# My dog has eaten half a tin of celebrations...



## dozzie (22 January 2017)

no wrappers to be seen...and Christmas pudding, cucumber, cauliflower, carrots, a whole hamper left by the lodger on the counter (fortunately she left the bournville dark chocolate),(I can't say what else was in it as she ate the wrappers), a bag of potatoes, two days supply of meat...ok, not all in one day but...do you think I am not feeding her enough? 
I know...lots of you will say I should take her straight to the vet but honestly...if I took her every time she raided the fridge and cupboards I would have no money to feed myself. She is now asleep in her bed. No sign of a problem. Guess that is a Mastiff for you. 
Looking forward to the wrapper infested poo tomorrow...


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## Swirlymurphy (22 January 2017)

My dog, in his time, has eaten a whole Christmas cake, box of fudge including wrappers, box of Guylian chocolates, umpteen dairy milk bars, a bowl of olives, a whole ham, countless loaves of bread and so on.  He is a very well fed and well exercised deerhound/otterhound/greyhound cross.  I think he thinks he's human.


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## Overread (22 January 2017)

Dogs tend to either do one of three things when it comes to food;

1) Gorge no matter how much they eat. They'll eat and eat even if they are well fed and fat and keep eating till they throw up - then have another go.

2) Stash excess food; buried, hidden all stashed away. Not always so keen to over-eat

3) Ignore the food because of good training and respect (I believe this type of behaviour is mythological). 


So long as nothing horrific is eaten (eg dark chocolate) one spree of bad eating shouldn't cause lasting harm unless its extreme. Though it sounds like its high time for some bolts on the cupboards.



Ps I think the best we ever had was our old labrador who got half a set of tights down before he was spotted. This is by virtue of the fact that there was bacon* in one leg of the tights along with some rocks. Thankfully it all came out with some pulling


*In case this sounds odd its a very effective way to make a lure for when one goes crabbing.


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## alainax (22 January 2017)

Overread said:



			Dogs tend to either do one of three things when it comes to food;

1) Gorge no matter how much they eat. They'll eat and eat even if they are well fed and fat and keep eating till they throw up - then have another go.

2) Stash excess food; buried, hidden all stashed away. Not always so keen to over-eat

3) Ignore the food because of good training and respect (I believe this type of behaviour is mythological). 


So long as nothing horrific is eaten (eg dark chocolate) one spree of bad eating shouldn't cause lasting harm unless its extreme. Though it sounds like its high time for some bolts on the cupboards.



Ps I think the best we ever had was our old labrador who got half a set of tights down before he was spotted. This is by virtue of the fact that there was bacon* in one leg of the tights along with some rocks. Thankfully it all came out with some pulling


*In case this sounds odd its a very effective way to make a lure for when one goes crabbing.
		
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There is a 4.

Our wcs will only eat stuff she likes. She would never steal bread, potatoes, sweets, fruit, veggies, meat skin, meat fatty bits, etc. She is not particularly fussy, but seems to save herself for the good stuff! She does think she is a cat mind you... 


I'd keep an eye on the dog OP, maybe have her out an extra time tonight incase she needs to get rid of some of it!


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## dozzie (22 January 2017)

Just spoken to my lodger...apparently there were two bars of Bournville chocolate not one. I only found one...I will touch base with the vet tomorrow as she has some sort of bladder infection which I guess could be related.  Maybe an upshot of eating the wrong stuff. She is on anti bs at the moment for suspected cystitis..


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## Roxylola (22 January 2017)

The pudding would worry me a lot. Vet tomorrow for sure - raisins are really bad.


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## dozzie (22 January 2017)

alainax said:



			There is a 4.

Our wcs will only eat stuff she likes. She would never steal bread, potatoes, sweets, fruit, veggies, meat skin, meat fatty bits, etc. She is not particularly fussy, but seems to save herself for the good stuff! She does think she is a cat mind you... 


I'd keep an eye on the dog OP, maybe have her out an extra time tonight incase she needs to get rid of some of it!
		
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I know what you mean. She will go out but I expect it will be distributed tomorrow. I will just make sure it is distributed. At least I know what I am looking for. Nobody likes Milky Ways...


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## Tyssandi (22 January 2017)

dozzie said:



			no wrappers to be seen...and Christmas pudding, cucumber, cauliflower, carrots, a whole hamper left by the lodger on the counter (fortunately she left the bournville dark chocolate),(I can't say what else was in it as she ate the wrappers), a bag of potatoes, two days supply of meat...ok, not all in one day but...do you think I am not feeding her enough? 
I know...lots of you will say I should take her straight to the vet but honestly...if I took her every time she raided the fridge and cupboards I would have no money to feed myself. She is now asleep in her bed. No sign of a problem. Guess that is a Mastiff for you. 
Looking forward to the wrapper infested poo tomorrow...
		
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I would always ask my vet if a dog ate that much chocolate


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## dozzie (22 January 2017)

She had the pudding on the day after boxing  day...Like I said...not all in one day. I think she has probably survived that one. Today was the Celebrations. I do my best to keep stuff away from her, child locks etc. everything on top of the cabinets but she catches me out. All fruit is on top of the dresser, she doesn't like oranges or lemons. She opens cupboards and can get stuff from the top of the fridge freezer. I give all dark chocolate away to anyone I happen to meet but sometimes get strange looks. (seriously- I give all dark chocolate away- can't have it in the house)


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## dozzie (22 January 2017)

I know what you mean. I asked my vet when she ate some Green and blacks dark chocolate mini bars and he said to keep an eye on her as being such a large dog she should be ok. No telling tbh. I think some dogs react more than others.  I was really worried but he just said to keep a close eye on her as she was a large dog and would probably be ok. She was. Hence not panicking over Celebrations. I will keep an eye on her and she will probably be allowed on my bed tonight. I have no doubt she will snore all  night and dream of catching rabbits, kicking me throughout the dream,then wake me at five to go out and poo her milky way paper encrusted poo. 
Nevertheless I will touch base with the vet tomorrow regarding the stuff she has stolen over the last few weeks. She seems ok at the moment. If she wasn't she would be at the vets.


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## SusieT (22 January 2017)

the christmas cake would concern me more. Ring your vet- its irresponsible not to. 
And if she keeps eating things then you are being irresponsible in not addressing the issue and not seeking advice when it happens. No good ringing the vet tomorrow, by then she'll have absorbed anything toxic. A phone call costs nothing!


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## Roxylola (22 January 2017)

Well raisins can cause kidney problems so that might be the uti. To be honest, the chocolate wouldn't worry me much in a dog that size. I have a beagle who is a total dustbin. The only thing that has stopped her is an actual lock (the indoor Yale kind) with a key to stop kitchen break ins. Although, she is a bit better now she is raw Fed. She is the eat til you are swollen and can't walk, sick then eat more type.
On one memorable occasion she opened the kitchen door, emptied my freezer (all food cupboards are wall cupboards not ground level) ate pretty much everything meaty, fishy and bread etc between her my springer and my house mates Stafford. They had discarded the veg and left that to thaw. They also broke in to the toy cupboard (I suspect this was just to distract the springer and likely worked) 
That evening, after a bit of a clean up and salvage attempt we were discussing what we had left for tea for us and whether or not to feed the dogs. My beagle trundled off to the other room and sounded to be having a root in her bed. Feeling worse for wear I thought. Nope in she trots with a now defrosted whole chicken which it seems she was saving for later.
I couldn't be cross, I was too impressed with her ingenuity


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## stencilface (22 January 2017)

My dog ate half a brandy soaked christnas cake, an advent calendar, and a large box of Thorntons over the course of a week or two during his first christnas here. He only got a vet visit for the cake, although the day after! He's a big boy so think he would have been ok without. 

I'm much better now at controlling food, he doesn't open the larder, but will open his dog food cupboard sometimes so that gets wedged shut. Occasionally I leave some toddler snacks in my bag which he'll snaffle but chocolate content is minimal. He'll never steal anything if we're in the house, even overnight, but will steal things if we go out, and if angry will open cupboards lol. Still, it means I keep my kitchen tidier!!


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## dozzie (22 January 2017)

SusieT said:



			the christmas cake would concern me more. Ring your vet- its irresponsible not to. 
And if she keeps eating things then you are being irresponsible in not addressing the issue and not seeking advice when it happens. No good ringing the vet tomorrow, by then she'll have absorbed anything toxic. A phone call costs nothing!
		
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She hasn't eaten the Christmas cake. She ate the Christmas pudding three weeks ago and is still here. If she was a small dog she would probably not be here. But had she been a small dog she would not have got the Christmas pudding from the top of the fridge freezer. That is the way it is. I have been putting her dog food in another cupboard and she has now worked that out. I keep the food in the car now so she cant get it. Yes, I am concerned re her need to steal food but weight wise she is ok. Not fat . Not thin.  That is quite important with Mastiffs.


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## dozzie (22 January 2017)

stencilface said:



			My dog ate half a brandy soaked christnas cake, an advent calendar, and a large box of Thorntons over the course of a week or two during his first christnas here. He only got a vet visit for the cake, although the day after! He's a big boy so think he would have been ok without. 

I'm much better now at controlling food, he doesn't open the larder, but will open his dog food cupboard sometimes so that gets wedged shut. Occasionally I leave some toddler snacks in my bag which he'll snaffle but chocolate content is minimal. He'll never steal anything if we're in the house, even overnight, but will steal things if we go out, and if angry will open cupboards lol. Still, it means I keep my kitchen tidier!!
		
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That is exactly it. She steals when she thinks no-one is around. I am not sure if it is insecurity or just canniness. I have watched her through the window and seen her try all cupboards just after I leave to go for work. But usually the stealing happens in the afternoon (As happened today) so maybe a small lunchtime feed might help.


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## dozzie (22 January 2017)

Roxylola said:



			Well raisins can cause kidney problems so that might be the uti. To be honest, the chocolate wouldn't worry me much in a dog that size. I have a beagle who is a total dustbin. The only thing that has stopped her is an actual lock (the indoor Yale kind) with a key to stop kitchen break ins. Although, she is a bit better now she is raw Fed. She is the eat til you are swollen and can't walk, sick then eat more type.
On one memorable occasion she opened the kitchen door, emptied my freezer (all food cupboards are wall cupboards not ground level) ate pretty much everything meaty, fishy and bread etc between her my springer and my house mates Stafford. They had discarded the veg and left that to thaw. They also broke in to the toy cupboard (I suspect this was just to distract the springer and likely worked) 
That evening, after a bit of a clean up and salvage attempt we were discussing what we had left for tea for us and whether or not to feed the dogs. My beagle trundled off to the other room and sounded to be having a root in her bed. Feeling worse for wear I thought. Nope in she trots with a now defrosted whole chicken which it seems she was saving for later.
I couldn't be cross, I was too impressed with her ingenuity
		
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Mine eats veg and fruit. But wondering if the raisins/christmas pudding have caused the UTI. She is on antibiotics for this but will touch base with the vet as when I saw him, with her,   I hadn't considered it. I was concerned about PYO. Ultrasound showed no sign of PYO.


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## KittenInTheTree (22 January 2017)

I'm surprised that no one has flagged the bag of uncooked potatoes. Raw potato is poisonous to everything, dogs included! As in undercooked spuds can make you very sick, or even kill you, level of poisonous. So yeah, either sort your food storage arrangements, or lock the dog out of the kitchen, OP.


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## Aru (22 January 2017)

What weight is she? 
Generally unless dark chocolate is involved the larger dogs tend to be able to process the posion in milk chocolate as the quantity per kg is low enough
Theres a calculator online that gives you an idea of seriousness if you know the weight and amount.

Its a lot cheaper and easier to have them vomit up the likes of raisin cake or chocolate then deal with liver or kidney failure though so your much better off checking with your vet! If you ring them with amounts most will tell you over of the phone the level of risk involved.
Going in the day after a posioning has occured is rarely a good idea as if the substances are going to cause an issue they will already be working their way through the body and are generally much more difficult and expensive to manage at that stage!


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## Roxylola (23 January 2017)

http://www.screwfix.com/p/era-conce...CX-p9Rv_LFuWfINKc28wmECmXIJLpLwjoQaAnuO8P8HAQ
This has changed my life for less than a tenner. My dog cost far more in wasted food than I dare to think. Fitting this was the best thing I ever did


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## yhanni (23 January 2017)

My Rottie used to steal the butter until I put some mouse traps around the dish. They didn't snap his nose but obviously startled him enough not to attempt it again!


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## dozzie (23 January 2017)

She is 45kg. I have bought a magnetic child lock for the fridge.That works providing I remember to put it on. I am keeping an eye on her weight.


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## Chiffy (23 January 2017)

Number 3 is not a myth, I have two Flatcoated retrievers who would not dream of stealing food even if on a table within reach.
They do find some disgusting things to eat out on walks though!!


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## Clodagh (23 January 2017)

yhanni said:



			My Rottie used to steal the butter until I put some mouse traps around the dish. They didn't snap his nose but obviously startled him enough not to attempt it again!
		
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That was how I stopped older lab from doing the bin, I bent the metal trap bit back so hopefully it wouldn't actually catch her, it worked a treat.


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## Chiffy (23 January 2017)

Brilliant, yhanni and Clodagh!


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## Exploding Chestnuts (23 January 2017)

Overread said:



			bacon* in one leg of the tights along with some rocks. Thankfully it all came out with some pulling


 its a very effective way to make a lure for when one goes crabbing.
		
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odd, no not at all, I assume you have appropriate lures when you go "dogging" lol


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## RunToEarth (23 January 2017)

Chiffy said:



			Number 3 is not a myth, I have two Flatcoated retrievers who would not dream of stealing food even if on a table within reach.
They do find some disgusting things to eat out on walks though!!
		
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Agree, my goldie is not at all food motivated, it actually made initial training more difficult because previously I've been lazy and rewarded with treats. 



KittenInTheTree said:



			I'm surprised that no one has flagged the bag of uncooked potatoes. Raw potato is poisonous to everything, dogs included! As in undercooked spuds can make you very sick, or even kill you, level of poisonous. So yeah, either sort your food storage arrangements, or lock the dog out of the kitchen, OP.
		
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I agree, potatoes really scare me, my MIL leaves peelings out for the chooks so I am always paranoid when I take her down there. If the mugging food is a regular thing, I seriously wouldn't keep her anywhere where she can access it. Can you not keep her in another room of your house, or have a food larder elsewhere? Eating toxic foods like that is so dangerous for her.


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## MotherOfChickens (23 January 2017)

I had a number three in my setter. The young goldie is very food oriented so I'd not trust him alone with food-he doesn't mug for food though or hang around ours when we're eating, I wouldnt allow it.

OP I had a rescue beagle cross staffy who was permanently hungry-partly due to being a beagle and partly due to her medication and need to watch her weight. she was a lot better on RAW, I do think it satisfies the urge some of them have for different textures etc etc.


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## stencilface (23 January 2017)

MotherOfChickens said:



			I had a number three in my setter. The young goldie is very food oriented so I'd not trust him alone with food-he doesn't mug for food though or hang around ours when we're eating, I wouldnt allow it.

OP I had a rescue beagle cross staffy who was permanently hungry-partly due to being a beagle and partly due to her medication and need to watch her weight. she was a lot better on RAW, I do think it satisfies the urge some of them have for different textures etc etc.
		
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That's interesting, my neighbours beagle eats everything. Like half rotted grass and other bits on the compost heap. Then he poos diarrhoea on the floor, which he then eats and then throws up. Would raw help that?


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## MotherOfChickens (23 January 2017)

stencilface said:



			That's interesting, my neighbours beagle eats everything. Like half rotted grass and other bits on the compost heap. Then he poos diarrhoea on the floor, which he then eats and then throws up. Would raw help that?
		
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lol-I have no idea! but I do think it provides them with a bit more satisfaction than say kibble-think of it as environmental enrichment. plus there's the carbs thing although I didnt try her on a high end kibble tbf. I'm not saying it is the cure for everything, just an observation with her-she was on phenobarb for epilepsy and was constantly ravenous. I put her on RAW because she had a skin allergy which we narrowed down to chicken in the end and RAW was an easy way to know what she was actually getting-stopped her poo eating as well fwiw.


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## stencilface (23 January 2017)

I think stopping the poo eating would be a huge bonus! I don't know what he's fed, but think it's a high end dry food, arden or iams or something? 

I'll mention it this week.


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## MotherOfChickens (23 January 2017)

stencilface said:



			I think stopping the poo eating would be a huge bonus! I don't know what he's fed, but think it's a high end dry food, arden or iams or something? 

I'll mention it this week.
		
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by high end I mean Eden?MWH/Orijen. I wouldnt feed iams to anything personally.


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## stencilface (23 January 2017)

Sorry yes, what I meant was expensive!


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## MotherOfChickens (23 January 2017)

stencilface said:



			Sorry yes, what I meant was expensive! 

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worth a try, can't abide dog poo eating.


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## Roxylola (23 January 2017)

StencilFace, I could be your neighbour!


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## stencilface (23 January 2017)

Roxylola said:



			StencilFace, I could be your neighbour!
		
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Ha, I gather his traits are very beagle typical! I do think they're reaching the end of their tether with him tbh. His food stealing is relentless, he has no morals and will just take it from in front of you.


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## dozzie (23 January 2017)

So today just half a tub of butter and some bread from the bin... She has broken the bin. I think I might try the mouse trap. The butter was my fault as I left it on the side when I had my lunch. Two crumpets. By the time I had eaten them the butter had been stolen. TBH I blame myself as I should have locked it back in the fridge. My rescue GSD steals from the table and plates. He is so quick. I think he must have been fed from the table in his previous home. My Mastiff would not consider stealing from my plate and has never been fed from the table for this reason. I am sure it has nothing to do with "she might get seen..and told off..." Hey ho! She seems ok in herself and the anti bs seem to have got the Cystitis under control.


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## Moobli (26 January 2017)

Reading these posts I consider myself very fortunate that I don't have dogs who steal food.  I have always been able to leave opened bags of dog food at ground level, and can leave butter, milk, ham etc etc etc on worktops or the table and my dogs would never consider helping themselves.  I am guessing if I left raw beef or gravy bones (their treat of choice) loose on the floor then they might scoff those   But seriously, it would drive me mental to have dogs nicking stuff left, right and centre!!


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## Moobli (26 January 2017)

I would not recommend using mouse traps to attempt to train a dog - especially one as food driven as your mastiff clearly is as you may end up with a serious injury to your dog's face and a large vet bill!

The biggest problem you have (from your posts) is that you are not consistent every single time in putting everything out of reach or behind locked doors.  In your situation, I would most certainly be making sure I did this before I ended up with a very sick dog (or worse).  

http://www.clickertraining.com/how-to-put-an-end-to-counter-surfing


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## dozzie (26 January 2017)

Totally agree. I have everything in cupboards/up high/locked in the fridge but sometimes I forget to put the butter away or i forget I have a banana in my handbag... or I am in a hurry and forget to lock the fridge.  I had a bungee on the fridge but she could get it off with her paws hence the child lock which seems to work most of the time.I can store stuff in the cooker/microwave as she cant open that...yet...Nevertheless I think there is a bigger issue in that she will eat anything. I understand the meat, cheese, cooked food etc but I left a raw cauliflower on the side whilst i went upstairs to get changed before cooking dinner and she ate it. It is obsessive. She raided the fridge one day (when I still had the bungee) and ate the cucumber and tomatoes. Surely that is not normal! I would accept the cheese, butter, bacon etc but the cucumber!!!
The Christmas pudding caught me out. The celebrations was careless of me. I had kept them up high until then but had friends round and forgot to put them away.She had them within 10 minutes. I don't have dark chocolate in the house. I don't have Nurofen in the house. I don't buy grapes. She had never eaten raw potatoes so I had no reason to think she would.   But suddenly she did. She didn't eat the whole bag.Now they go straight into the cupboard. She can open the fridge and cupboards and can get the lid off the bin. She has broken the bin and I am yet to find another that will stop her. I thought this one would but she broke it.  She can get stuff off the top of the fridge freezer. Hence anything the least bit encouraging goes outside in the dustbin. Personally, I think it is psychological (the cucumber etc.) and linked to me going out.


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## KittenInTheTree (26 January 2017)

I think it might be simpler to contain the dog somewhere well away from the kitchen! She sounds determined!


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## Crosshill Pacers (27 January 2017)

Number 3 definitely isn't a myth!  I have 5 Beagles here and a Weimaraner, none of them will steal food and we keep the dog food in our feed room at the stables well within reaching distance for the Weim and the 3 eldest Beagles.  Very often make up their bowls and leave them on the side with the door open and everyone running around the yard and they won't step a foot over the threshold into the feed room unless either OH or me are in there.  Even then they'll sit and watch or prop themselves up on the back of your legs...Daphne has developed a habit of standing with her front feet on the unit looking from the bowls to me and then back to the bowls again.  I get it Daphs, you're _always_ hungry!  Youngest pup is still figuring out the rules a little bit but she follows the example the others set which helps.

Only gross thing is my Weim has a tendency to help me muck out by taking bits of poo and eating them.  And Daphne won't hesitate to eat anything she hasn't rolled in repeatedly on a walk.

We have a fairly set routine though in terms of when/where/what they get fed and they seem to be happy with that.  Several brushes do disappear to be chewed unless I remember to put them back in the box...


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## ihatework (27 January 2017)

Chiffy said:



			Number 3 is not a myth, I have two Flatcoated retrievers who would not dream of stealing food even if on a table within reach.
They do find some disgusting things to eat out on walks though!!
		
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I've got a number 3 Labrador - he is very food driven, and will eat anything he can find on a walk, but in the house he is exceptional. 

I could leave a plate of roast dinner on the coffee table and be confident he wouldn't touch it even if I was out of sight for long periods. 

The terrier on the other hand ......


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## Moobli (27 January 2017)

dozzie said:



			Totally agree. I have everything in cupboards/up high/locked in the fridge but sometimes I forget to put the butter away or i forget I have a banana in my handbag... or I am in a hurry and forget to lock the fridge.  I had a bungee on the fridge but she could get it off with her paws hence the child lock which seems to work most of the time.I can store stuff in the cooker/microwave as she cant open that...yet...Nevertheless I think there is a bigger issue in that she will eat anything. I understand the meat, cheese, cooked food etc but I left a raw cauliflower on the side whilst i went upstairs to get changed before cooking dinner and she ate it. It is obsessive. She raided the fridge one day (when I still had the bungee) and ate the cucumber and tomatoes. Surely that is not normal! I would accept the cheese, butter, bacon etc but the cucumber!!!
The Christmas pudding caught me out. The celebrations was careless of me. I had kept them up high until then but had friends round and forgot to put them away.She had them within 10 minutes. I don't have dark chocolate in the house. I don't have Nurofen in the house. I don't buy grapes. She had never eaten raw potatoes so I had no reason to think she would.   But suddenly she did. She didn't eat the whole bag.Now they go straight into the cupboard. She can open the fridge and cupboards and can get the lid off the bin. She has broken the bin and I am yet to find another that will stop her. I thought this one would but she broke it.  She can get stuff off the top of the fridge freezer. Hence anything the least bit encouraging goes outside in the dustbin. Personally, I think it is psychological (the cucumber etc.) and linked to me going out.
		
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Yes that does sound pretty abnormal.  I think, in that case, I would agree with the poster who said it might be better to keep her contained away from temptation and the kitchen!


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## Fellewell (27 January 2017)

She sounds a hoot! I have trouble getting mine to eat their own dinners let alone anyone elses. I dropped a chicken liver on the floor the other day and my bitch (in season so housebound) looked at me as if to say "is that mine or not?". I don't teach 'leave' command with food, I use junk mail, they'd happily eat the postman.

On a serious note; cystitis in humans is linked to psychological problems and memory loss (temporary). Maybe a link here? Or I would scatter some raw marrow bone about to see if it is down to textural difference.
Well done for staying sane


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