As I write this, I am sitting on my front stoop, spying on my dog via a network surveillance-type camera I installed this afternoon (the Axis 207W if interested). Spying on my dog, yes indeed. You see, he’s talked himself into a brazen nonchalance about stealing food when and where he sees fit.
Things Cole has eaten in the last few months:
- half a pan of organic walnut brownies (damn good ones too!)
- 2 whole bananas
- 1 plum (uncomfirmed)
- 1 bag of hamburger rolls
- 2x kitchen trash knocked over and thoroughly rummaged; finishing off anything remotely edible
- 1 tupperware container containing dog food (demolished container; Tupperware 0 - Cole 1)
- 1 unopened bag of dog treats
I’m sure there was more, but that last one was IT. First, I caught him mutilating the treat bag he had stolen from the kitchen pantry (a first for him venturing in there, bad sign) after I had run out to grab coffee and come back quickly. Two nights later, he came downstairs in the middle of the night and finished off the bag of treats (again from the pantry) while I slept. This was very bad. Not only was he in the pantry and scouring the countertops, he had started doing it while I was home. That was yesterday morning. Today, Operation Food begins. So far, Justin 1 - Cole 0, as he tried to steal a banana I temptingly left on the counter within his reach.
I figure I’ll order another camera and stick it in the garage, and actually use them for home monitoring eventually (as they are intended). Potential thieves… you’ve been warned!
4 Comments
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Dude. That is both hilarious and badass. Is Cole wearing his collar 24/7 then?
Wow. Did you check to see if his balls were growing back?
And have you posted these happenings on the Lab forums?
WHAT WOULD CESAR DO?
How and why has this happened? Our little Coley is turning into a juvenile delinquent!
How is he with other dogs out and about these days?
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No, he still only wears his collar during the day. I think it will prove difficult to monitor the camera and correct while I’m asleep. :)
His balls aren’t growing back so much as his plain fascination with food is getting the best of his judgment. I don’t think it’s particularly abnormal behavior. Cole just happens to be highly motivated by food. You know how he gets when anyone utters the words “hungry” or “food.”
I have complete confidence that I can correct this stray in his otherwise good behavior, the problem is just that it’s impossible to catch him in the act. This is where the camera comes in. He absolutely knows he shouldn’t be eating ANYTHING I haven’t given him. Even when I came back after my coffee run, the bag of treats sat defeated and punctured by dozens of teeth marks on the living room floor. Cole was upstairs trying to be invisible when he heard my key in the door.
I think it all started when I left the lid open one day on that plastic flip-top trash can. There must have been something tasty right on top of a full trash, and he just caught a whiff walking by and couldn’t help himself. After that tipping point, it was the slipperiest of slopes.
He’s doing much better with other dogs. I’ve taken a two prong approach of using treats on our walks to distract him slightly from fixating on passing dogs, as well as not backing down on my levels if he isn’t paying attention. I’m not sure if his behavior is powered by fear or just by domination and stubbornness, but I believe it’s the latter combined with his thinking he can get away with it on our walks.
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i understand what cole is going through. my mom tried every trick in the book to hide food from me when i was a kid. but i always found it.
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Tessa ate an entire pizza the other day. I have no idea how, I can’t even eat an entire pizza. It had tons of cheese, and even jalapeños. Tsk. Dogs.