Why Golden Retrievers Steal Stuff?

Updated: January 14, 2023

Reading Time: 5 mins

sneaky golden retriever stealing things and laughing

Table of Contents

Do things like socks, remote controllers, or stuffed animals belonging to your children mysteriously disappear at home, only to turn up later in your dog’s bed or elsewhere in the house? Or, could it be that your dog enjoys picking them up and starting a game of chase with them?

If you’ve heard of this before, you shouldn’t be too concerned about it because it’s typical dog behavior. Simply implementing our helpful recommendations will assist in moderating this behavior.

for puppies you should know that Puppies don’t care if something is right or wrong; they just want to do it again and again because it’s so much fun. they have not learned it yet!

but before we get into the causes and solutions for golden retrievers stealing things, let us take a closer look at this breed and its traits to better understand why they do what they do.

The golden retriever is a breed of sports and hunting dogs whose moral characteristics include high energy levels, charm, kindness, intelligence, and talent. The golden retriever is a beautiful and social dog. It has medium size and is found in cream and gold colors. They are one of the races that are very interested in stealing your supplies; This can have different reasons, which we will discuss below.

It has happened to many parents of golden retrievers that they were suspicious when seeing a shoelace or a sock in the mouth of their puppy who was stealing it. Sometimes they smiled or were suspicious when something was missing at home. But if the dog repeats this regularly, it will not be fascinating, and sometimes it will be dangerous for him and others. But what is the reason for this theft? In the following, we will discuss the reasons for this theft.

Why are golden retrievers fond of stealing things?

There are various reasons why the golden retriever steals your stuff, and you should consider solving this problem by knowing the reasons; At first, these thefts may seem fun to you, and you accompany him with a smile. Still, it is terrible because he may steal sensitive and valuable equipment and damage it, which will not be exciting. Here is a list of reasons that make Golden Retrievers steal things:

When your golden retriever steals something, he wants to own it. Maybe he wants to play with it and looks at it as a toy; children’s clothes, shoes, and toys are dogs’ favorite.
These golden retrievers enjoy chewing, tearing, and dragging household items around; Therefore, they start stealing them. They don’t know this is theft, but they want these things, so they take them just like that.
If your dog steals food, the reason is quite apparent. Even if you think the food you are giving him is excellent, he probably still needs a snack or a meal like what you’re eating. In this case, he will look to pick up the rest of your food on the table (which probably smells good, too), and if he can get it, he will do it.
Some golden retrievers steal things to get attention. They want you to follow them. They know precisely what is most important to you, and at a suitable time when you see it, they grab it and hope that you will follow them angrily.
Sometimes, Golden retrievers start stealing that person’s stuff because of their interest in a person; they know what element belongs to that person, so they want to have it.

here is a fun video from YouTube which shows the drive and effectiveness of golden retrievers stealing things around the house:

How to prevent golden retrievers from stealing things?

Here is a list of things you can do to prevent a golden retriever from stealing things:

Ignore them

If you notice that golden retrievers are stealing things to get your attention, ignoring them is the best solution to prevent this behavior. If your golden retriever realizes he can get your attention by stealing, he will do this action many times in the future. By repeatedly ignoring them, they learn that this move is ineffective, and they will eventually no longer steal your stuff.

Positive reinforcement

Encouragement is always the best way to prevent the behavior in dogs. When you are unhappy with your dog stealing, when they are playing with their toy, please encourage them to realize that it makes you happy and do it again.

More exercise

Due to its high energy, the Golden Retriever needs a lot of games and exercise because otherwise, it gets boring. Out of boredom, it starts stealing household items to entertain itself and get your attention. So if you tire your dog with many exercises, he will not think of stealing things anymore, but he will look for rest.

Proper training

Basic and correct training is always the best way to prevent them from stealing. You may need a professional trainer, and with their help, your golden will be trained under proper expertise. Of course, you can teach them to stop stealing things with various toys.

Teach your dog to exchange things.

It can be beneficial to get your dog used to exchanging something they have for something of equal or greater value. like a treat they like.

First, things will get worse before they get better.

If you ignore your dog’s stealing, they may become confused. Especially if you’d previously chased them to get the item back. Your dog may steal more to get the response they want. They may parade you these items.

Conclusion

Golden retrievers steal things from you and bring them to you after a while. This movement can have many meanings, indicating a desire to get your attention. We discussed various methods in the article to prevent this behavior, which is often unpleasant for the owners of the behavior. Please share your opinion about the content of this article with us.

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