Growly bear problem

[Vickydoo]

I’m looking for some advice on a growling problem Heidi has developed.
 
For a long time she has had a habit of stealing things that aren’t hers, socks, pants, bras etc and most of the time she likes to prance about in front of you with the item to show you what she has done in order to be chased for it. She loves being chased.  Usually when we catch her she isn’t keen on giving up said item but you can usually prise it from her mouth or bribe her with a treat to get her to drop it (she wont do drop it without a treat).  A couple of times recently however she has started growling when you try to take the item off of her and then goes to snap.
 
The first time she did it, we decided we would no longer try to catch her to get the item off of her because it’s obviously a game to her so we decided to ignore her and instantly bring her a treat in order to tell her to “drop it” then take the item from her.
 
She’s only done this growling and snapping 3 times so far but I want to try and stop it before she carries on and wanted to ask what the best way to deal with it is, as I’m worried giving her a treat is the wrong way to go about it.
 
She doesn’t have any issue with you taking a bone or food off her but she can get growly over a rawhide chew if she’s had it for a while, but even then I can usually slowly take it from her take a pretend bite then give it straight back. 
 
I don’t know if this has anything to do with it but for the last month we have been living with my parents as we had a burst water pipe at home, and she has certainly got a bit more demanding since we’ve been there, barking at us when she wants us to play with her or barking to be let in/ out of the house into the garden, mostly just so she can sleep outside on the patio. 
 

[Izzie]

Play swopsies

she has something you got, swop for a treat, dont chase her or prise it out of her mouth.

when she comes up to you, do the ‘whatach got there, you got a carry?’ ‘clever girl, clevercarry’ swop it for a treat and big reward, if she would go fetch it again, throw the item for her to go fetch it.

When she drops the item, cue it as ‘dead’ so you can say dead and she gives it to you or drops it.

[Vickydoo]

Thank you, glad to know I wasn’t doing totally the wrong thing by using treats. I think she would definitely want to fetch if you threw  the item for her again so will give that a go.

[Tilly Baker]

Also worth noting if they’re looking for things to do/ steal they need more stimulation of their own. Playing find it with their own toys goes a long way to preventing this. Fawndog121dogtraining.co.uk

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