Fair game

[Joy]

As a five year old Molly has obviously grown out of, or been trained out of, stealing most items. Indoors she doesn't take anything she shouldn't and in the garden I hang washing on clothes horses within easy reach and kick off my sandals when sitting in the sunshine, and nothing is touched.
But my gardening gloves are still considered fair game by Molls. I like to garden bare-handed most of the time and tend to leave my gloves lying on the ground in case I meet a stinging nettle, bramble etc - and Molly always pinches them! It's not really a problem as she gives them back as soon as I ask and then I shove them into the hedge out of reach until next time when I forget again...

Do your adult dogs have things they still think of as fair game?

 

[Selina27]

I can't see Cassie ever giving up nicking my slippers and teasing me with them! I suppose she's classed as an adult now at 3 years of age

 

[snowbunny]

Squidge is technically an adult, but loads of stuff is fair game to her! Generally it's only when she's bored and wants some interaction, though. The others don't nick anything anymore (other than food, because that will always be fair game!). I remember the first year we were here tearing my hair out because Willow would take anything that wasn't nailed down, and J kept on leaving things in reach then complaining when she ran off with a screwdriver

 

[Charlie]

Hattie will steal food if in easy reach but nothing else, she's never been a thief!! Charlie will steal the slippers of the person who has left the house and take them to bed to lay on until they come home. He doesn't chew them so I think it's some sort of comfort thing. He sometimes nicks paperwork from David's work bag! I find it depends if he's in a very playful mood, then anything can be fair game!! xx

 

[Emily]

Socks and Nathan's teddies. Always. She used to grab them, parade around the house, try to get us to chase her etc. Now she'll still steal them and take them to her crate (luckily she's never been an eater or a destroyer so we don't have to worry about that) but she either just trots or even strolls past, not even glancing our way as she heads for her crate. It's hilarious

 

[edzbird]

Very, very occasionally ours will steal a sock or a glove, usually for a game of tug, but they would be in a hyped up state already before the theft. (My lovely recycled cashmere hand warmers fell victim to this last winter )
I think they'd both nick food, but don't get the chance. Leaving it on the table while you're fetching something else in from the kitchen is OK...the nose-snorkel goes up, but not enough time to go in for the sneaky-snaffle. Yet.

 

[SwampDonkey]

Socks and Nathan's teddies. Always. She used to grab them, parade around the house, try to get us to chase her etc. Now she'll still steal them and take them to her crate (luckily she's never been an eater or a destroyer so we don't have to worry about that) but she either just trots or even strolls past, not even glancing our way as she heads for her crate. It's hilarious

Does she still like knickers?

 

[Lisa]

“the nose-snorkel goes up” @edzbird

Ha ha...ah, the sneaky nose-snorkel!!
Fair game for Simba is anything on a table or left lying around when guests come to visit. Somehow he can’t resist stealing it and chewing it. I think he wants us to notice and chase him for it? He’s very sneaky about it...nose-snorkel definitely deployed.

Mostly this results in pens, pencils or papers being destroyed. However the worst happened just recently. I was doing some knitting upstairs, which I rarely do, and my friend came for a visit. I came downstairs after (which is where he usually keeps his stolen booty) and find my plastic needle holder chewed up. And yes, the needles were inside at the time. Think tapestry needles - larger and sturdier than sewing needles, METAL and some of them quite sharp. I found all of them in the carpet, the case destroyed. That gave me a turn, let me tell you!

 

[HAH]

That gave me a turn, let me tell you!

Eek! Thank goodness all was well (apart from the case).
When I was growing up we puppy walked police dogs, all German Shepherds. I do remember one pup at about 5 months getting a large kitchen knife off the side when we were out (now I just think ‘what was my mum thinking?!’ But it was a different time...) and he thoroughly chewed the plastic handle. He didn’t cut himself at all, thank jiminy

 

[Atemas]

Dog food is fair game to Red so I have to be mindful when Sky is eating. I tend to partly shut the door where Sky is and Red will just stand and wait. She then rushes in to inspect the by then empty bowl. She often licks it too in case a tiny morsel has been left.

Neither dog touch our things or anybody else’s. Red can differentiate her toys from the baby grandson’s and leaves his alone.

Years ago when Sky was young, she took a just cooked roasted leg of lamb off the worktop - she never got to eat it as we walked into the kitchen just as she did it - she never ever tried it again. Red has never counter surfed.

 

[Joy]

I found all of them in the carpet,

Thank goodness!

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Duncan (my first Rottie) used to do the same with my gardening gloves and like Molly it was the only thing he'd touch. Thanks for bringing back that memory with your story.

Despite his reputation as a bread thief at @Rosie 's, Carbon is rather amazing in his lack of interest in anything but 'his' stuff. When we're at home, that is. When we're visiting friends with dogs, however, all their dogs' stuff becomes his stuff. Then he's an unrepentant thief! Oh, and that applies to the beach as well. "It belongs to a dog and I am a dog, therefore it belongs to me" seems to be Carbon's motto.

 

[Emily]

Does she still like knickers?

Only the dog sitter's apparently

 

[Lab_adore]

Maxx still counter surfs but is slightly choosy about what he takes. We are so used to putting stuff out of reach he rarely gets the opportunity. When he does he will hold it with wagging tail waiting to be chased but if we aren't around he will eventually chew it.

Other than shoes he won't nick stuff now if we are watching. That counts as progress right?

 

[HAH]

Maxx still counter surfs but is slightly choosy about what he takes. We are so used to putting stuff out of reach he rarely gets the opportunity. When he does he will hold it with wagging tail waiting to be chased but if we aren't around he will eventually chew it.

Other than shoes he won't nick stuff now if we are watching. That counts as progress right?

Definitely! Kipper will go to great lengths for a pair of socks, but is generally showing improvement. Having said that, nothing is safe as such - give it another 6 months and we’ll see...
Gardening gloves are also complete dognip to him

 

[MrChew]

Chewie will take socks or undies, but just sit with them like they are treasure, and he will trade them for a toy no worries. He only does this when someone is in the shower etc and he is sitting outside the room waiting for them. It's kind of sweet... Not much else has been stolen lately... *fingers desperately crossed!*

Unattended food on the coffee table/chairs ide table is still very much fair game. But he is a Lab so I think this is our life now!

 

[Jen]

Stanley’s a full on thief. He thinks everything is fair game.

He even raids people’s handbags when they come over

 

[snowbunny]

Oh, Squidge does that, too! She’s so nosy, she has to stick her head in to see what’s in there, and she’s NOT ladylike or subtle about it!

 

[MrChew]

Stanley’s a full on thief. He thinks everything is fair game.

He even raids people’s handbags when they come over

Oh, other people's stuff is very much fair game. He dives his big head straight into every guest's handbag because I'm sure at one point they must have contained food! He also loves my mum's slippers.

 

[Selina27]

He even raids people’s handbags when they come over

Oh yes, Cass does that. !!

She also likes to go through the bags of groceries before stuff gets put away, but doesn't ever take anything. Just taking an inventory!