# Will Auggie ever learn what is "his"?



## Skye (Feb 19, 2010)

I think it is hard for him to discern what is "okay" to play with as far as stuffed animals, balls, etc. He has some "stuffed animals" (or, "unstuffed" animals, LOL) but he want to grab all of my other kids toys and chew on them. I always tell him "drop it" and give him one of his things. He is such a thief, it's funny! Will he "outgrow" some of this as he grows up?


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

It's hard to say.. while I lived at my parents with Vegas, he would always try to get into my nieces room to grab the beenie babies (his favorite to snipe) and I would have to replace it with one of his. But with my parents dog, the boxer pit mix, Precious, she shreds toys, completely destroys them, but ONLY her own. The room could be filled with different toys, and she will find hers, and only kill that one.

We never taught it to her, but when she was young none of us were in a toy age anymore, so the only toys that were down where hers.


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## Feathersprings (Jul 15, 2010)

I am having that same problem with Hoolie  He has tons of toys but has decided that one of my throw blankets in the living room is what he really needs to drag around the house. I had to just put it away.. he was becoming obsessed, haha. I know you cant do that with the kids toys but it sounds like you are doing the right thing when he takes them. It might make the kids pick up after themselves better also


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Sounds pretty typical dog - "if it's on the floor, or within grabbing reach it, it's mine". I have taught my two "Mine!", which means drop whatever you have immediately, and I will give you something even better. It does mean you have to know when they have picked something up, though - in the last few days of travelling around other peoples' houses Sophy has had fircones from a decorative bowl on the floor, a wax crayon (fortunately noticed before too much mess was made), a coaster my sister made, and various sticks from the firing - and those are just the things I saw in time to take them away from her! It doesn't help that my sister is a basket maker, with lots of valuable examples all over her house, and if there is one thing Sophy really loves to chew it is baskets ...


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## pudlemom (Apr 16, 2010)

Hershey was a slipper thief if you left the closet door open he went straight for them,if he found them next to the bed they were gone he never chewed them up to bad just a little nibble I always took them from him and told him no and gave him one of his toys. He just turned a year last month and no long touches them so there is hope for Auggie.

But he love to steal socks he never chews them just love to throw them up in the air and catch them its a hoot to watch,he waits on the bed in the morning when my husband is putting them on and as soon as he sets one down he grabs it and runs.


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## Feathersprings (Jul 15, 2010)

pudlemom said:


> Hershey was a slipper thief if you left the closet door open he went straight for them,if he found them next to the bed they were gone he never chewed them up to bad just a little nibble I always took them from him and told him no and gave him one of his toys. He just turned a year last month and no long touches them so there is hope for Auggie.
> 
> But he love to steal socks he never chews them just love to throw them up in the air and catch them its a hoot to watch,he waits on the bed in the morning when my husband is putting them on and as soon as he sets one down he grabs it and runs.


Hoolie is also a sock thief lOL! Loves to play keep away with my favorites  Unfortunately he HAS chewed some up.. maybe he wouldnt now but I havent given him the chance LOL!


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## bigpoodleperson (Jul 14, 2009)

He will probably grow out of it. In the mean time, if you feel like being a mean mommie (, i probably would), you could take away ALL of Auggies stuffed toys until he learns to leave your kids alone. That way he learns that Anything stuffed is Off Limits! You can reintroduce his toys once he learns the ground rules.


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## penny_ann (May 29, 2010)

Chances are he will grow out of it, esp since he is around those toys on a regular basis and probably being told no on a regular basis. At least, that is what I have noticed so far. Mom's dogs are always around kid's toys and completely ignore them. Penny on the other hand wants to play with them all!


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## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

I read something somewhere ages ago about anointing the dog stuffed toys with something a bit smelly, anise or vanilla extract or something, to help them distinguish things that are okay versus things that are not.

Haven't tried it, however, so no idea how effective it might be. With two adults and a dog in the house, ALL the stuffed toys belong to Vasco!


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## Skye (Feb 19, 2010)

JE-UK said:


> I read something somewhere ages ago about anointing the dog stuffed toys with something a bit smelly, anise or vanilla extract or something, to help them distinguish things that are okay versus things that are not.
> 
> Haven't tried it, however, so no idea how effective it might be. With two adults and a dog in the house, ALL the stuffed toys belong to Vasco!


Interesting; and easy enough; I think I'll give this a try! Thank you!


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## murieics (May 10, 2009)

pudlemom said:


> But he love to steal socks he never chews them just love to throw them up in the air and catch them its a hoot to watch,he waits on the bed in the morning when my husband is putting them on and as soon as he sets one down he grabs it and runs.


Jake LOVES socks. He doesn't chew them up (he used to kind of nibble on them at first), but he likes to steal them. He used to take them and run to his bed, but I've started praising him when he brings them to me (so I can throw them in the dirty clothes basket), and so now he will find them and come running to me with them- so very proud of himself. He only likes dirty ones, though, not clean ones. After fussing at him at first for taking them (it didn't work), I've found this to be the perfect compromise for us (and it's easier to train him to bring me the dirty socks than it is to train Mr.murieics to actually throw his socks in the dirty clothes hamper. :lol


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## Skye (Feb 19, 2010)

Auggie loves to steal socks, shoes, paper, blankets, you name it. He kind of nibbles, doesn't get really destructive (yet) but I always catch him early!

Training him to bring these things to me is a good idea! I think he just likes the game, the "hunt."


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## pudlemom (Apr 16, 2010)

murieics said:


> (and it's easier to train him to bring me the dirty socks than it is to train Mr.murieics to actually throw his socks in the dirty clothes hamper. :lol


:rofl: OMG this is so true,and they wonder why we love our dogs so much!!


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