tips...she'll nose to the bottom of the garbage-it looks undisturbed-she's smart, you don't know until it's time to wash her bed, then tons of them drop out,she doesn't eat them just likes to sleep with them I guess.
I'd go with the idea of a special toy to exchange for the stolen object-the Kong octopus is appealing, a squeaky something perhaps? of course you have to take it back before it's shredded

[bluetrees]

There is a guy in our neighborhood who has a border collie. Every time they go for a walk, the dog has a blanket in it's mouth. It sounds weird but when I read your situation, I thought maybe you could teach Chubbs to hold something in his mouth like a blanket. Then he wouldn't be so able to just grab things from people.

I don't know if he would go for it, but just a thought. Plus, it is SUPER cute to see that dog with his blankie!!

[maryellen]

hmmmm maybe teach him to pickpocket money instead?? that way you can make out like a bandit lol and get tons of money...

i agree with annie, maybe give chubs a toy he can carry around ONLY on walks?

[catstina]

At least he isn't growling about it! If I witnessed Chubby doing this, I'd probably laugh, sounds cute (well until people make annoyingly stupid "Pit Bull Fact" comments). I like Annie's idea, though. I've seen dogs with special "walk toys," too and it may be a good idea for Chubby! I also like ME's idea, I don't know if he'd be the best pickpocket, though, because he'd probably be easily traced from the trail of slime.

[shay19]

I think the holding a toy thing could be very good. I'm trying to teach this to Bruiser, it's not a stealing situation but could get the same reaction from people.

I once took Bruiser to a socialization class that a rescue was offering to fosters (we took Tiki and were invited to bring on of ours along too) I knew the trainer and she knew Bruiser. Anyway I was worried he'd get in a fight because he doesn't understand body language, but he had a ball in his mouth and was completely fine! Didn't even care about greeting others or anything..

Now I tried this on Friday at Petsmart (with the stupid guy and his Shih Tzu) and it worked again, no interest in meeting the dog just wanted to hold a ball. Bruiser's not even toy motivated at all usually so I'm surprised it worked.

Maybe it'd be worth a shot to teach him?