If you are concerned about your dog's temperament, I suggest you seek assistance from a behaviorist who can evaluate your puppy and, it is hoped, reassure you she simply is extremely dominant and tenacious. A certain number of dogs display abnormal behaviors that are unresponsive to typical training methods. Though rare, these dogs need an expert help to have the best odds for improvement.

Sorry, but I don't think your own answer to your pilfering pooch problem is necessarily the best one! If you start trading treats for canine contraband, you most certainly will see this behavior recur more and more frequently. As it is, your dog swipes clothes because it gives him positive results; it allows him to "playfully" elicit a reaction from you. If, with your help, he learns stealing earns bonus food rewards, it will become an even more worthwhile behavior!

Although a person's belongings have no material or dollar value to a dog, they hold social value-the dog that has a desirable possession has the "power." In groups of dogs, a playful dog may attempt to "taunt" another into a game of chase by parading past or teasing it with a possession. If the assigned "playmate" fails to take the bait, the antagonist even may drop the object very close to the other dog and back away as if relinquishing it. But when the suckered dog goes for the prize, it is in for a surprise mock attack. The other dog will pounce back in, either grabbing the toy and running with it or grabbing the toy and hoarding it right under the unwitting victim's nose. Through possessions and play, many dominant dogs establish nonviolent dominance not only over subordinate dogs but over human family members as well. Not understanding the nature of this canine game, many people play along and right into their assigned role as the one that wants, rather than the one that has, desirable possessions.

Rather than bargaining with your thieving dog, teach him proper possession etiquette and new rules to this game. Instead of punishing or scolding the dog for stealing laundry or, just as bad, rewarding him for stealing and then surrendering the item, teach him to pick up possessions only with permission and to discriminate between what he should and should not touch. Teach your dog to pick up and drop objects on command, and then wait for permission to pick up objects in the first place. Rather than saying "no," teach your dog that your silence implies it and that the command "OK" first must be stated in order for him to take a possession from your hand.

Although it is appropriate for dogs to pick up their possessions off the floor anytime they want without permission, they need to learn that touching anything that isn't theirs is off limits. Rather than reacting to a dog once it grabs something it shouldn't (which at best will teach the dog it must yield to your competition, but at worst will teach the dog how to provoke what it considers a highly desirable attention response) teach your dog not to touch these things in the first place. Dogs that have permission to hold or carry objects also should surrender them appropriately. I teach dogs to relinquish anything in their mouths when a human hand reaches toward them. This is taught as a cued, rather than commanded behavior, and should be the result of conditioning rather than response to individual authority. I do not want my adult dogs sizing up my 2-year-old son and evaluating his worthiness as a competitor for a possession, should it cross his mind to try to take something from them. The dogs have been conditioned to yield to his reaching hand without question. I also teach them a release command ("Thank you"), so if I want them to let go of a permitted object when I am at a distance from them, I can say this phrase to prompt them to let go.

Many owners make the mistake of commanding their dog to release an object the dog shouldn't have taken in the first place. This allows the dog to infer it may pick up anything it chooses and simply must let go when challenged. I'd rather teach my dogs not to pick up anything that isn't their own unless I ask them to "take it." I use a proactive, permission approach first, teaching the dog the commanded, permitted aspects of a behavior. Permission allows exceptions; once understood, the rule is introduced-you may not touch without permission!

If I throw a toy and say "OK!" as my dog bolts after it, "OK" becomes associated with successful pursuit. If I do this many times in the exact same manner, then finally change the pattern by throwing the toy and not granting permission, the dog will be corrected (prevented) silently from going forward until it finally gives up and looks at me to try to figure out what is going on. When the dog refers to me, I say "OK!" and release it. The dog learns impulse control and seeks release from me, because that is what works. It doesn't need to be punished, but it must be taught which behaviors work and which ones do not.

When playing with its own toys off-lead, as a dog picks up a toy, I attach the words "Take it." When the dog drops the object (eventually), I say "Thank you." I do not confront, initially. Instead I teach by attaching words to the associated desirable behaviors. This allows the dog always to be right and me to never be disobeyed. After several weeks using this shaping approach, I will begin to interject my command words first to prompt the desired response from the dog. Generally, I am obeyed without question, because the dog has a history of compliance and positive association. Should the dog decide to test me, I am prepared with the animal set up on the leash. If it makes a mistake, I do not punish or repeat my command, but I help the dog be right by silently correcting noncompliance. A dog that bolts forward or attempts to grab an object without permission is simply stopped and not allowed to continue until it is resigned that its unprompted impulse will get no result. The negative tool is simply absence of positive and requires nothing more dramatic. Dogs learn that when I give permission, possession-grabbing impulses work, but when I say nothing, their attempts fail. This results in them seeing me as a passage to adventure, rather than a big drag. Not rushing in becomes the dog's own desire, because it has learned to use hesitation as a tool to achieve its end goal.

Sometimes dogs are unwilling to release an object that a person reaches for or when it has been told "Thank you." To compete with the dog for the object acknowledges the dog as an opponent and validates fighting to see who is mightier. Although the dog may learn to yield to an overpowering adult, this tactic could leave less assertive or less mighty individuals in a bad spot. With dogs that have become aggressive, rather than just obstinate, about surrendering possessions, seek help from a qualified trainer or behaviorist and do not attempt any of my suggestions on your own. You should not experiment at the risk of being bitten and further reinforcing your dog's aggressiveness.

With nonaggressive dogs that refuse to surrender possessions, set the situation up, offering the dog various objects to chew on. Reach down or command release only when the dog is on its leash and the leash is in your other hand. If it refuses to let go, say nothing and simply put a fixed (not increasing amount) of tension on its lead and wait it out. Until the dog lets go, it will be mildly uncomfortable, but there is no hurry. When it finally realizes it is having no fun and it does surrender the object, repeat the command "Thank you" as you slacken the leash. Immediately reward the dog with the highest level of positive reinforcement the moment offers-give the toy back, with permission ("OK"). This teaches dogs to trust that "giving" leads to getting back and makes them very willing to surrender objects.

Once a solid "give/take" switch has been established with the owner permitting rather than restricting appropriate possession behavior, teach the dog the silent rules of self-control that pertain to inappropriate possession behavior. If a dog attempts to touch an object without permission, when "Simon didn't say," its train of thought can be interrupted impersonally so that it is unsuccessful. This can be done using a sound such as "Eh!" provided that sound already had been introduced and associated with stopping. When saying "Eh," it is important not to look at the dog or even acknowledge the sound has come from the handler. It should seem like a warning buzzer has sounded, and although the dog will know the owner has made the sound, the owner doesn't "admire his or her work." To do so allows the dog to keep earning negative rather than exclusively positive attention.

If you know the dog is too committed to stop, or if you're concerned you may be ignored with a correction sound, to prevent your authority from being undermined by telling the dog "Take it" as he grabs an object you normally wouldn't permit. It is happening, so make it seem like it was your idea. Later, throw old, discardable pieces of clothing, and say "Take it" as the dog grabs each item. This is not to imply these items will become the dog's or that the dog will be allowed to play with them; it is simply to teach the dog to bite clothing only on command and to otherwise refrain. Obviously, the dog will not be given anymore "Take it" commands once he gets the idea. After about four "Simon says" tosses of clothing, throw the dog a curve, tossing a fifth piece of laundry and saying nothing, but correcting the dog with an "Eh" and a pull on the leash or a chaser-a dog bomb, or penny bottle-as it tries to touch the forbidden Fruit of the Loom®.

You may experiment with an alternative approach for when your dog slips past your guard and gets a hold of someone's unmentionables. First, don't mention it; turn your back on him and find a dog toy or bone. Play with it loudly and obviously, either by yourself (tossing it in the air, rolling it around, etc.) or with another person. Be very deliberate in not looking at your dog; act as if you are oblivious to the object hanging from his jaws, due to being so totally preoccupied with the even more desirable possession you have in hand. If he drops your drawers, don't comment or run to reclaim them immediately; if you act as if they are valuable to you, you may inspire more competition for them from your dog. His covetous desire for the obviously more valuable possession you are playing with will win out over the undies, and they will be forgotten as the dog tries to figure out how to get possession of whatever you are holding. Now you have the power, and you can play with the dog on your terms. Give permission, give the bone, get your undies and then booby trap them-tie fishing line between them and a penny bottle attached to the other end of the line and balanced on a higher surface. The next time he tries to grab them the bomb will fall, and that particular game will be over before it got started.

Self-control is the result of a dog's mind being changed about the desirability of a behavior or its potential outcome. When a dog experiments and through trial and error determines an outcome is negative or unsuccessful, it will reduce or discontinue that behavior. Dogs only repeat behaviors which in some way provide them with a positive result. Focus your overachiever-retriever's attention on positive possession play without rewarding negative behavior or being played into a negative-attention cycle!

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