Dog grabbing food off the counter? Who is to blame?

[EthanTheFrogMan]

So I am 15 and we have a dog, he is considered my dog because I pay for him and take the majority of the care and responsibility for him. I live at my moms only half the time, so it is very difficult to train him as my mom and sister just do not care to, even if I show them. Recently my mom and sister have been leaving food on the counter, close to the edge, and when they are not looking he grabs it and takes it, and if you try to take it back he barks, my mom and sister have resulted in giving him a treat in exchange for the item he stole, which rewards him for bad behavior. My mom says it is my fault, and that I need to pay for what he takes and eats, I told her the items I leave on the counter he has NEVER gotten, because I put them where he cannot reach. He has taken remotes and destroyed them because they were left on the floor, and I have also been blamed, what do you guys think, my fault or theres?

[PlayStation 2]

Theirs because they're stupid enough to think that you taught your dog to grab random shit.

[Godlygamer23]

Who's fault is it? The person who is training the dog - whoever is responsible for training him is at fault.

[Drunkaroos]

So I am 15 and we have a dog, he is considered my dog because I pay for him and take the majority of the care and responsibility for him. I live at my moms only half the time, so it is very difficult to train him as my mom and sister just do not care to, even if I show them. Recently my mom and sister have been leaving food on the counter, close to the edge, and when they are not looking he grabs it and takes it, and if you try to take it back he barks, my mom and sister have resulted in giving him a treat in exchange for the item he stole, which rewards him for bad behavior. My mom says it is my fault, and that I need to pay for what he takes and eats, I told her the items I leave on the counter he has NEVER gotten, because I put them where he cannot reach. He has taken remotes and destroyed them because they were left on the floor, and I have also been blamed, what do you guys think, my fault or theres?

Post this in off-topic, not troubleshooting.

[SteamOverlay]

That is vert rude of her to say that

and she needs to grow up

[Fetzie]

Theirs, for the positive reinforcement that he can take food off the counter and be rewarded for it.

[OfficialJsP]

Both is at fault if the dog was properly trained it wouldn't have done it and on the other hand if you're family didn't leave food out it wouldn't have happened both is to blame. 

[EthanTheFrogMan]

Post this in off-topic, not troubleshooting.

oh sorry I thought I clicked off topic

[Godlygamer23]

oh sorry I thought I clicked off topic

All better.

[EthanTheFrogMan]

Who's fault is it? The person who is training the dog - whoever is responsible for training him is at fault.

yeah, I am trying to train him but I can't control what happens when im not there, I guess were both at fault

[The_Stig]

Both of you. As far as I can tell, the dog gets no punishment for doing his actions and is rewarded by your mom for them and you appear to do nothing. I used a compressed air can and if you catch him taking food, jumping up, or destroying something, spray the compressed air at him (or anything he's scared of) and he'll soon stop.

[Godlygamer23]

yeah, I am trying to train him but I can't control what happens when im not there, I guess were both at fault

Playing the "blame game" is not going to help either. If you're training the dog, your mother needs to be supportive of that as well. If you're not there, your mother and whoever else is there is responsible.

[Godlygamer23]

Both of you. As far as I can tell, the dog gets no punishment for doing his actions and is rewarded by your mom for them and you appear to do nothing. I used a compressed air can and if you catch him taking food, jumping up, or destroying something, spray the compressed air at him (or anything he's scared of) and he'll soon stop.

You don't need to punish the dog either per se. Making him be afraid of something is not the best way to do it - it's like doing it to your child. Yes you could do that, but there are other ways of handling it that are less cruel.

Edited December 27, 2015 by Godlygamer23

[EthanTheFrogMan]

Theirs, for the positive reinforcement that he can take food off the counter and be rewarded for it.

In terms of training, when he takes the food and barks at us if we try to take it back, once he is done I put him in his crate for timeout, is there more I should do? It is difficult because he seems threatened when we try to take it back, and that is mostly to due with the fact that they yell at him and make fast movements.

[AresKrieger]

You mom and sister are idiots, blaming you is dumb, blaming the dog is also dumb, cuz dogs just wants foodz

 

[EthanTheFrogMan]

Both of you. As far as I can tell, the dog gets no punishment for doing his actions and is rewarded by your mom for them and you appear to do nothing. I used a compressed air can and if you catch him taking food, jumping up, or destroying something, spray the compressed air at him (or anything he's scared of) and he'll soon stop.

compressed air? thats not really air though right?

[Godlygamer23]

compressed air? thats not really air though right?

Correct.

[EthanTheFrogMan]

You don't need to punish the dog either per se. Making him be afraid of something is not the best way to do it - it's like doing it to your child. Yes you could do that, but there are other ways of handling it that are less cruel.

What would you do? Is it worth it to hire a dog trainer? This is my first dog and I have done research but am not sure what to do

[babadoctor]

You should get a spray bottle and wet the dog whenever he steals something

[The_Stig]

You don't need to punish the dog either per se. Making him be afraid of something is not the best way to do it - it's like doing it to your child. Yes you could do that, but there are other ways of handling it that are less cruel.

It's pretty common, the dog will associate the action with the consequence, and stop. Its not like I'm attacking the poor thing with it, just a short bust reminds them not to do it. If you have other options that are just as effective, feel free to use those too. 

[Godlygamer23]

It's pretty common, the dog will associate the action with the consequence, and stop. Its not like I'm attacking the poor thing with it, just a short bust reminds them not to do it. If you have other options that are just as effective, feel free to use those too. 

Commonality doesn't make it correct. I understand what the purpose is, but compressed air is not healthy to breathe in and I personally would not subject them to that. Two, it creates fear which is not my intention. I don't want my dog to be scared of the counter top. I want them to have a positive reason to not do it.

[The_Stig]

You should get a spray bottle and wet the dog whenever he steals something

This works too, but my dog loves water and was not affected by it, hence the compressed air. You can also add a substance that makes the water bitter if they like the water.

[babadoctor]

This works too, but my dog loves water and was not affected by it, hence the compressed air. You can also add a substance that makes the water bitter if they like the water.

OR leave food purposely on the counter that tastes awful and see what happens

 

conditioning, right?

[Godlygamer23]

What would you do? Is it worth it to hire a dog trainer? This is my first dog and I have done research but am not sure what to do

I would not subject the dog to fear for one. That's just the moral standpoint that I have taken - you don't need to instill fear into the dog. Some dogs like my own retaliate when you use something like compressed air or water because they don't like it - the more you use it, the more they retaliate. I would try something that's non-invasive, and deliberately bait them into something so you have the opportunity to train them. Don't avoid the situation because they'll never learn not to do it.

[Yoinkerman]

Consistency is the key. Somehow you have to get mom and sis on the same page as you while you aren't around.