Abby The Thief!!!!!!

Look at this face







Isn’t she just so cute? Looking so sweet and innocent?


WELL, SHE ISN'T!!!!

Well, innocent at least.
She is a ninja thief.

There is no other way to describe her. I’ve never had another dog, with the stealth for stealing as she has. And she is fast as heck too.

It started with the garden. I had put up a 4 foot fence around the back, because I saw deer tracks by the corn early on, then added rabbit fence around the rest, with a small opening to walk into.
Well, one day, I’m out by the chickens, and I see something in the garden, out of the corner of my eye. I turn. It’s just Abby.
Next thing I know, she is hauling butt across the yard with something in her mouth. A cucumber. I tell her no and she drops it. Complete with tooth marks and dog slobber. As the summer progresses, it gets worse. I’m sitting, husking corn, and I lay two beautiful bell peppers on the ground at my feet. I don’t know if I just spaced out or what, but I never left that chair. She is now 40 feet away, chewing on one of those peppers. I never saw her!!!! Carrots are stolen from the bucket in the house, as I'm prepping to can them. Do you know how much fun vacuuming shredded carrot is from behind the couch? None.

And it is not just me, or veggies. We are remodeling the whole bathroom. While two grown men where installing the flooring, she managed to walk away with the floor glue, unnoticed. How does that happen in an 11’x 8’ bathroom? I mean she must have been stalking them!
And when hubby was installing the plumbing for the new sink? In 5 minutes, she had the elbow completely destroyed.

I will admit, I admire her stealth. It is sometimes shocking to me, how she seems to get things, right under your nose.
But it is getting old. And expensive.

My sister recommended spraying her with a water bottle, when she is taking something, and I would love to try it. But that means I have to catch her in the act.
I have no ninja training.
I cannot compete with her.



Currently, I take whatever is left of what she stole, hold it in front of her, and tell her “No! Bad Dog!” And then she self punishes, by slowly walking with her head down, into her crate. I don’t lock the door, or even shut it, (maybe I should?) because she just lays there for 10-15 minutes.
I'm at my wits end, trying to catch her. And she isn't even a year old. What if her skills improve with age?

Anybody have any suggestions? I really do want to stop her.

a reply to: chiefsmom

Poor Abby !
I just read from news about dogs who need more activities to their teeth because, like babies their teeth are growing and they just need to chew things out. Get Abby a huge bone what she can chew and she won´t be frustrated about what happens around her ..
pic from the article i read.. What a mess did this one did.

a reply to: dollukka

She has a choice of 3 different nyla bones, and outside a whole dang cow leg bone!!! LOL
Plus a thick rope, 3 rubber balls and a kong.
Oh, and our bulldog.


I swear it's more about the art of stealing.